Distribution & Availability

Distribution & Availability

The National Reference Framework for Distribution & Availability forms the basis for the capacity of ambulance care available in the Netherlands and the way in which ambulances are distributed across the various ambulance posts.

The reference framework is used to determine where ambulance posts need to be established to ensure that in an emergency, 97% of people in the Netherlands can be reached by an ambulance within 12 minutes.

The reference framework also determines the ambulance capacity required per region in order for ambulance capacity to be available in that region 24/7 and to make it possible to provide both emergency and scheduled ambulance care (for an explanation of emergency and scheduled ambulance care, see: sector overview).

The National Reference Framework is drawn up periodically by the RIVM, on behalf of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Support. The current Reference Framework was drawn up in 2021.