Worrying figures on local ambulance responses

Ambulances responding to 'red' 999 calls in the area are only reaching patients within eight minutes 43 per cent of the time, it has been revealed.

Crews are being stretched according to politicians who want more resources invested in the area.

Responding to the figures, Welsh Liberal Democrats Leader and Mid & West Wales Senedd Member Jane Dodds said: “These figures are a tragedy. Targets aren’t even close to being met and ambulance response times have gotten worse. While we all understand the severe pressure the pandemic has placed on NHS, these problems are not new.

"What really stands out is the huge variance in performance across Wales. Here in Powys, we have some of the worst response times in the country. We absolutely cannot continue with a postcode lottery when it comes to life saving services and rural regions cannot continue to be neglected."

She added: “If we are to reduce pressures on our ambulance services and A&Es, we must invest more in community healthcare and GPs. If people could get a GP appointment in reasonable time there would be far less pressure on emergency services. For too many people in Mid Wales this just isn’t happening and rural Wales continues to suffer from a shortage of GPs.

“We also need action on social care, both to prevent high numbers entering emergency departments and to ensure people have safe environments to be discharged to following any emergency treatment.

“This situation cannot continue. The Labour and Plaid Cymru administration must do more to tackle this issue.”