'Get taxi or lift' message from Welsh Ambulance Service

[annie]

Patients are to be encouraged to travel to hospital by taxi or get a lift rather than be taken by ambulance.

The Welsh Ambulance Service's scheme for patients assessed as being lower priority to find alternative transport has been piloted in south east Wales.

Ambulances have again missed their target of reaching 65% of life-threatening incidents in eight minutes - July's figure was 58.3%.

The service is buying 41 new vehicles to upgrade its 736-strong fleet.

Caroline Evans reports
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-28955457

[JaneJ]

As a low priority patient then yes I can see that but if you are in a serious condition then getting a taxi is diabolical. Espeicially as some ring 999 with ear ache or other minor problems.

It doesn't help with the government penalizing them with huge fines for response times when there are no ambulances available and shortages of staff due to redundancies.