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| 'Low morale' of ambulance workers | 'Low morale' of ambulance workers |
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| Ambulance service staff across Wales are suffering from low staff morale, according to a new report. | Ambulance service staff across Wales are suffering from low staff morale, according to a new report. |
| The assembly audit committee's review of the Welsh ambulance service said it needs to develop an action plan to deal with this most challenging of issues. | The assembly audit committee's review of the Welsh ambulance service said it needs to develop an action plan to deal with this most challenging of issues. |
| It said the service needs to improve its communication and resolve apparent bullying and harassment issues. | It said the service needs to improve its communication and resolve apparent bullying and harassment issues. |
| The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust said had no comment to make until after the report is published on Tuesday. | The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust said had no comment to make until after the report is published on Tuesday. |
| The committee's review of ambulance services in Wales said the trust, which runs the ambulance service across Wales, needs to resolve the "significant internal and external challenges" it faces. | |
| It recommended the morale problem is specifically addressed by improving communication between the trust and operational staff and by addressing perceptions of bullying and harassment. | It recommended the morale problem is specifically addressed by improving communication between the trust and operational staff and by addressing perceptions of bullying and harassment. |
| The report also highlighted the problem of control staff not having access to technology, which allows them accurately locate ambulances, as a key priority. The chief executive and the trust board have done well to respond to what has been an extremely challenging time for the organisation David Melding AM, audit committee chair | |
| This issue is hampering improvements in the trust's response times and the committee has called strongly recommended that the assembly government consider solving this problem as a matter of urgency. | This issue is hampering improvements in the trust's response times and the committee has called strongly recommended that the assembly government consider solving this problem as a matter of urgency. |
| However, the report said the service has taken some positive steps to addressing its problems but some aspects of its performance remain unacceptable - particularly in south east Wales. | However, the report said the service has taken some positive steps to addressing its problems but some aspects of its performance remain unacceptable - particularly in south east Wales. |
| The report concludes that the trust needs time and space to deliver its modernisation plan which will deal with some of the organisational and systemic challenges it needs to tackle in order to make progress. | The report concludes that the trust needs time and space to deliver its modernisation plan which will deal with some of the organisational and systemic challenges it needs to tackle in order to make progress. |
| Committee chair David Melding said: "The chief executive and the trust board have done well to respond to what has been an extremely challenging time for the organisation and they have taken good strides under difficult circumstances. | |
| "We are mindful also that many of the challenges facing the trust are due to systemic problems in the way that the health and social care system operates in Wales which the trust cannot resolve in isolation." | "We are mindful also that many of the challenges facing the trust are due to systemic problems in the way that the health and social care system operates in Wales which the trust cannot resolve in isolation." |
| Modernisation plan | Modernisation plan |
| The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust said it would not be releasing a statement on the report. | The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust said it would not be releasing a statement on the report. |
| The trust's chief executive Alan Murray is due to appear before and the health, wellbeing and local government committee on Wednesday. | |
| An inquiry into the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust, ordered in 2006, highlighted many longstanding and severe problems. | An inquiry into the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust, ordered in 2006, highlighted many longstanding and severe problems. |
| It concluded that these problems could be resolved over time resulting in the trust's response in the form its modernisation plan, Time to Make a Difference, in early 2007. | It concluded that these problems could be resolved over time resulting in the trust's response in the form its modernisation plan, Time to Make a Difference, in early 2007. |
| The current review was commissioned in late 2007 and was asked to take into the progress of the modernisation plan into account. | The current review was commissioned in late 2007 and was asked to take into the progress of the modernisation plan into account. |
| Earlier this year, Health Minister Edwina Hart gave the trust six months to turn itself around, demanding it improve its services and leadership by Christmas. | Earlier this year, Health Minister Edwina Hart gave the trust six months to turn itself around, demanding it improve its services and leadership by Christmas. |