AMBULANCE response times in Carmarthenshire are worse now than they were five years ago, shocking new figures have revealed.

The decline means less than half of the most urgent calls see an ambulance arriving within the eight-minute target time.

Figure show that only 48 per cent of category A calls saw an ambulance arrive within the target time last month, in contrast to the government’s target of 65 per cent.

Not since September 2013 has the ambulance service met the expected response time in the county, with the worst ever performance recorded in December 2014 when only 42 per cent met the eight-minute target.

Plaid Cymru AM for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr Rhodri Glyn Thomas slammed the figures, stating that the county’s ambulance response times clearly demonstrate that while there is a marginal 0.7 per cent improvement in response times across Wales, response times are actually worsening at a local level.

Mr Thomas said his party had repeatedly warned that increased centralisation of health services and a withdrawal of support for social healthcare and community hospitals would dramatically increase pressure on already strained ambulance services to meet the targets.

“It goes without saying that ambulance staff work in incredibly difficult circumstances and continue to do us proud despite the maladies of austerity,” said Mr Thomas

“However I am very concerned with the overall decline in performance at a local level here in Carmarthenshire.

“Performance times are worsening dramatically and we need answers as to why this continues to be the case.

“In circumstances where every moment counts, a situation where ambulances are failing to reach the people who need them most within an eight-minute period is a serious cause for concern.”

Mr Thomas added that his party has repeatedly warned the government about the dangers of centralising health services away from the communities that need them most.

He drew attention to Plaid’s policy of introducing 1,000 extra doctors into the Welsh Health Service in order to ease pressures on A&Es and, in turn, stop the ‘ludicrous situation’ of ambulances queuing up outside casualty departments.

“Looking more broadly,” said Mr Thomas “I believe that moving healthcare back into the community with health and social services aligned more closely is a more suitable and sustainable solution compared to what we’re seeing under this Labour government which is forcing communities to become dependent upon distant, over-burdened hospitals and their ancillary services.

“I want to see healthcare meet the needs of the people of Carmarthenshire, rather than forcing patients to be dependent upon a strained and under-funded service.

“I believe in equipping rather than condemning our ambulance service to do the job that our ambulance crews want and need to do.

“The government must urgently enable them to do it.”