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| Ambulances to answer to local health boards in Wales | Ambulances to answer to local health boards in Wales |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ambulance services will be directly commissioned by local health boards in Wales in a bid to boost performance. | Ambulance services will be directly commissioned by local health boards in Wales in a bid to boost performance. |
| Health Minister Mark Drakeford said a new body, made up of the seven boards, would take over responsibility for contracting ambulance services. | Health Minister Mark Drakeford said a new body, made up of the seven boards, would take over responsibility for contracting ambulance services. |
| Dr Drakeford said commissioning would be based on "clearer and more transparent criteria" in future. | Dr Drakeford said commissioning would be based on "clearer and more transparent criteria" in future. |
| The ambulance service has missed its eight minute emergency response target time for each of the last 12 months. | The ambulance service has missed its eight minute emergency response target time for each of the last 12 months. |
| Until now ambulance services have been commissioned by the Welsh Health Specialised Service Committee, leading to concerns about accountability. | Until now ambulance services have been commissioned by the Welsh Health Specialised Service Committee, leading to concerns about accountability. |
| Dr Drakeford said a review by health academic Prof Siobhan McLelland had shown up significant issues with the service, which his announcement would address. | Dr Drakeford said a review by health academic Prof Siobhan McLelland had shown up significant issues with the service, which his announcement would address. |
| He said he had considered completely dissolving the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust, but had decided that this would cause too much disruption. | He said he had considered completely dissolving the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust, but had decided that this would cause too much disruption. |
| Dr Drakeford told AMs: "It [the McLelland review] found that the fundamental problem has been that current accountability and governance arrangements for ambulance services in Wales are multiple, complex and lacking in clarity and sympathy. | |
| "Today's statement puts in place a future structure which is simple, clear and aligned primarily to better delivery for patients. | "Today's statement puts in place a future structure which is simple, clear and aligned primarily to better delivery for patients. |
| "The National Delivery Organisation will oversee a new, direct financial flow, in which money will move, in a single stage, from the local health boards (LHBs) as purchasers, to the delivery organisation." | "The National Delivery Organisation will oversee a new, direct financial flow, in which money will move, in a single stage, from the local health boards (LHBs) as purchasers, to the delivery organisation." |
| Dr Drakeford also announced a consultation exercise to rename the ambulance service. | |
| His initial suggestion was that it should be called the Welsh Emergency Medical Service. | |
| The Conservatives' Shadow Health Minister Darren Millar asked Dr Drakeford to reconsider an alternative suggestion in the review if the new structure proved unsuccessful. | |
| Mr Millar said a separate ambulance service health board, directly funded by the Welsh government would introduce "some direct accountability to you, as health minister, for the delivery of ambulance services on the ground". | |
| Lifetime problems | Lifetime problems |
| Previous reviews in 2006, 2007 and 2008 expressed serious concerns about the service's performance and leadership. | Previous reviews in 2006, 2007 and 2008 expressed serious concerns about the service's performance and leadership. |
| Figures for May showed ambulances responded to 62.5% of the most urgent calls within eight minutes, up from 57.2% in March but still below the 65% target. | Figures for May showed ambulances responded to 62.5% of the most urgent calls within eight minutes, up from 57.2% in March but still below the 65% target. |
| The Welsh Ambulance Service was created in 1999 and has faced regular problems during its lifetime, in addition to the continuing current concerns over failing to meet performance targets. | The Welsh Ambulance Service was created in 1999 and has faced regular problems during its lifetime, in addition to the continuing current concerns over failing to meet performance targets. |
| In 2002 the trust returned 200 new £40,000 radios because they operated at the wrong frequency. | In 2002 the trust returned 200 new £40,000 radios because they operated at the wrong frequency. |
| It had three different people in charge in as many months in 2006, with one resigning chief executive, Roger Thayne, warning the service was in crisis. | It had three different people in charge in as many months in 2006, with one resigning chief executive, Roger Thayne, warning the service was in crisis. |