Ambulance response times are getting worse - Black (Carmarthen East, Dinefwr and Llanelli Liberal Democrats)

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Carmarthen East, Dinefwr and Llanelli Liberal Democrats <jon@burree.co.uk>

Ambulance response times are getting worse - Black

January 7, 2009 12:00 AM
Originally published by Welsh Liberal Democrats

Peter Black, Welsh Lib Dem Shadow Health Minister, has expressed his worry at the monthly falling response times of the Ambulance Service in Wales.

For the third month running, the response time for Ambulances arriving at a scene within the target eight minutes, has fallen from 60.9% in September to 57.1% in November. The All-Wales target is currently set at 65%. Peter Black said: "The continuing failure of the Ambulance Service to reach its 65% target rate of arriving at a scene within eight minutes is very worrying. Yet there has been no improvement, in fact they are getting further and further from that target each month. That is a cause for grave concern. "Last month we saw A&E departments across South Wales operating at full capacity and the situation is not improving. The cold snap is putting a huge demand on our hospitals and our Ambulance Service. I am extremely worried that despite the best efforts of a hard-working and dedicated staff, our National Health Service won't be able to cope. "I will be pressing the Minister in the new Assembly term to take action over the Ambulance Service. They are being crippled by an historical debt that is affecting their ability to invest to improve. Only when this is dealt with will we see the improvements the service needs so urgently" Notes: Ambulance stats for November:http://wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/headlines/health2009/hdw20090107/?lang=en All Wales target 65% (Calls arriving at scene within right minutes) November 2008 57.1%October 2008 58.8%September 2008 60.9%