MP CONTINUES INVESTIGATION INTO AMBULANCE RESPONSE TIMES

THE Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust still has questions to answer over poor emergency response times in Gwent, according to Monmouth MP David Davies.

Mr Davies visited the Trust's South East Region Command and Control Centre in Cwmbran last week and spoke to staff who are responsible for answering 999 calls. He then spent several hours talking to paramedics in Newport.

"I have said before that I believe ambulances are being stationed nearer to Newport in order to meet target times, although I accept that the Trust is trying to overcome this by locating rapid response vehicles across a wider area," said Mr Davies.

"One thing that does worry me is the length of time it is taking for ambulances to get in and out of hospitals. There is a target for turning them around within 20 minutes but I have seen figures suggesting that hours of time are being lost every day because ambulance crews are kept waiting at A&E units.

"I am told this is partly because A&E units have to meet a target of dealing with all visitors within four hours, but the clock does not start ticking on arrivals by ambulance until the crew has been released. This means there is a perverse incentive to keep crews waiting for as long as possible.

"Patients believe they will be seen more quickly if they dial for an ambulance and so those who would be perfectly capable of getting to an A&E unit by themselves are ringing for an ambulance. When I spent a shift with an ambulance crew I saw plenty of evidence of this happening.

"I certainly do not blame the individual paramedics, for whom I have the greatest respect. The determination to meet centralised targets seems to be at the heart of many of the problems so I will be writing to the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust and to the Aneurin Bevan Health Board to request detailed information from both about the average length of time it takes an ambulance crew to be in and out of an A&E unit.

"It is difficult to know exactly where the blame for these poor times lies but I am determined to see them improve. Only this week I have been speaking to a local resident who had to wait over an hour for an ambulance after an elderly relative suffered a suspected heart attack. We all deserve better than this."