Extra funding to upgrade ambulance fleet in Wales

Tue 5th January 2010 2.20PM

THE Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust is set to receive a £5m funding boost from the Welsh Assembly Government to replace older emergency vehicles and buy 31 emergency ambulance vehicles, 28 patient care services vehicles, 28 rapid response vehicles, nine district transport vehicles and seven specialist vehicles. The investment is in addition to more than £22m from the Assembly Government in recent years to modernise the ambulance fleet.

Regularly replacing ageing vehicles leads to improved reliability, patient safety and comfort and ensures all vehicles are fit for purpose. This will lead to a reduction in lost vehicle hours, as older vehicles are more prone to breaking down. Health Minister Edwina Hart said:“Ensuring the ambulance service has state-of-the-art, modern equipment is essential if patients are to receive the service they need. “The new vehicles will improve the experience of patients and also improve working conditions for staff. “The Assembly Government is also investing more than £10m to install automated vehicle location systems into all emergency ambulances.

“The equipment will enable ambulance controllers to better track ambulances to help in the deployment of the nearest ambulance to a patient. It will also allow controllers to automatically send the location and details of the patient to the ambulance crew. “I know that staff work extremely hard and are doing their best under constant pressure and being equipped with the latest equipment and vehicles will support them in their work.”