Carwyn Jones’ Labour Government today missed its ambulance response time target of 65% of ambulances responding to an immediately life threatening call within eight minutes.
In September 2013, 62.9% of category A calls received a response within eight minutes. The 65% target has not been met once since May 2012.
Ambulance response times are one of a series of targets regularly missed by Carwyn Jones’ Labour Government, including cancer treatment times, A&E waiting times and referral to treatment times.
Last month, Carwyn Jones announced a review of health targets, which will consider axing key indicators.
Darren Millar AM, Shadow Minister for Health, said, “Yet again, Carwyn Jones’ Labour Government has failed to meet key ambulance response time targets, meaning too many patients waited too long for lifesaving treatment last month.
“Despite the tireless work of dedicated NHS staff, capacity constraints, bed shortages and blockages at A&E departments, all exacerbated by Labour’s record-breaking health budget cuts, are failing Welsh patients.
“Having failed to meet targets for this key indicator of patient care for 16 months running, the First Minister is now cynically attempting to axe targets to cover up his failing government’s woeful management of our NHS.
“The eight minute target is widely used across the UK and for some critically ill patients an extra few minutes’ delay can mean the difference between life and death.
“Labour Ministers must commit to the need for transparent indicators of NHS performance so the Welsh Government can be held to account for its actions by patients.
“Welsh Labour Ministers must reverse their record-breaking cuts to allow investment in the ambulance service, address capacity problems in A&E departments and allow hardworking NHS staff to deliver the best possible service.”
