Ceredigion's ambulance response times lowest in Wales

Ceredigion MP Mark Williams has called for a meeting with the ambulance service

An MP has called for a meeting with the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust after Ceredigion recorded the lowest emergency response times in Wales.

Latest figures show just 49.8% of calls in the county were reached within an eight-minute target in November 2009. The average for Wales was 65%.

Ceredigion MP Mark Williams has written to ambulance bosses about the problem.

The ambulance trust said times had improved in some counties, but it was aware of problems in other areas.

On average in Wales, 65% of emergency call-outs arrive on the scene within eight minutes, 70% within nine minutes and 75% within 10 minutes.

The figure in Ceredigion - published earlier this month - was the lowest in Wales in November and was down from 55.5% in November 2008.

Debt

Liberal Democrat MP Mr Williams said: "There has been a worrying deterioration of the service in Ceredigion, and I am extremely concerned that we appear to be going backwards.

"While other authority areas have seen some improvement, Ceredigion is now the worst performing area in Wales."

Mr Williams said the ambulance trust was "saddled" with £40m debt, which would make it harder to sustain improvements.

He said Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire seemed to be seeing improvements in the service.

An ambulance trust spokesman said: "While we have improved our performance in most local authority areas, we are conscious of the remaining variation in performance in some areas of Wales.

"Plans are in place to build on current improvements to ensure that all areas receive an equitable service."