24.07.12
Welsh emergency services funding boost
Emergency services inWaleswill receive £10m in additional funding to ease pressure on frontline staff, the health minister has announced.
The funding will be available in 2012/13 and will help services cope with a period of unprecedented pressure, with a marked increase in clinical complexity and frailty of patients transported.
Between 2001-02 and 2011-12, there has been a 76% increase in calls to emergency services.
Lesley Griffiths said: “To say our dedicated emergency department and ambulance service staff are a vital part of NHS Wales is an understatement. Their ceaseless care and attention alleviates the pain and suffering of thousands of patients each year.
“I have approved a £10m injection of funding from NHS contingency reserves to help rebalance the system and put appropriate measures in place to ensure continued and high clinical quality delivery of emergency care services for patients.
“The investment will underpin a wider programme of longer term sustainability.
“We all take it for granted that when we dial 999, we will have the quickest response and the best care. This injection of funds will enable this service to not only continue to deliver, but to continually improve.”
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