Randerson calls for more funding for ambulance Service.

1.01.08pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 24th Jun 2008

Jenny Randerson and the Welsh Lib Dems want to see a first class ambulance service for Wales

Welsh Lib Dem Spokesperson for Health Jenny Randerson AM will today call for more funding for the Welsh Ambulance Service to support long overdue improvements to services.

WAG has put in significant amounts of extra capital funding to improve vehicles and equipment, however the ambulance Service is shouldering a massive burden in the form of debt which has to be repaid following overspends in previous years. Last year they had to make savings of £12m from within their budget and this year, required savings have risen to a massive £17m. This equates to approximately 9% of their budget and is proportionately the biggest saving required of any Trust in Wales.

Speaking ahead of today's Ministerial Statement on the Ambulance Service Assurance Review, Jenny Randerson said: "This afternoon I will call for more money for the service. The increases in capital funding have been most welcome but the crippling debt that the service is facing is simply preventing improvements.

When we compare this to the way that English Ambulance Trusts have received significant extra funding, in some cases, up to 5% more, it puts the Welsh system in stark perspective. We have to face the fact that in a largely rural country like Wales, providing ambulances on time will cost more."

"I would like the Minister to strongly consider the impact the debts are having on ambulance response times and the service as a whole, and give the service a chance to improve itself. Unless we do that, the amount the Ambulance Trust will be forced to save will increase year on year.

"The public wants serious improvements now, and the Minister must enable the Trust to deliver them."

Notes:

Ends/