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Covid: Morale on Wales' ambulances 'at rock bottom' Covid: Welsh ambulances face unprecedented pressure, minister says
(about 3 hours later)
The Army helped drive ambulances for the Welsh trust during the winter Covid waveThe Army helped drive ambulances for the Welsh trust during the winter Covid wave
Welsh ambulance crews are spending whole shifts waiting to off-load patients, according to a front-line worker. The Welsh ambulance service faces pressure like it has never seen before, the country's health minister has said.
With the service under increased pressure from the latest Covid wave, Paul Amphlett, a medical technician, said morale was at "rock-bottom". Eluned Morgan said she was not "ducking" from responsibility for what her opponents say is a crisis.
It comes as the Welsh Ambulance Service formally asked for military help to drive its vehicles. It comes as the service formally requested help from the military to drive its vehicles.
The Conservatives say ministers should declare an emergency in the service. One frontline worker told BBC Wales crews are spending whole shifts waiting to off-load patients.
Welsh Ambulance Services Trust said it has been under "significant and sustained pressure" in recent months - it is looking for assistance to help cope with the winter. Ms Morgan told a Senedd debate calls have increased 20-30% compared to this time last year, that staff were reaching "burnout" and that there was a "blockage" in getting people out of hospitals.
The Conservatives, who forced the debate on Wednesday, say ministers should declare an emergency in the service.
Demand 'relentless' on the front lineDemand 'relentless' on the front line
Man dies after 16 hours 999 waitMan dies after 16 hours 999 wait
Elderly woman left in wrong houseElderly woman left in wrong house
Figures from July showed only 57.8% of the most serious calls, classed as red, were responded to within eight minutes, below the target of 65%.Figures from July showed only 57.8% of the most serious calls, classed as red, were responded to within eight minutes, below the target of 65%.
The service received more calls in July than in any month since the pandemic began.The service received more calls in July than in any month since the pandemic began.
Welsh Ambulance Services Trust said it has been under "significant and sustained pressure" in recent months, and it wants assistance to help cope with the winter.
It is the third time it has requested assistance since the Covid pandemic began - the Ministry of Defence is now considering the request.
'Eight hours - that can't be'
Stewart Manning was told he would have to wait eight hours for an ambulance
Stewart Manning, 59, from Marshfield in Newport, has diabetic gastroparesis, a digestive condition which leads him to become very dehydrated.
He said he had experienced a few instances in the past four years where he waited more than three hours for an ambulance.
In June he was told an ambulance would not arrive for eight hours, and his wife Corrine drove him to hospital.
"That was horrific. Eight hours - that can't be," he said.
"It's not the fault of the ambulance crews, it's not the fault of the front line, the coal face, the nurses or anyone else like that.
"But there's got to be someone responsible for the way it is structured. The management, the funding even. There are so many different issues relating to this.
"There are people out there who are not going to be seen to for a long time… they're going to die."
The military has been assisting the ambulance service across the UK
In the Senedd debate on Wednesday Ms Morgan said the service was under "unprecedented pressure".
"I'm not hiding, I'm not ducking, I am absolutely taking responsibility," she said.
"Covid was bad, everybody understood Covid, but everybody in the service at the moment is telling me that this pressure at the moment is worse than anything we've seen."
She said 18% of calls are Covid-related, but handover delays to hospital have a "significant impact" .
The service has been hit by staff absence, caused by sickness which rose by 10% in June, self-isolation, shielding and delayed annual leave.
"We've got to accept the fact that a lot of these people are reaching burnout and they need a break," she said.
She said staff were not taking up overtime as much as in the past, and there were difficulties in "timely discharge in patients from hospital", reducing available hospital beds.
She did not think it would be appropriate to declare an emergency, as called for by the Conservatives, but accepted "there is a problem here that needs to be resolved".
Eluned Morgan said the service faces "unprecedented pressure"
Call for trust to be split up
Senedd members gave examples of problems faced by constituents with the ambulance service. Welsh Conservative health spokesman Russell George said the service is in "crisis" and has been "for some months".
He cited a case where a constituent was asked by the service to take a family member with a suspected heart attack "to hospital themselves".
Mabon ap Gwynfor, Plaid Cymru MS for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, said he knew of a constituent who had to wait for 15 hours for an ambulance.
He said it was a "symptom of a deep seated problem", raising waits to get into hospital and a lack of community beds or a lack of social care.
Labour Swansea East MS Mike Hedges said the Welsh Ambulance Services Trust was "not working effectively" and should be "split up" and run by the individual health boards, "so it's their fault, not somebody else's".
The Trust covers the whole of Wales, while health boards are regional.
Mr Hedges also appeared to criticise previous health ministers from his own party: "Fortunately for the first time since I was elected, we have a health minister who I am confident will address the problems."
'Never known it as bad'
Paul Amphlett retired as a paramedic six years ago and now works part-time as an emergency medical technician in Brecon, Powys.Paul Amphlett retired as a paramedic six years ago and now works part-time as an emergency medical technician in Brecon, Powys.
"I have never known it as bad as it is at the moment, in the sense that morale is at rock bottom," he told BBC Wales."I have never known it as bad as it is at the moment, in the sense that morale is at rock bottom," he told BBC Wales.
