Darren Millar
“Today’s publication of the latest ambulance response time figures shows that the Welsh Labour Government has missed its monthly target almost every single month in the past two years.” says Shadow Health Minister, Darren Millar AM.
Figures for May 2014 show only 54.1% of ambulances arrived at the scene of an immediately life-threatening category A call within eight minutes.
The May 2014 figures show a fall of 2.6% since the previous month and a fall of 8.4% since May 2013.
Wales has the lowest category A response time target in the UK at 65%. That target has only been met once since June 2012.
Not a single local authority area had a response time achieving the 65% figure, while some local authorities just scraped 40%.
Darren Millar AM, Shadow Health Minister, said, “Another month and another fall in ambulance response times in the Labour-run Welsh NHS.
“Labour Ministers have missed their ambulance response time target for critical category A life-threatening calls almost every month in the past two years.
“An immediate medical response to a heart attack, stroke or serious accident can make the difference between life and death.
“Despite the dedication of paramedics, patients in Wales have had to put up with almost two years of a substandard emergency service because of a lack of investment from Labour Ministers and a failure to address logjams at A&E departments.
“Labour’s response to almost two years of missed targets, namely looking to scrap the target altogether and consult on changing the name of ambulances to Welsh emergency medical service vehicles is cynical and politically-driven.
“Labour’s legacy of record-breaking budget cuts – confirmed at over 8% by the Kings Fund – has constrained capacity, worsened standards of patient care and led to centralisation, bed cuts and hospital downgrades.
“Full A&E units prevent ambulances from transferring patients efficiently, thereby delaying paramedics from getting back out to attend other life-threatening calls.
“Labour Ministers must get a grip on this crisis in the Welsh NHS, which is putting lives at risk.”
