999 response times are faster

Ambulance response times in Mid Wales have radically improved, with nearly 60 per cent of emergency calls now reaching their destination on time.

The Welsh Ambulance Service Trust was given £10.5 million funding earlier this year in a bid to improve response times which saw only 39.8 per cent of ambulances get to the scene in the eight minute target in Powys.

The money was used for improved satellite navigation systems.

Edwina Hart, minister for health and social services, said today that for March 58 per cent of ambulances in the county arrived on time.

She said: "In December, I provided a written statement to members on the response times of the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust. I communicated my disappointment with the performance of the service, identified a number of issues which needed to be resolved and set out the actions that I would take to do so.

"As far as response times are concerned, I am pleased to note that there has been a steady increase in performance across Wales from the low point in December when only 47.6 per cent of emergency calls arrived within eight minutes. This now stands at 65 per cent.

"I targeted that each area should target 60 per cent and Powys hit 58 per cent – with Torfaen bottom at 47 per cent.

"While this is still not an acceptable level of performance, the continuous improvement made over the past months is encouraging, particularly in light of the specific challenges presented in each."

But John Howard, chief officer of Montgomeryshire Community Health Council said the figures could have been reached three years ago had calls for better management from ambulance staff been heeded.