Enfield has seen a 20 per cent fall in ambulance response times in five months.

According to figures released by the London Ambulance Service, 61 per cent of ambulances arrived within eight minutes of being called in August, 14 per cent short of the service’s target of 75 per cent.

In July, the percentage was as low as 55 per cent, the fifth lowest of all 32 boroughs.

Despite the slight rise in August, the overall trend in Enfield has seen a dramatic decrease since March 2014, when the figure was at 81 per cent, six per cent higher than expected.

The average percentage since March is 65 per cent, ten per cent lower than the service's target, with neighbouring boroughs Barnet and Haringey both reaching 62 per cent.

Joanne McCartney, assembly member for Enfield and Haringey, said: “Spending almost £9m a year on private ambulances shows just how far the Government is willing to privatise the London NHS. The amount given to private companies to run ambulance services has rocketed by 1011% in the last two years yet the latest figures show ambulance response times have gone down by nearly two minutes in the last six months.

“Ambulances in Enfield are now only hitting the 8 minute response time 61% of the time. That means patients with potentially life threatening conditions being left waiting far longer than they should be -  the results could be devastating.

“With the NHS in London facing massive financial challenges people will question why we are paying profit making companies to deliver blue light services.”

A spokesman for the Mayor of London said: "We are aware of the challenges the London Ambulance Service is facing as demand for the service continues to rise year on year. We support their efforts to find more effective ways of meeting this growing need, including, where appropriate, offering clinical advice over the phone and referring people to alternative services such as local GPs and pharmacists.

"The mayor has written to the Secretary of State to express his concerns about the service's failure to meet national targets, and is due to meet Ann Radmore, chief executive of the London Ambulance Service to discuss plans to address current challenges."

The Enfield Independent is awaiting comment from London Ambulance Service.