POOR AMBULANCE RESPONSE TIMES CONTINUE IN SOUTH WALES EAST
A press release from William Graham AM on 5th March
William Graham (Conservative AM for South Wales East) responding to the latest statistics for Ambulance Services highlights:
“Once again the figures for January 2008 highlight the poor response times for ambulance services throughout South East Wales”.
“These figures are not a reflection upon our ambulance crews and paramedics, the responsibility lies with an Assembly Government that fails to ensure efficient investment in NHS services and their setting of un-realistic targets”.
“We have had reviews, targets, strategies and extra investment in the ambulance service yet the problems remain, there is little evidence that the service is improving”.
“The Assembly Government must ensure effective action to reduce overall response times and allow the earliest commencement of medical treatment”.
“The Assembly Government’s record so far gives no re-assurance:
· Their first target was that by 2001 75% of immediately life-threatening emergency (Category A) calls would be responded to within 8 minutes.
· They failed to meet this target – so it was reduced to 65%.
· Then after further failure to meet 65% they revised downwards again to 60%.
· An average response time of 8 minutes for 60% category A calls throughout all of South Wales East has never been reached”.
William Graham JP, AM
CHIEF WHIP, PARTY CHAIRMAN AND EUROPEAN SPOKESMAN
Email – William.Graham@Wales.gov.uk