New emergency response after Jasmine Lapsley's death

Changes which would help improve 999 response times for summer emergencies have been made after a girl choked to death on a grape, ambulance bosses say.

Jasmine Lapsley, six, from Liverpool, collapsed and died in August 2014 while on holiday in Morfa Nefyn, Gwynedd.

An inquest heard it took an ambulance 25 minutes to arrive after a 999 call.

Coroner Nicola Jones ruled her death was an accident but said more ambulances were needed in north Wales during the summer months.

The Welsh Ambulance Service said it had "learnt a lot" from Jasmine's death.

Gordon Roberts, the interim director of operations, said the coroner's report into Jasmine's death would be discussed at board level.

"I think it's important to note that we have made some changes over the last 12 months. We have implemented some new schemes," Mr Roberts told BBC Radio Wales.

"Without looking deeper into the report I think it may be suggesting we should look at the way we resource certain areas during the summer months when we have a greater demand.

"The other issue again in rural areas is to look at our community first responder structure.

'Where is it?'

"The coroner recognised the good work the community first responders do especially in rural areas and we've recently implemented a revised community first responders structure in north Wales.

"We have a new manager and a new structure of community first responders across north Wales."

The six-day inquest, which ended on Tuesday, heard the two closest ambulances to Jasmine were both on emergency calls.

Volunteer community first responders arrived 22 minutes after the initial call for help while the ambulance took 25 minutes to arrive.

An off-duty policeman and passing firemen who were flagged down gave CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

The firemen were heard saying "Where is it? Where's the helicopter?" as urgent follow-up calls were made chasing the 999 response, the hearing was told.

In October 2015, the Welsh Ambulance Service also announced a new model where calls would be split into three categories in a traffic light system - red, amber and green.

Jasmine Lapsley had been on holiday with her family in Morfa Nefyn

It would see fewer calls classed as "red", which need an eight-minute response.

"Within our new response model we have a more appropriate response in relation to the clinical need of the patient," Mr Roberts added.

"Early signs from the first couple of months data there have been performance improvements, especially in the Gwynedd area, under the new response model."

Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP Liz Saville Roberts backed the coroner's call for greater ambulance cover.

She said: "Rural areas are greatly dependent on the air ambulance for emergency transport to hospital but this service is only available during daylight hours.

"There must be effective emergency transport at all hours, day and night."

Traffic light system

The new model will introduce three categories of calls - red, amber and green.

Red

• Eight-minute response time

• About 10% of calls fall into this category

• Immediately life-threatening calls where someone is in imminent danger of death, such as a cardiac arrest

Amber

• No time-based target

• About 65% of calls fall into this category

• Patients who may need treatment at the scene and fast transport to a healthcare facility

Green

• No time-based target

• About 25% of calls fall into this category

• Non-serious calls which can often be managed by other health services