MEMBERS of the public met with ambulance officials in an open meeting in Monmouth last Wednesday (11th January).

In an attempt to clear issues in the area regarding ambulance response times, around 50 people met in Bridges Community Centre.

Officials Carl James, director for service development at the ambulance service, and Richard Lee, regional director for South East Wales, were able to tell the room of the improvements they are hoping to implement, as well as hearing directly from local people with stories to tell of their experiences.

The Mayor and his wife were also present, as well as members of the Aneurin Bevan Health Committee, the local health watchdog. Also speaking up were some of the crew of Monmouth's ambulance.

The evening was organised by Mathew Davies, whose mother Jacqueline waited 41 minutes for an ambulance last year, sadly dying nine days later.

Speaking exactly a year since the traumatic day his mother was admitted to hospital, Mathew was praised for a level headed, fair and organised meeting, with an initial presentation about his concerns, followed by a response by ambulance officials, and finally an open floor discussion.

He made clear as he started his "absolute respect" for the ambulance workers, saying his main worries with the service lie higher up in the organisation.

"When we are losing or nearly losing members of the family, this is not acceptable," he said.

David Kenny from the Aneurin Bevan Community Health Committee said he understood it was difficult to achieve fast response times in a wide rural area such as Monmouth, but this "should be a challenge and not an excuse."

An overall problem established during the meeting is the over-use of the 999 number, putting often unnecessary strain on the ambulance service.

Plans were mentioned by Mr James of a new vehicle, a High Dependency Ambulance, which will be housed in Abergavenny and will be in charge of moving patients with 'pre-determined cases', those who have had a doctor or nurse visiting them at home, to the hospital.

These non-emergency cases take up a lot of time and so with this new vehicle, time will be freed up for the town's emergency ambulance service.

Waiting times outside hospitals can be huge and as the responsibility of the ambulance crew is not over until the patient is on a bed, the time they spend away from the town can be considerable.

There to tell a few home truths were some of the team that crew Monmouth's ambulance.

For the more on this story, see this week's Beacon (18th January)

Also for your consideration, Mat Davies has raised a petition in the hope that Monmouth is "granted the appropriate ambulance provision".

This petition can be found in town in the Robin Hood pub, the Spar shop on Goldwire Lane and the St David's Hospice Charity Shop.

It can also be found online at assemblywales.org/epetition-list-of-signatories.htm?pet_id=678