SIR,

I read with interest the letter from Mr Davies (Beacon 12th October) with regard to ambulance response times.

I agree this should be reviewed as it can be a matter of life and death.

However, the following is my wife's experience.

A major factor in poor response times by ambulances is what happens on arrival at the hospital.

The ambulance crew cannot discharge the patient into hospital care if there is a backlog of admissions.

My wife has experienced several instances of arriving at the hospital with her mother by ambulance, only having to wait several hours in the corridor with the crew in attendance until her mother was accepted into triage.

There was one time where four ambulances and their crews were tied up in this way for several hours.

The fault is not with the hospitals or ambulance service but with the lack of funding to employ staff to speed the process up.

It is distressing for all concerned.

I support Mr Davies' proposal to call a meeting next month and hope these problems among others facing our NHS due to government cuts and privitisation can be fully discussed and acted upon.

N Lewis

(Wyesham)