WHAT a disgrace that instead of tackling the issue of poor ambulance times the solution has been to axe many response targets. In Cardiff and the Vale we have some of the worst response times in Wales.

This is a simple exercise to move the goal posts. What should happen is for ambulances to turn up within the guidelines for emergencies.

This seems to be an attempt to muddy the waters and disguise the true problems. This includes the failure of hospitals to accept admissions so tying up ambulances and crews. Currently only 61 per cent of ambulances arrive within the recommended time.

This stunt by the Labour Health Minister will not make one ambulance arrive quicker to care for a patient especially in a life threatening case.

A Welsh Government led by Leanne Wood will focus on the job of getting ambulances to emergency cases as quickly as possible. Recruiting more doctors, paramedics and investing in more ambulances is a basic step.

Plaid Cymru would integrate health and social care and train and recruit 1,000 extra doctors to the NHS. This will mean that patients can receive help before they become emergency cases. This will prevent unnecessary attendances at A&E.

Fiddling the figures has happened before when Labour changed the way cancer treatment waiting times are measured.

The Labour government in Cardiff Bay is seeking to confuse matters by developing new targets which make it more difficult to compare with other nations.

These changes will not reduce the queues of ambulance outside hospitals. They merely seek to mask the failing of the Welsh Government.

Chris Franks

Dinas Powys