Improved Ambulance Response Times: Cautious Welcome

12.00.00am GMT Fri 8th Jan 2010

Michael German with Lib Dem campaigners: "Paramedics do an invalubale job - we need more to lower reponse times in Gwent"

The latest monthly statistics on ambulance response times for South East Wales has been given a cautious welcome by Michael German AM.

Michael German AM was speaking as figures released by the Welsh Assembly Government showed that in South East Wales, covering Gwent, the percentage of emergency responses arriving at the scene within 8 minutes had settled at 65 per cent, repeating the previous month's figures for October 2009.

The target for Wales is 65% per cent; in South East Wales the performance was 65.4 per cent, beating the target set by the Welsh Government.

In Gwent, Monmouthshire continues to experience the worst response times. Just half of emergency calls were responded to within the 8 minute target, showing no improvement as Wales heads into this tough winter.

Last month, Mr. German asked for special attention to be paid to Monmouthshire's plight. He said, "The often quoted 'it's a rural area' excuse held "no water".

"Other rural areas in Wales are amongst top performing counties in Wales for ambulance response times. Denbighshire in North Wales, similar to Monmouthshire, has consistently exceeded all targets with average response times at 75 per cent. Monmouthshire continues to be at the bottom of the pile and not just experiences the worst response times in Wales, but also one of the worst in the UK as a whole."

Welsh Lib Dem Mr. German said that the persistent poor performance in Monmouthshire was 'completely unacceptable' and that residents' patience could well soon be at 'breaking point'.

However Mr. German praised the continued improvement in performance figures for Torfaen, where during 2009 the County Borough saw a month-on-month improvement and gains had been consolidated.

Mr. German added that he was pleased to see that the figures for November had not seen the response times going backwards, "But as the Winter goes on response times could be hit due to the recent heavy snow falls and icy conditions. These figures are for a period before the current arctic conditions set in."

"Paramedics and front-line staff are doing an incredible job: they save lives. However, the Welsh Government has got to get a grip on the situation very quickly. The service needs more qualified people and it takes time to recruit and train new people."