What steps is the Cabinet Minister taking to address long ambulance waiting times for falls?
I understand long ambulance waits can have an impact on patients and their families, particularly where frailty or injury is involved. We are focused on improving the whole pathway—from prevention, primary care, ambulance response and handover, through hospital flow, to safe discharge, so that people receive the right care at the right time.
We expect all health boards and system partners to fully implement the National Community-Based Falls Response Framework, ensuring people who have fallen receive a timely, appropriate response closer to home and reducing unnecessary ambulance conveyance and hospital attendance.
This work is supported through investment in falls response services, including a dedicated Falls Desk and wider community-based initiatives, to improve patient outcomes and make better use of ambulance capacity.
We recognise that more needs to be done to ensure people who have fallen receive timely support and are not left waiting for assistance for prolonged periods, and we are committed to supporting further improvement.