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| Welsh Ambulance Service fears at lack of budget | Welsh Ambulance Service fears at lack of budget |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| By Owain Clarke BBC Wales health correspondent | By Owain Clarke BBC Wales health correspondent |
| Patients could be put at risk because the Welsh Ambulance Service does not know exactly how much money it has to spend this year, it has been claimed. | Patients could be put at risk because the Welsh Ambulance Service does not know exactly how much money it has to spend this year, it has been claimed. |
| BBC Wales has learnt that board members of the ambulance trust are "extremely concerned" that its budget for this year has not been finally agreed. | BBC Wales has learnt that board members of the ambulance trust are "extremely concerned" that its budget for this year has not been finally agreed. |
| The Liberal Democrats said it could have a knock-on effect on patients. | The Liberal Democrats said it could have a knock-on effect on patients. |
| The Welsh government said local health boards were responsible for funding the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust. | |
| The Welsh Ambulance Service said it is in "productive discussions with our health board partners" to manage an increase in demand for its services. | The Welsh Ambulance Service said it is in "productive discussions with our health board partners" to manage an increase in demand for its services. |
| It is understood that one member of the ambulance service trust threatened to resign at a public meeting earlier this month unless the budget situation was resolved. | It is understood that one member of the ambulance service trust threatened to resign at a public meeting earlier this month unless the budget situation was resolved. |
| The Welsh Ambulance Service gets most of its annual funding from a body called the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee (WHSSC). | The Welsh Ambulance Service gets most of its annual funding from a body called the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee (WHSSC). |
| The committee's members include the bosses of all seven of Wales' health boards. | The committee's members include the bosses of all seven of Wales' health boards. |
| Even though the ambulance trust had set a deadline for budget negotiations to be concluded with WHSSC by the end of June, a final settlement for 2012/13 has not yet been agreed. | Even though the ambulance trust had set a deadline for budget negotiations to be concluded with WHSSC by the end of June, a final settlement for 2012/13 has not yet been agreed. |
| It means in the six months since April the trust has operated on assumptions and provisional figures. | It means in the six months since April the trust has operated on assumptions and provisional figures. |
| The uncertainty over its budget, it is claimed, has contributed to cuts in the ambulance service - including a significant reduction in overtime payments to staff. | The uncertainty over its budget, it is claimed, has contributed to cuts in the ambulance service - including a significant reduction in overtime payments to staff. |
| BBC Wales has obtained copies of notes taken by an individual at an open meeting of the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust Board held in Swansea on 18 October which show a high level of frustration among board members. | BBC Wales has obtained copies of notes taken by an individual at an open meeting of the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust Board held in Swansea on 18 October which show a high level of frustration among board members. |
| BBC Wales has verified that the notes, on the whole, give an accurate account of the discussion. | BBC Wales has verified that the notes, on the whole, give an accurate account of the discussion. |
| The notes indicate that the meeting was told that the ambulance trust does not currently know what its final income for the the year will be, which meant it could "neither plan, nor adjust its budget". | The notes indicate that the meeting was told that the ambulance trust does not currently know what its final income for the the year will be, which meant it could "neither plan, nor adjust its budget". |
| The notes also claim that the meeting discussed the negative consequences on patient safety and on the ability of the trust to meet national targets, such as ambulance response times. | The notes also claim that the meeting discussed the negative consequences on patient safety and on the ability of the trust to meet national targets, such as ambulance response times. |
| It was also noted that the trust's efforts to achieve financial balance at the end of the year, as it is required to do by the Welsh government, was also being threatened. | It was also noted that the trust's efforts to achieve financial balance at the end of the year, as it is required to do by the Welsh government, was also being threatened. |
| According to the account, the board claimed it was being put in an "inviduous position by the continued refusal to set a budget - with one member going so far as to add that he would be obliged to consider his position were the state of affairs to continue". | According to the account, the board claimed it was being put in an "inviduous position by the continued refusal to set a budget - with one member going so far as to add that he would be obliged to consider his position were the state of affairs to continue". |
| 'Important job' | 'Important job' |
| The Liberal Democrats are intending to table a motion so that the issue can be debated by assembly members in the Senedd next week. | The Liberal Democrats are intending to table a motion so that the issue can be debated by assembly members in the Senedd next week. |
| Kirsty Williams, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said it was "incredible" that six months into the financial year, "an organization that is tasked with doing such an important job does not know how much money its got to spend". | Kirsty Williams, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said it was "incredible" that six months into the financial year, "an organization that is tasked with doing such an important job does not know how much money its got to spend". |
| "Anybody running a business would know it would be impossible to do that," she said. | "Anybody running a business would know it would be impossible to do that," she said. |
| "So why the Welsh government thinks it's possible for an ambulance trust to run an ambulance service on the basis of not knowing how much money it's got is incredible." | "So why the Welsh government thinks it's possible for an ambulance trust to run an ambulance service on the basis of not knowing how much money it's got is incredible." |
| 'Working together' | 'Working together' |
| She added: "Without knowing the total sum of money they've got they can't spend that money effectively - and we're seeing a real impact on paramedics who are being put under a huge amount of stress and strain and potentially could have a knock on effect on patients." | She added: "Without knowing the total sum of money they've got they can't spend that money effectively - and we're seeing a real impact on paramedics who are being put under a huge amount of stress and strain and potentially could have a knock on effect on patients." |
| Darren Millar AM, the Conservatives' health spokesman in the assembly, said it was "very worrying" that the ambulance service did not have any certainty of its budget. | Darren Millar AM, the Conservatives' health spokesman in the assembly, said it was "very worrying" that the ambulance service did not have any certainty of its budget. |
| "What we have here appears to be a complete shambles by the ambulance trust which doesn't even know how much it can spend between now and the end of the financial year. | "What we have here appears to be a complete shambles by the ambulance trust which doesn't even know how much it can spend between now and the end of the financial year. |
| "That is an absolutely dreadful situation and it will be having an impact on how many people it will recruit, how many ambulances they keep on the road and that could have an impact on patients." | "That is an absolutely dreadful situation and it will be having an impact on how many people it will recruit, how many ambulances they keep on the road and that could have an impact on patients." |
| A Welsh Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "The trust is experiencing an increase in demand for services and we are in productive discussions with our health board partners as to how this will be managed. | A Welsh Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "The trust is experiencing an increase in demand for services and we are in productive discussions with our health board partners as to how this will be managed. |
| "We look to a speedy resolution." | "We look to a speedy resolution." |
| The Welsh government said local health boards were responsible for funding the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust. | The Welsh government said local health boards were responsible for funding the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust. |
| "We are assured that both are committed to working together to ensure that sufficient resources are available to respond to patients who need an emergency ambulance," a spokesperson said. | "We are assured that both are committed to working together to ensure that sufficient resources are available to respond to patients who need an emergency ambulance," a spokesperson said. |
| They added that the health minister recently made £10m available to support emergency care services, which included £1m for ambulance service trust improvements. | They added that the health minister recently made £10m available to support emergency care services, which included £1m for ambulance service trust improvements. |