GWENT'S police chief has attacked the Welsh Ambulance Service's waiting times in some cases as "unacceptable" and says his officers are frequently called to ferry seriously injured patients to hospital.
Chief Constable Mike Tonge is calling on the service to "improve" its cover in South-East Wales.
He fears if the situation does not improve, a patient could die while being helped to hospital by police, prompting an inquiry into his officers by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
The Welsh Ambulance Service has come under heavy criticism in recent months.
Claims were made that lives are being lost because of the service's failure to cope with the demands placed on it.
When troubleshooter Roger Thayne resigned as interim chief executive in May, he wrote a damning report about it, adding he was asked to make cuts when it needed a £35 million investment.
Earlier this week Alan Murray was appointed the troubled service's third chief executive this year.
Mr Tonge raised his concerns about officers ferrying injured people to hospital at a meeting with Welsh Health Minister Dr Brian Gibbons.
He said Newport, Cwmbran and Pontypool were the main places affected but it also happened elsewhere in Gwent. His officers took people to hospital when the ambulance's estimated arrival time was "unacceptable", he said.
"It's been happening over the last six months and it's getting worse," Mr Tonge said.
He is worried his officers will be investigated by the IPCC if someone "subsequently dies or is seriously injured" en route to hospital.
He said it was not diverting police resources, explaining his main concern was the "provision" of ambulance cover.
Mr Tonge plans to contribute to the public inquiry into the state of the ambulance service, saying it needed to improve in south-east Wales.
A Welsh Ambulance Service spokeswoman said they were aware of occasions when patients were taken to hospital by police officers but added they had a "good working relationship".
She said: "If the police call for an ambulance, an ambulance will attend."
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