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Ambulance response times in Wales are 'worst on record' | Ambulance response times in Wales are 'worst on record' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Ambulance response times for the most urgent calls in Wales are the worst on record, new figures show. | Ambulance response times for the most urgent calls in Wales are the worst on record, new figures show. |
The proportion of ambulances hitting the target response time of eight minutes for the most urgent calls fell well below half in December. | The proportion of ambulances hitting the target response time of eight minutes for the most urgent calls fell well below half in December. |
The target for responding to Category A calls is 65% - but in December it was just 42.6%. | The target for responding to Category A calls is 65% - but in December it was just 42.6%. |
It was down from 51.0% in November 2014 and from 57.6% from December 2013. | It was down from 51.0% in November 2014 and from 57.6% from December 2013. |
Tracy Myhill, interim chief executive at the Welsh Ambulance Service, said the figures were "unacceptable". | Tracy Myhill, interim chief executive at the Welsh Ambulance Service, said the figures were "unacceptable". |
She said: "We completely appreciate that this presents an unacceptable level of service delivery across the whole health and social care system." | She said: "We completely appreciate that this presents an unacceptable level of service delivery across the whole health and social care system." |
"There are a number of mitigating factors that we need to consider. | "There are a number of mitigating factors that we need to consider. |
"Firstly, we took more than 40,000 calls in December, which is a record high for us and well above what we projected for that month. | "Firstly, we took more than 40,000 calls in December, which is a record high for us and well above what we projected for that month. |
"Secondly, when you break down our 'Red' calls into Red 1s (immediately life-threatening, e.g. cardiac arrest) and Red 2s (serious but less immediately time critical, e.g. suspected stroke), we performed much better on the higher acuity Red 1 calls (57.9%) than the Red 2 calls (40.6%). | "Secondly, when you break down our 'Red' calls into Red 1s (immediately life-threatening, e.g. cardiac arrest) and Red 2s (serious but less immediately time critical, e.g. suspected stroke), we performed much better on the higher acuity Red 1 calls (57.9%) than the Red 2 calls (40.6%). |
"While this is still not where we'd like performance to be, it demonstrates that we are still reaching the majority of our most critically ill patients within eight minutes." | "While this is still not where we'd like performance to be, it demonstrates that we are still reaching the majority of our most critically ill patients within eight minutes." |
Response times breakdown | Response times breakdown |
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives Andrew RT Davies has called for "urgent action" to address the "alarming decline" in ambulance response times. | Leader of the Welsh Conservatives Andrew RT Davies has called for "urgent action" to address the "alarming decline" in ambulance response times. |
Kirsty Williams, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said the figures were "absolutely appalling and the Welsh Labour government should be ashamed." | |
A Welsh government spokesperson said the figures demonstrated the immense pressure the Welsh Ambulance Service was under throughout December. | A Welsh government spokesperson said the figures demonstrated the immense pressure the Welsh Ambulance Service was under throughout December. |
"The demand on the service was unprecedented, with the service receiving 40,147 calls during the month, or around 1,295 a day," the spokesperson said. | "The demand on the service was unprecedented, with the service receiving 40,147 calls during the month, or around 1,295 a day," the spokesperson said. |
"They are nevertheless disappointing and there is no complacency about the need to improve performance." | "They are nevertheless disappointing and there is no complacency about the need to improve performance." |
The figures come as police forces across Wales said they took patients to hospital more than 100 times last month. |