FIRST Minister Carwyn Jones, Health Minister Mark Drakeford and Wales’ ambulance service chiefs are set to be quizzed by Assembly Members over the use of private sector vehicles to answer emergency calls in South East Wales.

The Argus exclusively revealed yesterday that the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust will draft in “a small number” of private ambulances to attend 999 calls in the region during weekends this month to make up a shortfall in staff to fill rotas.

It is the first time private ambulances will have been deployed to emergencies in Wales, and the situation has provoked a sharp reaction from across the political spectrum.

The Welsh Government has not commented on the issue, but Welsh Conservatives want guarantees that staff shortages reported in South East Wales are not being repeated across the country.

Shadow Health Minister Darren Millar AM wants Mr Jones to make a statement on the issue.

“The problems in South East Wales are a symptom of far wider challenges in the ambulance service across the country,” said Mr Millar.

“While Welsh Conservatives do not oppose use of the independent sector if required, Welsh Labour has previously maintained it does.

“It is therefore incumbent upon Labour ministers to clarify this U-turn and provide an explanation of long-term plans for the ambulance service.”

Conservative AM for South Wales East, William Graham, said the reasons for bringing in private sector ambulances “are of great concern” and “guarantees of a long-term solution are urgently required.”

Fellow Tory South Wales East AM Mohammad Asghar said that while he does not oppose the use of the private sector to plug the gap if required, “this is not a long-term and sustainable solution.”

Welsh Liberal Democrats leader Kirsty Williams AM focused on Professor Drakeford’s announcement last week of a near £4 million investment in new ambulances for the trust.

“Just a week after that, we find out they are bringing in ‘private ambulances’ because they cannot find enough staff for the ones they already have,” she said. “I hope the private ambulances will be able to help pick up the slack for the sake of Welsh patients and overstretched and overworked paramedics.

“Labour enjoys making false claims about the NHS being privatised in England whilst using private services on the quiet here. It is time they came clean on the NHS in Wales.”

Torfaen AM Lynne Neagle (Labour) said that with response time targets for category A calls not being met in her constituency, for patients what matters most is that an ambulance will reach them quickly when they need it.

“Patient safety simply must be the priority, and if the use of private sector ambulances over the short term can help deliver that, then of course that’s the most important consideration,” she said.

There have also been concerns raised in South East Wales that newly trained paramedics are seeking jobs in England because of delays in getting posts in the region, and Ms Neagle pledged to raise this issue with ambulance trust chief executive Elwyn Price-Morris next month.

Lindsay Whittle, Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales East, said the party recently raised the issue of patients being taken to hospital in police cars, “and it is difficult to understand how the trust has got itself into such a position where it now has to use private crews for 999 calls at weekends.”

“The trust needs to address vacancy issues as a matter of urgency. It is no good having smart new ambulances if you haven’t the crews to man them,” he said.