Serious concern has been voiced over local ambulance response times for critically ill patients.
Local constituency MSP Finlay Carson says the latest weekly operational data has revealed “code red patients” are having to wait longer in Dumfries and Galloway.
Figures show that average response times have increased from 17.38 minutes to 19.31 minutes for an ambulance as A&E departments continue to struggle under the SNP government.
The Galloway and West Dumfries MSP described the situation as “worrying”, saying: “It is worrying that patients who are in many cases fighting for their lives are having to wait longer for an ambulance to arrive.
“Dedicated frontline staff in our NHS and Ambulance services are working tirelessly to keep patients safe, but they are being failed by this SNP government.
“The truth of the matter is that this NHS crisis is putting lives at risk, and that is not acceptable.”
Mr Carson added that he is to meet local ambulance personnel to hear about the problems they are often facing on a daily basis in dealing with emergencies.
He said: “I know how hard they are working to get patients to hospital as quickly as possible, this crisis is not of their making.
The target time for ambulance response for code red patients is normally eight minutes.
