Councillors concerned over potential cuts to ambulance cover

Potential cuts to ambulance cover in Ceredigion are an “enormous concern” with a call to put pressure on the health minister to prevent it backed by councillors.

Ceredigion county councillors heard that staff had raised concerns about the plans which would see the number of ambulances in Cardigan and Aberystwyth station cut from four to two in the day and “to limit the use of a rapid response vehicle.”

Full council gave its support to a Notice of Motion put forward by councillors Gareth Davies and Matthew Woollfall Jones that highlights serious concerns about “the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust’s (WAST) intention to change the ambulance and emergency vehicles’ provision within the county.”

At a meeting on Thursday, December 9 Cllr Woollfall Jones said that although the potential reductions were now on hold there remained a need to ensure that ambulance numbers and staffing were maintained.

Cllr Alun Williams said the plans were part of a “serious erosion of the basic standards that have always been provided by the NHS” with the distances involved in rural mid Wales making it an “enormous concern.”

He, and others, emphasised that people were waiting increasingly “unacceptable lengths of time” for ambulances, although it was important to highlight the quality of care from paramedics was not in question.

“The fact they are being considered at all is an indication that the NHS is in serious trouble, as a council we should do everything we can to oppose the proposed reductions,” added Cllr Williams.

The council backed a call to WAST that the current service is not just maintained but increased to “ensure adequate provision” and that a letter is written to Eluned Morgan MS, health and social services minister, requesting her intervention to stop implementation of the changes.