55% Powys ambulances failing Welsh target

12.00.00am GMT Wed 7th Jan 2009

November 2008 Ambulance response times in Powys remain amongst the worst in Wales, with just 44.6% arriving within the target time.

Mick Bates, AM for Montgomeryshire said:

"In rural areas such as Powys, the delivery of ambulance services is particularly challenging, but people should not suffer because of where they live. I welcome the improvement in response times for emergency calls in Powys, however we are still far below the average target for Wales. A much greater improvement is needed if people are to receive the emergency care and treatment that they need.

"The most worrying aspect remains the huge variation in response times across Wales, from 77.8% in Conwy to 44.6% in Powys. The Assembly Government must recognise and cater for the needs of rural areas such as Powys, where poor infrastructure, dispersed communities and an aging population will inevitably provide challenges.

"As the cold weather continues, we need to see urgent action to tackle the issues of understaffing and a lack of resources, so that people in Powys receive the treatment that they deserve."

Kirsty Williams AM for Brecon and Radnorshire said:

"Powys falls more than 10% below the Wales average and 20% below the All Wales target, the figure is all the more appalling when compared to the 77.8% response time in Conwy.

"It is welcome that there has been an improvement in response times on the previous month, but this improvement is marginal and still leaves us in the bottom three counties in Wales.

"Month on month we see the same shocking scenario, and with the all Wales average decreasing the situation is clearly worsening. The Assembly Government must take decisive action.

"It is true that the large and sparse nature of Powys puts our emergency services at a disadvantage but this should not be an excuse for putting people's lives at risk and giving my constituents a second class service.

"These figures show the enormous pressure that our hard working ambulance staff are under and poor road infrastructure, a dispersed and aging population and hospital reconfiguration plans across Wales will only make the situation worse."

Notes:

The full statistics can be found at:

http://wales.gov.uk/docs/statistics/2009/090107sdr22009en.pdf?lang=en

Ends/diwedd