"I didn't join the ambulance services to babysit patients outside hospitals for eight, 12 hours.""I didn't join the ambulance services to babysit patients outside hospitals for eight, 12 hours."
Paul Amphlett said there is "no let-up" in demand for ambulancesPaul Amphlett said there is "no let-up" in demand for ambulances
Mr Amphlett, 59, said Health Minister Eluned Morgan was wrong when she told the Senedd last week that the service was under "real pressure" but said she would not describe it as a crisis. Mr Amphlett, 59, said crews from his patch in Powys were being sent across south Wales because the service is so stretched.
"It is a crisis," Mr Amphlett said, adding that a recent increase in demand was "appalling".
He said crews from his patch in Powys were being sent across south Wales because the service is so stretched.
"When the pandemic started it went quieter, but in the last 12 months it's gone mental."When the pandemic started it went quieter, but in the last 12 months it's gone mental.
"There's no let-up. It's constant."There's no let-up. It's constant.
"They [patients] can't get hold of GPs. They are ringing 111 and are speaking to people telling them to ring for an ambulance because they can't get a doctor.""They [patients] can't get hold of GPs. They are ringing 111 and are speaking to people telling them to ring for an ambulance because they can't get a doctor."
There is concern that a severe flu season this winter, combined with the effects of the pandemic, will put more strain on the NHS.There is concern that a severe flu season this winter, combined with the effects of the pandemic, will put more strain on the NHS.
Mr Amphlett said lockdown resulted in fewer patients with flu last winter, but: "If it happens this winter I don't know how they are going to cope."Mr Amphlett said lockdown resulted in fewer patients with flu last winter, but: "If it happens this winter I don't know how they are going to cope."
Welsh Ambulance Services Trust declined to respond to Mr Amphlett's comments.Welsh Ambulance Services Trust declined to respond to Mr Amphlett's comments.
'Eight hours - that can't be'
Stewart Manning was told he would have to wait eight hours for an ambulance
Stewart Manning, from Marshfield in Newport, has diabetic gastroparesis, a digestive condition which leads him to become very dehydrated.
He said he had had a few instances in the past four years where he had to wait more than three hours for an ambulance to arrive.
In June he was told an ambulance would not arrive for eight hours, and his wife drove him to hospital.
"That was horrific. Eight hours - that can't be," he said.
"It's not the fault of the ambulance crews, it's not the fault of the front line, the coal face, the nurses or anyone else like that.
"But there's got to be someone responsible for the way it is structured. The management, the funding even. There are so many different issues relating to this.
"There are people out there who are not going to be seen to for a long time… they're going to die."
The military has been assisting the ambulance service across the UK
On Wednesday, the Welsh Conservatives will call a debate demanding that the Welsh government declares an emergency in the service.
The party said it wanted a "comprehensive plan to improve response times", increased bed capacity and to boost access face-to-face primary care appointments.
Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies said: "Drafting in the Army will give our ambulance staff the help they need during these challenging times, but it is a shame this Labour-led Welsh government didn't get the ball rolling sooner."
Third requestThird request
The military has assisted the NHS throughout the Covid pandemic and if the trust's request, made through the Welsh government, is approved it is the third time the armed forces will have helped the service. The military has assisted the NHS throughout the Covid pandemic.
The Welsh government said the request, which it will pass to the military on Wednesday, was for "drivers with a C1 driving licence to deal with increased pressures facing the service over the winter". The Welsh government said the request, which it has processed on behalf of the trust, asks for "drivers with a C1 driving licence to deal with increased pressures facing the service over the winter".
Soldiers helped drive ambulances in Wales on Christmas Eve, at the height of the pandemic's second wave.Soldiers helped drive ambulances in Wales on Christmas Eve, at the height of the pandemic's second wave.
First Minister Mark Drakeford told the Senedd on Tuesday that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had approved most of the applications during the pandemic, but not all.
Military help for the service was proposed by Welsh Secretary Simon Hart in a letter to the Welsh government sent earlier in September.Military help for the service was proposed by Welsh Secretary Simon Hart in a letter to the Welsh government sent earlier in September.
The armed forces have assisted other ambulances services in the UK over recent months.The armed forces have assisted other ambulances services in the UK over recent months.
Soldiers will begin driving Scottish ambulances this weekend, while the military was called in to help four trusts in England last month.Soldiers will begin driving Scottish ambulances this weekend, while the military was called in to help four trusts in England last month.
A&E waits hit nine-year highA&E waits hit nine-year high
Will seeing your doctor ever get back to normal?Will seeing your doctor ever get back to normal?
A spokesperson for Joint Military Command Wales said: "Defence remains ready to offer support to civil authorities in the UK and we will work with the Welsh government and the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust to understand their requirements and offer assistance where appropriate." A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "The Ministry of Defence has received a request from Welsh government to support the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust under the military aid to civil authorities process. The request is currently under consideration.
The Welsh government said: "The ambulance service is facing increased pressure as a result of the pandemic and as we enter what will be a difficult winter period. "We are working hard to identify where we can most effectively provide assistance across the whole of the United Kingdom as we continue to tackle the pandemic."
"We would urge people to consider how to get the care they need. The NHS 111 Wales website is the quickest way to access healthcare advice if you are unwell, and it includes a symptom checker, information about local healthcare services such as pharmacies, and self-care advice."
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