Emergency response times exceed targets
THE Welsh Ambulance Service has produced a set of record-breaking emergency response figures.
A total of 79.5% of lifethreatening calls, known as ‘Red’ calls, received a response within eight minutes in September.
It was an increase on the 78.1% recorded in August and was way above the 65% target the Welsh Government has set.
It was the best performance since a new clinical model was introduced in October 2015, and every health board in Wales met the target for the fourth consecutive month.
In Cwm Taf University Health Board area, which covers Rhondda Cynon Taff and Merthyr, 80.1% of Red calls were reached within eight minutes.
It was the third highest performing health board in Wales behind Cardiff and Vale (85.3%) and Ab- ertawe Bro Morgannwg (81.9%).
Mick Antoniw, Assembly Member for Pontypridd, welcomed the dramatic improvement in ambulance response times in Cwm Taf.
He said: “This is a very encouraging result, which continues the improving trend of the past year and is a real tribute to the management and staff at the South Wales Ambulance Trust and Cwm Taf Health Board who have worked so hard to achieve these results.
“Cwm Taf’s performance is just ahead of the Welsh average and it is extremely good news that every health board in Wales is now meeting the target.”
The new clinical response model pilot saw major changes to the number of calls categorised as ‘Red’.
Under the new model, those patients in imminent danger of death will get a life-saving response as quickly as possible.
But all other patients else will have a response based on their clinical needs, which could mean a referral to NHS Direct Wales or their GP rather than a trip to hospital.
The latest figures mean the ambulance emergency response target was met every month in the first year of the clinical response model pilot, with half of emergency calls in September receiving a response in just over fourand-a-half minutes.
Ambulance staff at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board responded to 76.7% of Red calls in eight minutes.