A TARGET for ambulances to respond to the most urgent 999 calls in eight minutes could be changed after services missed the mark for more than four years.

Jeremy Miles, who was appointed Wales’ health secretary in September, announced a clinician-led review of the appropriateness of emergency ambulance response targets.

The target of responding to 65% of immediately life-threatening “red” calls within eight minutes has not been met since July 2020, with latest performance standing at 50%.

In a statement on November 26, Mr Miles raised concerns about “unstainable” levels of demand, with 36,700 emergency calls in October, an average of 1,183 a day.

He told the Senedd the proportion of red category calls has soared from 4% to 5% when the target was introduced in 2015, to nearer 15% today.

Mr Miles said the ambulance service received 177 “red” calls a day in October, warning: “This was the second highest number of daily red calls to the ambulance service on record – a level of demand that is, frankly, becoming unsustainable.”

The health secretary added: “Despite the fact that the category of red calls is now approximately three times the size since the target was set in 2015, in October just over half of red calls were responded to within the target time of eight minutes.

“The ambulance service is still off target but this equates to the highest number of red calls responded to within eight minutes on record.”

He announced an expert group will review the target in the context of the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust’s evolving model of rapid clinical screening for most 999 calls.

Mr Miles said the group will consider whether new measures are required, with no response time targets currently in place for the amber nor green categories.

Sam Rowlands, the Conservatives’ shadow health secretary, suggested any change to the target could be seen as the Welsh Government trying to move the goalposts.

Mr Rowlands expressed concerns about handover delays at emergency departments, recognising a big part of the challenge remains outside the ambulance service’s control.

Mr Miles stressed the review was launched on the back of a recommendation from the Senedd’s health committee, rejecting any suggestion of seeking to swerve accountability.

“That way lies madness,” he said. “The health service is hedged around with dozens of targets. There is not a shortage of targets in the system.

“But if we are to have an honest discussion about performance in the health and care systems, we have to apply that rigour to how we look at the priorities that we set and the targets against which we measure performance.”

Plaid Cymru’s Mabon ap Gwynfor warned of grave problems in Wales’ care service, with patients unable to leave hospital to return to the community.

He told the Senedd that response time delays are a symptom of a far wider problem and the entire machinery of the health care system is in fundamental gridlock.

Mr ap Gwynfor said: “These missed targets are of course a reflection of chronic handover delays; whereas the average handover period is supposed to be 15 minutes, the current average is in excess of two hours.

“The cumulative impact was 260,000 hours being lost to handover delays at emergency departments last year.”

Mr Miles accepted that patient handover times remain “far too long” as he stressed that reducing delays is a key priority for the health service.

Labour’s Lesley Griffiths welcomed more rapid clinical screening of 999 calls after meeting Jason Killens, the chief executive of the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust, last week.

The Wrexham Senedd Member said: “Having clinicians inside control rooms I think is absolutely right to target reducing harm and make sure people who are genuinely a red call receive the correct service.”

Conservative Laura Anne Jones said: “This isn’t just about statistics, it’s about lives at stake – families left waiting in fear while precious seconds tick by.

“Instead of improvement, we’re witnessing decline.”

Plaid Cymru’s Peredur Owen Griffiths welcomed the statement but argued it “stops short of the major surgery and investment that’s needed within the ambulance service”.

SENEDD Members warned Wales failed to learn lessons from devastating floods in 2020, with serious shortcomings repeated as Storm Bert wrought havoc over the weekend.

Delyth Jewell, Plaid Cymru’s shadow climate change secretary, told the Senedd that hundreds of homes were again hit by flooding, leaving communities in crisis.

She said: “Alongside feelings of anger and fear, there is one of disbelief and horror that this could happen again because so many of the streets and houses affected by this flood were devastated by Storm Dennis just four years ago.

“We were assured then that lessons would be learned but here we are hearing the same accounts of delayed flood warnings, inadequate preparation and preventable damage.”

Ms Jewell, who represents South Wales East, raised concerns about some people receiving flood warnings after water was already in their homes.

“Something surely has gone seriously wrong,” she said. “Flood defences and warning systems clearly didn’t work well enough.”

The Plaid Cymru group’s deputy leader suggested the coaltip slipping in Cwmtillery, Blaenau Gwent, should send shockwaves to Westminster about the funding needed to address risks.

She said: “We no longer have the luxury of waiting for Westminster to find its conscience with these tips, our communities cannot stand another near miss.”

Ms Jewell compared the £25m announced for coaltip safety in last month’s UK budget with the estimated £20m cost of clearing one tip alone at Tylorstown, Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Janet Finch-Saunders, the Conservatives’ shadow climate change secretary, said 80% of the rain normally expected for the whole of November fell in only 48 hours.

Ms Finch-Saunders reiterated her party’s calls for a dedicated flood agency and a comprehensive, independent review of flood management policies in Wales.

