Best ambulance response times since start of pilot – all LHBs in Wales meet target for first time

Latest statistics [from June 2016] show the best ambulance performance since the introduction of a clinical response model pilot last October.

For the first time, all local health boards (LHBs) have surpassed the national target and improvements in responsiveness have been made month on month since March.

In June, a total of 77.1% of emergency responses to an immediately life-threatening illness or injury, known as red calls, arrived within eight minutes, above the target of 65%, and up from 75.5% in May 2016. The standard response to this type of patients was just 5 minutes and 1 second.

Welcoming the good news, Health Secretary Vaughan Gething said:

“It’s clear from these new statistics that people can be very positive about what’s happening in our ambulance service.

“The people with the greatest need, who are facing life threatening situations, are being seen in the fastest time.

“All of this is being achieved against a backdrop of ever rising demand and pressure on our ambulance service. In June alone there were over 37,000 emergency calls made to the Welsh Ambulance Service – to put that in context that’s an average of 1,235 calls per day.

“The ambulance service have been meeting and beating the targets we’ve set for them month on month since the start of the pilot of our new clinical model, and we are among the most transparent nations for ambulance information in the world. Indeed, there is ongoing international interest in the Welsh clinical response model pilot

“Paramedics; clinical contact centre staff; clinical leaders, commissioners  and everyone working to continuously improve the service deserve credit for what’s been achieved. I applaud their efforts and thank them.

“Our year long pilot of a new Clinical Response Model for ambulance services in Wales, which focuses resources in a way that is intended to improve outcomes for patients, will come to an end soon. Results so far have been encouraging, but there’s always more work to do. I’ll make an announcement on next steps in the autumn.

“We’re meeting targets we’ve set for our ambulance service, across the border they are not. I want to see that improved performance carry on, we’ve much to be proud of. Long may that continue.”