About the Welsh Ambulance Service
The Welsh Ambulance Service was established in 1998, with NHS Direct Wales (NHSDW) becoming part of the Trust in April 2007. Our clinically led organisation provides national 999, 111 and non-emergency patient transport services to some three million people across Wales, an area of almost 8,000 square miles, spread across a diverse and challenging urban, coastal and rural landscape.
We receive more than 500,000 emergency calls a year and transport more than 1.3 million non-emergency patients to more than 200 treatment centres throughout Wales and England.
Our People
Our total workforce of around 5000 people, of which approximately 70% are within our emergency medical services (which includes our Clinical Contact Centres), and around 640 staff in our Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service are supported by approximately 500 staff in our corporate and support functions and by our valued extended volunteer workforce, which includes more than 600 Community First Responders and 200 Volunteer Car Drivers.
Our Services
We operate from 90 ambulance stations, three regional offices and five vehicle workshops. During the pandemic, we also enhanced our Clinical Contact Centre provision within a current model of five main centres for the handling of 999 and 111/NHSDW calls across Wales. We have our own Workforce Education and Development Centre to ensure our people maintain high levels of performance and receive regular professional development.