The Aberconwy Senedd member warned existing council-led reviews take months to come to fruition as she pointed to “concerning” parallels with Storm Dennis.

Joel James, a fellow Tory, said: “It is now clear the response from the Welsh Government after Storm Dennis was indeed inadequate and there’s been very little learnt.”

Labour’s Mick Antoniw said flooding had a devastating impact in his Pontypridd constituency as he welcomed emergency funding for households and called for support for businesses.

And Plaid Cymru’s Heledd Fychan, who represents South Wales Central, urged ministers to provide funding for floodgates, insurance for businesses, and a national flood forum.

In a statement on November 26, Huw Irranca-Davies told the Senedd that Storm Bert shows the reality of what more frequent extreme weather will mean for communities.

Wales’ climate change secretary said the intensity exceeded Storm Dennis, with the River Taff in the centre of Pontypridd rising by 30cm every 15 minutes at the height of the deluge.

He said at least 433 properties were flooded, including 125 in RCT, 90 in Merthyr Tydfil, 50 in Monmouth, 50 in Caerphilly and 15 in Torfaen, with details of the impact still emerging.

Mr Irranca-Davies argued the Welsh Government learned significantly in the aftermath of Storm Dennis and made a myriad of investments.

Sympathising with families affected by the “frightening” landslip in Cwmtillery, he raised “crucial” forthcoming legislation aimed at ensuring the safety of disused tips.

He urged Senedd Members to encourage constituents affected by flooding and facing a financial crisis to seek help from the Welsh Government’s discretionary assistance fund.

Mr Irranca-Davies confirmed grants of between £500 to £1,000 will be available for people affected depending on whether households are insured.

Dŵr Cymru customers affected by water problems in RCT will be offered £150, he said, with businesses getting £300 and up to £2,500 for loss of goods or profits beyond this.

Mr Irranca-Davies stated the Welsh Government has invested nearly £300m in flood risk management since 2021, benefiting more than 14,000 properties.

He said: “I recognise this is going to be of little comfort to people whose homes and businesses were impacted over this weekend.

“But that impact is exactly why this investment continues to be so important.”

CONSERVATIVE Senedd Members warned “ill thought out and unnecessary” plans for a tourism tax will make people think twice about holidaying in Wales.

Peter Fox raised concerns about visitors being priced out after the Welsh Government unveiled a tourism bill, which would give councils powers to charge for overnight stays.

Mr Fox told the Senedd “This is an industry that should be supported, not exploited,” with one in seven jobs in Wales relying on tourism, equating to almost 200,000 people.

The Tories’ shadow finance secretary warned the tax could cost hundreds of jobs, with the hospitality sector already paying double the business rates of counterparts in England.

He said the tourism industry is still rebuilding from the pandemic, warning: “The legislation will create another significant pressure on an incredibly hard-pressed sector.”

Mr Fox, who represents Monmouth, raised concerns about the “hidden” costs of bureaucracy under the bill, which would also introduce a register of tourism providers.

He rejected the depiction of £1.25 per person per night as minimal, saying a family with four children would have to budget an extra £50 to £60 for a week’s stay.

His Conservative colleague Darren Millar said he was angry on behalf of businesses when the tourism tax, which would raise up to £33m a year from 2027, was first mooted in 2017.

Warning tourists will go to the north-west coast of England, he said: “We know that visitors who come to places like Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno – many of them are price-sensitive.”

The Clwyd West Senedd Member blamed the Welsh Government’s “anti-tourism” messaging for a fall in last year’s visitor numbers which were down 14% on 2019.

But Luke Fletcher welcomed the tourism bill, which was a commitment in the now-collapsed cooperation agreement between Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Government.

He said: “If you had listened to what some have said … you’d swear that in order to visit Wales you’d have to remortgage your house because it would be so expensive. That simply isn’t the case, is it?”

Mr Fletcher, who represents South Wales West, described £1.25 a night as reasonable, pointing to a lower rate of 75p for stays at hostels and camp sites.

Mike Hedges, a Labour backbencher, said visitor levies are common across Europe, with more than 60 places around the world having similar taxes.

He asked: “Why would a visitor levy affect Wales when it does not affect Spain, Greece or France – the three most visited destinations in Europe?”

In a statement on November 26, Mark Drakeford stressed the levy is rooted in fairness, with tourists being asked to make a “small” contribution to public services.

He said: “Many Senedd Members here today will have paid a levy abroad, probably without noticing perhaps. Governments worldwide recognise that visitor levies are an effective means to offset some of the costs associated with tourism.”

Pointing to charges in Manchester and similar legislation passed in Scotland this year, the former First Minister said: “Our proposals in Wales are rowing with the tide, not against it.”

Prof Drakeford, who was appointed finance secretary in September, criticised opposition attempts to “catastrophise what is a modest measure”.

Closing his statement, he told the Senedd: “This is a step closer towards a fairer, more sustainable Wales where the benefits and responsibilities of tourism are shared by all.”