Emergency Ambulance Responsiveness Continues To Improve

Performance against new targets for emergency ambulance call-outs continues to rise in Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Welsh Ambulance Service responded to 75.5% of calls for people with an immediately life-threatening illness or injury, known as red calls, within eight minutes in May, significantly exceeding the target of 65%. This compared to 71.1% in the previous month. The further improvement in May came despite a 5.4% increase in the daily average number of calls compared to April. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport, Vaughan Gething said, ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The Welsh Ambulance Service has exceeded the target of 65% of calls within eight minutes for the eighth month in a row, despite steadily rising demand. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Half of those who needed an immediate emergency response received one in less than five minutes, and all areas of Wales improved performance on April despite the increased activity. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I want to thank Welsh Ambulance Service staff, as more people are getting the urgent attention they need quickly.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​