1. Wales
  2. 4 updates

Funding boost for Welsh Ambulance Service

The Welsh Ambulance Service is being given £4m to buy new vehicles. The Welsh Government says the funding will help reduce waiting times and improve patient care. It comes as figures released today reveal Welsh ambulances have again missed their target response times.

Live updates

Ambulance figures: 'Ongoing improvement' needed

The Health Minister "expects to see ongoing improvement" in ambulance response times, the Welsh Government said today.

We welcome the improvement the Welsh Ambulance Service has made, with 58.3% of emergency responses to the most immediate life-threatening calls arriving at the scene in eight minutes, up from 53% in June.

There has also been an increase in demand over the previous month, with a 7% rise in the number of emergency calls with more than 38,000 for July.

However, the service needs to continue to build on this improvement in response times. The Health Minister expects to see ongoing improvement, with targets being achieved month on month.

The ambulance fleet continues to be upgraded with Welsh Government investment, with a further £4m announced today and additional funding for the recruitment of more than 100 frontline staff. It is now for the Welsh Ambulance Service to improve its performance.

– Welsh Government spokesperson

Advertisement

'Improved service' vow as ambulance targets missed

The Welsh Ambulance Service says funding for new ambulances will help continue to improve service quality and patient care.

It comes as figures released today reveal Welsh ambulances have again missed their target response times.

For emergency responses to immediately life-threatening ambulance calls, 58.3% arrived at the scene within eight minutes – up from 53.0% in June but below the target of 65%.

Not only will the new vehicles improve the comfort and safety of our patients but also the working conditions for our staff.

Regularly replacing ageing vehicles ensures our fleet remains modern, reliable and fit-for-purpose.

The investment will allow us to continue to improve the quality of our services for the people of Wales and enhance patient care.

– Heather Ransom, Head of Resource for the Welsh Ambulance Service

Welsh ambulances get £4 million upgrade

The Welsh Ambulance Service is to get over 40 new vehicles as part of a major upgrade, the Welsh Government has announced.

The service will receive £4 million to buy 41 new fuel-efficient vehicles, including emergency ambulances and specialist rapid response vehicles.

There are currently 736 vehicles covering more than 8,000 square miles across Wales.

The Government claims the new ambulances will contain the latest equipment to ensure patients are treated in the best clinical environments possible.

Latest figures reveal the demands placed on the ambulance service with 35,570 emergency calls during June 2014.

They also show that immediately life-threatening incidents, which needed an emergency ambulance response, have increased by 30% over the last five years.

The demands placed on the ambulance service in Wales every day of the year are significant.

This is why we are continuing to invest in the ambulance fleet to make sure modern, reliable vehicles are available to respond to sick and injured patients.

This new funding will help provide high-quality clinical services, improve the comfort and care to patients and offer a much better working environment for ambulance service staff.

– Professor Mark Drakeford, Health Minister
Back to top

Latest ITV News reports