MORE than 1,800 Caerphilly county borough residents waited over an hour for a first response after calling 999 for an ambulance last year.

There are deeply ingrained problems within our emergency care services and these figures lay bare their true extent.

Despite the hard work of front line staff, more evidence of severe delays and unacceptable waits makes for hugely distressing reading. While committed staff put in long hours and huge sacrifices, the Welsh NHS continues to struggle to deliver a step challenge in performance as a result of Labour’s record-breaking NHS budget cuts.

Andrew Nutt Heolddu Road Bargoed