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| Ambulance chief's 999 call reform | Ambulance chief's 999 call reform |
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| The Welsh Ambulance Service's way of dealing with 999 calls is "poorly designed", according to the organisation's new chief executive. | The Welsh Ambulance Service's way of dealing with 999 calls is "poorly designed", according to the organisation's new chief executive. |
| Emergency patients have been left waiting too long, said Alan Murray - the fourth person to take charge of the service in the past six months. | Emergency patients have been left waiting too long, said Alan Murray - the fourth person to take charge of the service in the past six months. |
| He is due to set out his plans for modernisation at a board meeting. | He is due to set out his plans for modernisation at a board meeting. |
| An inquiry into the service led by the Auditor General for Wales is ongoing, and is due to report later this year. | An inquiry into the service led by the Auditor General for Wales is ongoing, and is due to report later this year. |
| Seven weeks into the job, Mr Murray will give more detail of how he thinks the beleaguered service can be put back on track. | Seven weeks into the job, Mr Murray will give more detail of how he thinks the beleaguered service can be put back on track. |
| The service's target response time of eight minutes to a call is still not being met by enough crews, and the NHS trust is still overspending. | The service's target response time of eight minutes to a call is still not being met by enough crews, and the NHS trust is still overspending. |
| There is no disguising the fact that the past year has been difficult but it is important to remember that we have also had a lot of successes Alan Murray | There is no disguising the fact that the past year has been difficult but it is important to remember that we have also had a lot of successes Alan Murray |
| Mr Murray said this could be turned around by working "smarter" - putting paramedics where there is traditionally a higher level of need, and improving the basic 999 system. | Mr Murray said this could be turned around by working "smarter" - putting paramedics where there is traditionally a higher level of need, and improving the basic 999 system. |
| He said he recognised that the assembly government would not issue blank cheques but the changes he seeks would cost money. | He said he recognised that the assembly government would not issue blank cheques but the changes he seeks would cost money. |
| Mr Murray, who said he did his "homework" before taking on the top job, is to deliver an early draft of his plan to the NHS trust's annual meeting on Tuesday. | Mr Murray, who said he did his "homework" before taking on the top job, is to deliver an early draft of his plan to the NHS trust's annual meeting on Tuesday. |
| He said: "Our 999 job-cycle processes, from the time we receive a call to being available for the next job, are poorly designed." | He said: "Our 999 job-cycle processes, from the time we receive a call to being available for the next job, are poorly designed." |
| "As a result, it takes us too long to get the 999 call to the responders, leaving little time for a clinically-effective response. | "As a result, it takes us too long to get the 999 call to the responders, leaving little time for a clinically-effective response. |
| "We will be developing our people and redesigning and managing our processes." | "We will be developing our people and redesigning and managing our processes." |
| He added that the Welsh Ambulance Service was in "an extremely important period" in its history. | He added that the Welsh Ambulance Service was in "an extremely important period" in its history. |
| Mr Murray said he did his "homework" before taking the job | Mr Murray said he did his "homework" before taking the job |
| He said: "There is no disguising the fact that the past year has been difficult but it is important to remember that we have also had a lot of successes." | He said: "There is no disguising the fact that the past year has been difficult but it is important to remember that we have also had a lot of successes." |
| "This year we attended some 12,996 more emergency calls and we have some of the most highly qualified clinical staff in the UK." | "This year we attended some 12,996 more emergency calls and we have some of the most highly qualified clinical staff in the UK." |
| Alwyn Roberts, a paramedic based in Llangefni, north Wales, said morale had been low among paramedic crews but that was beginning to change. | Alwyn Roberts, a paramedic based in Llangefni, north Wales, said morale had been low among paramedic crews but that was beginning to change. |
| He said: "It's been quite stressful seeing vacant shifts not covered due to costs and finance. | He said: "It's been quite stressful seeing vacant shifts not covered due to costs and finance. |
| "It got quite stressful for all the staff, having to do what they can and going out on a solo shift. It's moving slowly and the shifts, I must say, are being covered now." | "It got quite stressful for all the staff, having to do what they can and going out on a solo shift. It's moving slowly and the shifts, I must say, are being covered now." |