£13 million for new ambulances in Wales

Welsh Health Secretary Vaughan Gething has announced £13 million in funding for the replacement of operational ambulances.

Under the investment, 111 new vehicles will replace some of the existing Welsh Ambulance Service fleet, including 71 new emergency operations ambulances, 33 non-emergency patient transport vehicles, and seven specialist emergency vehicles for major incidents.

All the new vehicles will be chosen for their ‘cleaner, greener’ credentials and will be deployed across the whole of the NHS.

Gething said: “The newer vehicles will be more reliable and promise better performance and lower running costs, which will ensure value for money for the public purse. They will also be fitted with the most up-to-date communications systems and equipment, to make sure we continue to deliver the best service to the people of Wales.

“I’m particularly pleased that all 33 of the new non-emergency patient transport vehicles will be fitted with solar panels to convert available sunlight into electricity. Using solar panels instead of mains chargers negates the need to install multiple charging points, which will reduce our energy consumption, as well as the health and safety risks posed by trailing leads.”