THE WELSH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS have intensified their criticism of the Labour Government over shockingly long ambulance waiting times in Wales. During Wales Questions in the House of Commons, Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe MP David Chadwick highlighted a harrowing case from his constituency, underscoring the dire state of emergency healthcare in Wales.

An 82-year-old man was forced to drive his wife, who had suffered a stroke, from Rhayader to Hereford—over an hour and 15 minutes away on winding, poorly maintained country roads—while she was paralysed and vomiting, unable to receive any immediate medical assistance. The family was left with no choice after waiting two hours for an ambulance and being informed that the wait could extend another 4–7 hours.

Chadwick described the delays as “abysmal” but, unfortunately, not uncommon in border communities across Wales. He called on both the UK and Welsh governments to take urgent action to address ambulance delays, emphasizing that a crisis in social care was exacerbating the problem.

RECENT FIGURES HIGHLIGHT GROWING CHALLENGES

Recent NHS Wales data reveals that in 2024, response times for Category 1 (life-threatening) calls remain below the target of 65% being answered within eight minutes. In some areas, fewer than 50% of such calls are met within this critical window. Furthermore, figures show that average ambulance waiting times have reached nearly six hours in parts of rural Wales, leaving patients in vulnerable situations.

Hospital congestion is one of the primary causes of the delays. Ambulances are frequently left queuing for hours outside hospitals like Hereford and Glangwili, as wards remain full due to patients who cannot be discharged without adequate social care arrangements. Care Forum Wales has warned that the ongoing social care funding crisis could collapse the system entirely, leaving a £150 million shortfall after changes in funding announced by Labour in the UK Government Budget.

STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES IN WALES

The geography of Wales presents unique challenges for healthcare provision. Vast rural areas, coupled with poor road infrastructure, mean that emergency services often struggle to reach patients quickly. In 2024, Powys—one of the most rural counties in Wales—saw ambulance response times among the worst in the country.

Moreover, staff shortages across the NHS and social care sectors are contributing to the strain. Healthcare workers are reportedly leaving the industry due to burnout, low pay, and the increasing complexity of their roles. Many social care providers have also expressed concern that the Labour Government’s decision to increase national insurance for care providers risks making an already precarious situation worse, potentially leading to more closures of care homes and services.

CALLS FOR ACTION

David Chadwick reiterated his concerns, saying: “Residents across Powys and right across Wales are enduring unacceptably long waits for ambulances in moments of crisis. A 7-hour wait is no longer a rare occurrence—it’s a damning indictment of how stretched our emergency services have become.

“Our hardworking healthcare professionals are doing everything they can under incredibly tough circumstances, but they need support. Labour’s policy of increasing national insurance for social care providers risks making the situation at A&Es worse by leading to more blocked hospital beds and further delays in ambulances being able to respond to emergencies.

“Social care is a critical part of the solution to easing pressures on hospitals and ambulance services. Without urgent action to address these systemic issues, residents will continue to face unacceptable risks. I will keep fighting for my constituents to ensure that no one is left without care during their time of need.”

The Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling for a reversal of the national insurance rise for social care providers, increased investment in both NHS Wales and the social care system, and improved road infrastructure in rural communities to ensure emergency services can reach patients more efficiently.

A SYSTEM UNDER STRAIN

The challenges facing Wales’s healthcare system are deeply rooted and multifaceted. While ambulance waiting times are a visible symptom of the crisis, addressing the underlying causes—such as social care shortages, funding deficits, and rural infrastructure—will require coordinated action between the Welsh and UK governments. Without such efforts, the risks to patients across Wales will continue to grow.

A VOTE has been passed in the Senedd today introducing new regulations to prohibit the supply of single-use vapes in Wales.

Introducing The Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (Wales) Regulations 2024 to prohibit the supply (including for free) of single-use vapes in Wales will be another crucial step in tackling the litter and plastic pollution which blight our streets and environment.

Following the vote in the Senedd, the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs Huw Irranca-Davies, said: “This is a major step forward in tackling throwaway culture and the environmental impacts of single-use vapes. This is a key priority for the Welsh Government, and we continue to work with the other UK nations to address these challenges.

“Removing single-use vapes from the supply chain will stop them harming wildlife and the environment when they’re littered or sent to landfill. This ban will mean we generate less waste, clean up our streets, and protect nature and wildlife.”

The Regulations will come into force on 1 June 2025.

The Welsh Government has worked closely with UK Government and other Devolved Governments on this matter with all Nations commencing the bans at the same time.

This will enable the bans to be co-ordinated to improve compliance and help provide a consistent approach to enforcement across the UK.

No single-use vapes can be sold or given away for free after 1 June 2025. Businesses should speak to their suppliers now about ordering alternatives and start to educate staff and inform customers.

Businesses will need to organise, for their customers, the eventual safe disposal of their single-use vapes.

THE OLDER people’s commissioner for Wales called for funding to alleviate the impact of winter fuel payment cuts amid “extreme anxiety, anger and distress” over fuel poverty.

Rhian Bowen-Davies urged the Welsh Government to set up a distinct fund for older people to mitigate against Westminster’s decision to introduce means-testing.

Ms Bowen-Davies, who was appointed for a seven-year term in July, warned the withdrawal of universal winter fuel payments will have a significant impact.

She told the Senedd’s equality committee: “I felt that this decision was the wrong decision… it should have been reversed, I think that opportunity has been missed with the budget.”

She added: “I felt the approach was wrong in terms of it being rushed through and I also felt the timeline was unrealistic for people to apply.”

The new older people’s commissioner, who is a former police officer, welcomed the Unite union taking legal action to try to overturn the cuts.

Giving evidence to an inquiry on fuel poverty, she told the committee an estimated 50,000 households in Wales are eligible for pension credit but do not claim the extra income.

Warning the eligibility criteria for the Welsh Government’s discretionary assistance fund is too narrow, she urged ministers to follow the example of Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Ms Bowen-Davies pointed to a £100 payment for all older people in Northern Ireland this winter, with no application needed and a similar scheme set to follow in Scotland.

She raised concerns about the Welsh Government’s refreshed Warm Homes programme, with a lack of boiler repairs leaving some households without heating and hot water.

She told the committee the boiler replacement scheme has since opened but only until March as she called for a better balance between warm homes and decarbonisation.

Age Cymru highlighted a “huge” 1,144% increase in calls to its advice line about winter fuel payments and a 99% rise for pension credit enquiries from 2023 to 2024.

Ceri Cryer, Age Cymru’s policy adviser, raised similar concerns about the equality impact of an emphasis on heat pumps that are inappropriate for some homes.

She warned the upfront and ongoing costs of heat pumps are beyond many people’s means.

Rebecca Hill, a senior public health specialist at Public Health Wales, expressed concerns about a trend towards older people skipping meals and cutting back on heating.

Dr Hill said: “We know that colder homes are linked to heart and lung conditions, infectious respiratory illnesses such as flu. We also see higher rates of deaths in cold months … and we know a majority of those deaths accrue amongst our oldest population.”

She also pointed to evidence that older people in colder homes have higher blood pressure and cholesterol, problems with sleep and reduced physical performance, leading to falls.

Ms Bowen-Davies warned older people are experiencing “extreme anxiety, anger and distress” as she called for interim targets in the Welsh Government’s fuel poverty plan.

Raising concerns about the disproportionate impact of the cost-of-living crisis, she pointed out that many older people have to budget for soaring bills from a fixed income.

She told the meeting on December 9: “What older people are saying to me is they are having to make really difficult decisions in terms of how much they are eating on a daily basis and the individual rooms that they are heating.”