BUILDING work on a central depot for paramedics in Flintshire has started.
The site in Dobshill is expected to be in service by October, replacing ambulance stations in Flint, Holywell, Mold and Queensferry.
Members of Holywell Town Council were given an update on the plans by the Welsh Ambulance Service.
Director of service development Carl James said there had been an increase in demand for the service of 50 per cent in the last 10 years.
He said: “We have 100 buildings across Wales and they are largely not fit for purpose. It will cost £30 million to bring them up to standard.
“We do not provide clinical care at these buildings. We clean vehicles and eat sandwiches.”
Under the new system, which has been approved by the Welsh Government, paramedics would no longer clean and restock vehicles.
They would instead pick up their ambulances and be stationed at ‘deployment points’ in Flintshire, at fire and police stations and near major transport routes depending on need.
It was revealed the four stations, together with two in Wrexham and Chirk, could cost up to £13m to bring up to modern standards.
Mr James said the changes would have no impact on the current service and it would improve care for patients.
He said: “We want our clinicians spending time dealing with patients. We will have one big hub where our vehicles are based.
“Clinicians will now be able to spend all their time providing patient care.
“We will be able to cover more calls in the eight-minute response time. We will have more clinical time to deal with patients.”
It is excepted the service will create 20 jobs to help clean and stock the vehicles saving around 3,000 hours of paramedics’ time each year.
Staggered shifts will be introduced so no cover is lost in driving ambulances to and from Dobshill to the area they are to being deployed to.