James Evans has welcomed the news that the Welsh Government is to review its time targets set for ambulances to reach the most life-threatening calls - with the goal being repeatedly missed.

It was announced this week that there will be a review into whether the time targets are “appropriate”.

The target time for a ‘red’ call in Wales is for a response to arrive on scene within eight minutes for 65 per cent of calls.

Latest figures show that the target was reached on just 50.4 per cent of calls in October.

The target has not been hit since the summer of 2020, and health secretary Jeremy Miles has told the Senedd that the “appropriateness” of the target will be reviewed.

Opposition Senedd members said that rather than reviewing targets, actions should be taken to allow ambulances to meet the current aims.

Mr Miles told the Senedd that in August, the Senedd Health and Social Care Committee published a report following a general scrutiny session with the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust.

“The committee identified the pressures the service is under, but it also recognised that the current challenges the Welsh Ambulance Service faces are not unique,” he said.

“Other ambulance services across the UK are seeking ways to safely and effectively manage rising demand for emergency services.

“The committee recommended that the Welsh Government should work with the NHS Wales joint commissioning committee to review the red target, and to consider whether it remains appropriate.”

“I expect the group to review the available clinical evidence and provide advice about the appropriateness of the existing national target,” said Mr Miles.

Responding to the announcement, James Evans, MS for Brecon and Radnorshire said the review is "long overdue".

"I hear from constituents daily who tell me of the nightmare they have had waiting for ambulances for loved ones,” said Mr Evans.

“Everyone in Mid Wales knows that the eight-minute red response time target is nigh on impossible in our area, especially when Powys ambulances get pulled into the South Wales urban areas."

Mr Evans said the "heart of the issue" is long waiting times in ambulances outside A&E departments.

"Many constituents tell me of family and friends who have been stuck in the back of ambulances for over seven hours,” he said.

“Ambulance crews do an amazing job in difficult circumstances, but they are being let down by management and the Welsh Labour Government running the NHS in Wales. The handover processes at the hospitals also needs urgent review.”

Mr Evans said he hopes the review will provide "transparency and openness" on the "true state" of the ambulance service.

"This is, after all, an emergency service. If there was a fire in your house, the fire service would not say ‘we can’t come due to unprecedented demand.’ Yet the Welsh Ambulance Service seems to say this on an all too frequent basis.

"We need improvements to help everyone - patients and frontline staff," he added.