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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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AMBULANCE SHORTAGE THREATENS LIVES
February 20, 2007 3:50 PM
Peter Black and Martin Plant at Maesteg Hospital
Welsh Liberal Democrats have called on the Assembly Health Minister to carry out a full investigation of the circumstances in which an unconscious and bleeding stab victim had to be taken to hospital in a fire engine because of a lack of ambulances.
The 48-year-old was stabbed in his stomach and right leg in an attack at the King Alfred pub in Maesteg early on Sunday morning. But police officers had to phone the fire brigade after being told there were only three ambulances on duty - and none would be available for more than an hour.
'This is just the latest incident in a long list of troubles for the Welsh Ambulance Service,' said Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black. 'Last week the Health Minister told the Assembly that problems in South East Wales in which people were discouraged from dialling 999, were down to the snow. Now we have yet another incident in which all the available ambulances were tied up and other arrangements had
to be made. The Health Minister needs to intervene to ensure that this does not happen again.'
Local Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Ogmore Candidate, Martin Plant, praised the work of the emergency services but said that they need more support. 'I would like to pay tribute to the way that the firemen handled this situation and place on record my appreciation of the work of local ambulancemen, who are helping patients despite inadequate equipment and insufficient ambulances. If we are to avoid situations like this again then we need to get extra investment in place as soon as possible.'
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