On the 4th April the Welsh Ambulance Service withdrew a substantial amount of funding from the Co-Responder partnership with Mid & West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

This partnership has been operating successfully for 10 years and provides a rapid attendance to serious medical emergencies from local fire stations in Mid & West Wales. 14 stations have been operating on the scheme attending nearly 2000 calls per annum.

From the 4th April the Welsh Ambulance Service has changed its policy and reduced the number of call types by 70% and placed a monthly cap of 60 calls. These measures will save money but will seriously jeopardise the safety of seriously ill members of the communities in these areas.

The RFU believes that each of the 14 fire service schemes saves between 5 and 10 lives per year; it now seems that this will no longer be possible as the Ambulance Service has no plans to replace the withdrawn cover.

The RFU believes that members of communities living in more remote or rural communities deserve the same levels of cover as people in urban communities.

The Fire Service Co-Responder scheme was a vital part of one of the best emergency medical systems in the UK, working closely with the Air Ambulance, paramedic fast response and land ambulance crews. The impending start of the tourist season will see the influx of many thousands of visitors who will be placed at risk because of this change of Ambulance Service policy.

Statement Ends

Press contacts