�10.5m to cut 999 response times

The new equipment will enable 99% of ambulances to be tracked

An extra �10.5m is being handed to the Welsh ambulance service by the assembly government to cut the time it takes to reach patients in emergencies.

The cash will buy satellite navigation, location systems and mobile data terminals for all emergency ambulances.

Health Minister Edwina Hart said she was "determined" to improve the performance of the service.

The ambulance service welcomed the announcement but a union official said it was only part of the answer.

Ms Hart had been critical of response times released for October 2008 which showed only 58.8% of priority calls arrived within the eight minute target time.

This had shown a decline on earlier figures.

The new technology will send the nearest crew out in an emergency and automatically send the location and details of patients to ambulance crews.

I know that staff work extremely hard and are doing their best under constant pressure

Health Minister Edwina Hart

The money is in addition to �77m already given for extra ambulances and a new communication system.

Ms Hart said the latest injection of cash would build on the earlier investments and "ensure we're are able to fully exploit the benefits" of the new communication system.

"The ability of controllers to track and deploy ambulances more appropriately will greatly improve care and outcomes for patients," she said.

The minister said she believed that the move would also improve the morale of staff.

"I am determined to improve the performance of the ambulance service. I know that staff work extremely hard and are doing their best under constant pressure," she said.

The service is investing in new satellite navigation systems

But Ms Hart also said patients had a role to play in helping to reduce pressure on the service.

She said an ambulance was not the only option for patients when they became ill.

An assembly government strategy also aims to improve access to emergency care so that patients can be seen and treated as quickly as possible.

"By having GP out-of-hours services co-located with accident and emergency departments, and increased investment in new units, patients and staff should start to see a real improvement," said Ms Hart.

A spokesperson for the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust said: "We welcome this investment in technology which will support both control and operational staff in ensuring that the nearest and most appropriate response is sent to any incident.

"Currently our radio coverage is only 47%. The new digital technology will enable us to track and communicate with vehicles over 99% of the country."

Target times

Dave Galligan, from Unison, said the union welcomed the additional technological support but the new money was not the whole solution to improving target times.

"We see this as just another piece in the jigsaw in making sure that the ambulance service delivers fully and properly for the people in Wales," he said.

He said the next phase was to reduce delays at hospital accident and emergency departments, and that was something technology could not change.

"That's something where real human intervention is needed to make sure that ambulance turnaround times are not delayed adversely," he said.