THE ambulance service which serves Herefordshire is treating patients faster than ever before.

Figures released by the NHS Information Service show that West Midlands Ambulance Service treated 80.9 per cent of patients with the most serious conditions within eight minutes.

98.6 per cent were reached within 19 minutes. These were against targets of 75 per cent and 95 per cent respectively.

In cases where patients were in a serious but not life-threatening condition, 96 per cent were reached within 19 minutes against a target of 96 per cent.

Trust chief executive Anthony Marsh said he was delighted with the news.

“I must pay tribute to our staff for achieving these fantastic results. Lives are undoubtedly being saved that would not have been in previous years,” he said.