WALES’ ambulance service came under fire from the Senedd’s health committee today, which warned about poor response times and evidence of misogyny in workplaces.

The committee found the “red response” target, that 65 per cent of life-threatening calls should receive an emergency response within eight minutes, has not been met since July 2020.

It also found the service had the highest staff absence rates in the NHS in Wales and that pockets of poor behaviour exist within the service, including misogyny.

The committee called for an update on progress to implement the Welsh government’s goals for urgent and emergency care.

Health committee chairman Sam Rowlands said: “Response times matter.

“The ambulance service must play its part in ensuring it is effectively managing its resources.”

A Welsh government spokesperson said: “We have invested more than £180 million in additional funds this year to help safely manage more people in the community, avoid ambulance transport and admission to hospital and work with social care services to improve patient flow through hospitals.”