Query over cost of fans blowing away ambulance fumes outside Gwent's flagship hospital

Wales' health minister is being asked to reveal how much money has been spent on buying and placing fans at the doors to Gwent’s flagship hospital to blow away fumes from ambulances queuing outside.

Monmouth MP David Davies has written to Eluned Morgan after health bosses admitted they had installed fans at the entrance to The Grange University Hospital in Llanfrechfa to “disperse vehicle emissions from waiting ambulances”. 

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said it had made the decision alongside the ambulance service “to create a safer environment for staff”.

It comes as poor handover times and lack of bed space means patients are left waiting in the back of ambulances before they are admitted to hospital, often for several hours – a situation Mr Davies has previously described as “clear evidence of a broken system”.

He visited The Grange on a random Friday last month following a meeting with the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust, where he found eight ambulances waiting outside the emergency department to transfer patients. Some had been waiting for up to three and a half hours.

“The problem is so bad they’ve had to put fans up to try and get rid of the exhaust fumes from outside,” said Mr Davies.

“Ambulances have to keep engines running to ensure their systems and equipment continue to work, so perhaps a more environmentally friendly solution would be to arrange an electrical hook up instead.

“It really is an appalling situation and beggars belief that this is happening. I have therefore written to Welsh Health Minister Eluned Morgan to find out what the cost has been of purchasing and installing fans, and other equipment, specifically for the purpose of dealing with engine fumes from ambulances at The Grange.”

Mr Davies also said paramedics he has spoken with are concerned about the amount of time they are spending waiting at hospitals, and the impact it is having on the service and their skills. 

The Welsh Ambulance Service confirmed its crews spent 2,858 hours waiting to hand over patients at The Grange during October this year, which was 13 per cent of the total lost hours in Wales that month. 

“This is a significant issue which is having a massive impact on the ability to respond to patients in a timely manner,” added Mr Davies.

“If patients are waiting very long hours to move from ambulance to hospital, it means crews are tied up and unable to respond to other patients in the community. Ambulance crews are seeing less patients per shift than they used to and I heard how this is affecting their clinical skill and confidence.”

"It is not a standard of service anyone should be prepared to accept, which is why we urgently need an independent public inquiry into these healthcare failings.”