AMBULANCE services boss Alan Murray says speeding up handovers of patients at Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital is vital for improving response times in Monmouthshire.

And he admits he did not give the issue "sufficient credence" on becoming Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust chief executive two years ago.

Poor response times to life-threatening emergencies in Monmouthshire, he told the Assembly's health, wellbeing and local government committee, present different challenges to those in Powys, where the isolation of many communities is a big factor.

"We've had continuing major difficulties with hospital turnaround times, especially in the Royal Gwent," Mr Murray told the committee, adding that Cardiff's University Hospital of Wales fares no better.

"In February, in the two hospitals we lost the equivalent of 72 12-hour shifts (to handover delays). Last month it was 97 shifts.

"The consequence from the Royal Gwent is that Monmouthshire crews spend just 40 per cent of their time working in Monmouthshire. For the rest they are drawn toward Newport."

Torfaen response time performance has also deteriorated recently. Though Mr Murray did not mention that area, he said the same thing is happening with crews "in other Gwent localities."

The ambulance trust is looking with major acute trusts at hospitals as a whole, to identify bottlenecks.

"From our point of view the issue is simple. We need someone to take the care of the patient from us at the front door, quickly," said Mr Murray, who also met Gwent Healthcare Trust chiefs yesterday.

"At times we've had calls, but no ambulances to respond because they are all waiting to offload patients.

"There is evidence of this problem mounting in England, but it's been in Wales for some time. I was told this would be a major issue at the start of my time, and I'm afraid I didn't give sufficient credence to it."

Vehicle location can make big difference

SPEEDING up handovers and installing an AVL (Automatic Vehicle Location) system in ambulance control rooms, could improve emergency responses by 10 per cent, said Mr Murray.

Wales' ambulance service is unique in the UK in not having AVL.

"Most of the time, controllers simply do not know exactly where our ambulances are," said Mr Murray.

The trust is awaiting approval of an AVL business case, submitted last spring.

Shift coverage a problem

ANOTHER major problem in the South East Wales region is difficulty in covering shifts, due to financial pressures and vacancies.

There are 45 posts, around five per cent of the regional workforce, the trust cannot fill, mainly due to financial demands.

"If we fill them, we will have a recurring debt, but it makes things exceptionally difficult," said Mr Murray.

"The Assembly laid great emphasis on us achieving financial balance. We must save £17m too this year."

Trust finance chief Tim Woodhead said disproportionate savings were made in corporate areas to minimise effects on frontline services, "but it is impossible to avoid."

"We have more people in South East Wales, so it will take a harder hit in terms of making savings," he said.