Welsh ambulance service to receive 10.5m in funding

NHS Wales has declared that the Welsh assembly government will invest 10.5 million pounds in funding to improve its ambulance service.

It will be used to purchase and install equipment – such as satellite navigation, location systems and mobile data terminals – to allow controllers to track the vehicles more precisely and to help deploy the nearest ambulance to patients.

With this updated technology, they will also be able to automatically send the location and details of the person in need of paramedics to the crew.

Already, there has been 55 million pounds committed to the progression of a new communication system and a further £22 million in emergency vehicles.

Health minister Edwina Hart commented: “Today’s announcement will help to build on that investment and ensure we are able to exploit fully the benefits that this new communication system brings.”

She added the action was part of a strategy to ensure patients are treated and seen by medical staff as quickly and simply as possible, concluding the improved service would help boost staff morale.

Ms Hart also opened the newly renamed Cwm Gwyrdd Medical Centre at Gilfach Goch, Rhondda Cynon Taff, earlier this week.