JOYCE WELCOMES CASH BOOST FOR AIR AMBULANCE - - Review of ambulance service will benefit Mid & West Wales

Labour Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales JOYCE WATSON AM has welcomed extra investment in the Air Ambulance service in Wales.

Welsh Labour Health Minister Edwina Hart has outlined a £337,000 boost for the service next year and outlined a review of the service and patient transport services across Wales.

The extra money follows a £77 million Assembly Government modernisation fund for the ambulance service. £55 million has already been made available this year to upgrade ambulances, air ambulances and control centres with state-of-the-art digital radios to help improve response times.

People in Mid & West Wales will also benefit from a share of £16 million investment for an extra 119 emergency ambulances and 67 patient care service vehicles.

Joyce Watson AM said:

“I am delighted with this extra money for the air ambulance service - which further proves Welsh Labour's commitment to modernising the ambulance service. In Mid & West Wales we have all too often had need of this service and seen its value.

''Patients in Mid & West Wales are going to benefit from extra ambulances and better response times thanks to the investment in new vehicles and radios.

''I am pleased that the Health Minister has announced plans to review the air ambulance service by the end of year so that the Assembly Government can look at ways of funding this important service in future.''

"I also welcome a review into the patient transport services. The review will bring local health and volunteer organisations to look at ways of improving the experience of patients who use the service."

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