Darren Millar
Figures published yesterday show that Carwyn Jones’ Labour Government has missed its ambulance response time target for the 20th time in 21 months.
In March 2014, just 55% of ambulances arrived on the scene in response to an immediately life-threatening call within eight minutes.
The Welsh Government’s target of 65% is the lowest in the UK.
Almost one in five immediately life-threatening calls had a wait of more than 15 minutes.
The percentage of ambulances arriving within eight minutes varied from 70.5% in Wrexham to just 41.6% in Blaenau Gwent.
Darren Millar AM, Shadow Minister for Health and Social Services, said, “Welsh Labour has the lowest ambulance response time target of all UK nations, but even that is being routinely missed.
“Under Labour, ambulance response time targets have only been met once in the past 21 months, failing Welsh patients.
“The speed at which an ambulance can respond to an immediately life-threatening call can make the difference between life and death.
“Labour’s legacy of record-breaking NHS budget cuts has seen beds axed and services cut back leading to full A&E units so ambulances are unable to swiftly transfer patients and get back on the road to other urgent calls.
“Instead of focussing resources on improving ambulance response times after nearly two years of missed targets, Labour’s response is to discuss scrapping targets and rebranding.
“Labour Ministers must reverse their record-breaking cuts and start investing in the ambulance service to improve patient care and speed up responses.
“Welsh Conservatives would properly resource the Welsh ambulance service so it is fit for purpose and would ease staffing pressures by recruiting an additional 100 paramedics.”
