16 hours ago
Welsh ambulance bosses won't commit to clarity
During his time in charge, ambulance waiting times have increased fourfold across Wales. Mr Killens said the situation had to be addressed. Mr Killens has been Wales ambulance boss for more than six years, a period which coincides with a fourfold increase in Welsh ambulance waiting times.
The Argus contacted the service to ask whether Gwent and the Aneurin Bevan Health Board Area could see an improvement in ambulance services soon. However, the Service was not willing to give any assurances or openly comment or speculate on future services in the area.
This week, Mr Killens told BBC news that ambulance waiting times were causing a lot of avoidable harm to patients across Wales, a situation he regrets. However, he claims the service is now in a better position after his time in charge.
Speaking out this week, the departing ambulance boss said hundreds of patients come to avoidable harm because ambulances are forced to wait outside A&E departments. This service choke, which has been blamed for agonising ambulance waits, has been dubbed 'handover delays.'
These delays occur when hospitals are choked and this can cause things such as long waits in ambulances for patients and a slowing down of ambulance dispatches. The situation is said to be beyond the control of ambulance services and a matter for hospital managers and policy makers.
Last year's Wales-wide average monthly loss was more than 29,000 hours.
In response to our questions about possible improvements in the Gwent area, the Wales Ambulance Service said: 'As Jason's already set out his position on handover delays, it doesn't make sense for us to issue a comment in response to his views when you've already had it from the horse's mouth, as it were.'
Jason Killens began working for the Wales Ambulance Service in 1996 and leaves his Wales-based post in July.
The South Wales Argus has approached the Welsh Government for a comment on whether ambulance delays are a matter for Welsh policy makers and hospital managers.
