A local Assembly candidate has re-iterated his call for the introduction of a proposal to ‘ring-fence’ ambulances within the Hywel Dda Health Board area.

Marc Tierney, the Labour Assembly candidate for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, discussed the plan during a meeting with Carmarthen East Labour candidate Steve Jeacock and Vaughan Gething AM, who is also the Deputy Minister for Health.

They met to visit the Welsh Ambulance Service Control Centre in Llangunnor in the last week, to understand the pressures faced by the Ambulance Service in responding to calls across Mid and West Wales.

The delegation met with staff to witness how the service handles emergency calls, providing paramedic and ambulatory responses to patients when it is needed.

Labour Ccandidate for Carmarthen West, Marc Tierney, said: “It was a very busy morning at the Control Centre, but the team were doing a fantastic job keeping concerned callers calm whilst managing the resources of the service to deal with the high level of activity.

“However, throughout the day, as Morriston Hospital became busier, it became noticeable that Carmarthenshire ambulances in particular were delayed in discharging patients. That is why I want the successful pilot undertaken in the Cwm Taf health board area replicated here in the west. I believe it will have a positive impact on response times, benefiting patients and easing the pressures on the ambulance service.

“I met with Vaughan earlier in the summer and put forward the idea to ring-fence within parts of the Hywel Dda area and I’m pleased that the service is working up a plan to do just that.”

Steve Jeacock, Labour candidate for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, said: “As well as having an immediate impact on local ambulance response times, ring fencing in the Hywel Dda Health Board area will provide a more accurate picture of how local resources are currently coping with local demand. This information will allow for better long term planning and as a result will see ambulance resources allocated more effectively throughout Carmarthenshire.”

The Welsh Ambulance Service Trust has confirmed that it is now looking at plans in conjunction with Hywel Dda University Health Board to ringfence ambulances within Carmarthenshire that will ease the pressures on the service across the Hywel Dda area.