Critical incident declared by Welsh Ambulance Service shows ‘significant pressure’ on health system

A critical incident declared by the Welsh Ambulance Service shows the “significant pressure” Wales’ health system is facing, the First Minister has said.

The incident was declared yesterday because of the high demand on ambulance crews, which the service said meant some patients would have to wait longer for help, whilst others were to be advised to make alternative arrangements.

Although it was declared over by the evening, Mark Drakeford said it was a symptom of the pressure that Covid-19 is placing on hospitals across the country.

The logjam in hospitals has subsequently left ambulance teams stuck waiting outside to hand over their patients, leaving them unable to get to others waiting for assistance.

Speaking at today’s Welsh Government press conference, he said: “The epidemic is putting our health service under a significant and sustained pressure.

“Yesterday, the Welsh Ambulance Service declared a critical incident – the first real visible sign of the impact of coronavirus on day to day care.

“The problem was not so much ambulances or crews being unavailable, but that hospitals in some parts of Wales are now so full of patients with coronavirus that it simply wasn’t possible for our ambulance service to tend to other people’s emergencies in the way that we would want and expect.

“Now fortunately, that position has improved today. But yesterday, the impact of coronavirus in our health service was absolutely real, and making a difference in the care we were able to offer to people suffering from strokes, or heart attacks or having broken limbs.”

At the start of the media briefing, Mr Drakeford highlighted that almost two thirds of all local authorities in Wales have a seven day incidence rate of 150 cases per 100,000 people or higher.

In two areas, the rate has now exceeded 400 cases per 100,000, with rates rising in all but two council areas.

He said whilst the recent development of vaccines had offered hope for the future, the position today in Wales remains “very serious”.

Mr Drakeford said: “Following a downturn after the firebreak period, we are now experiencing an unmistakable rise in coronavirus once again.

“That pattern is now true of all ages here in Wales, both those aged under 25, but also this week now in the over 60 age group.

“The result is that every day we are seeing more and more people admitted to hospital with coronavirus symptoms.

“In the last week we have seen a record number of coronavirus related patients in our hospitals.

“These numbers are increasing and many of these patients will be in hospital for three weeks or longer.”