St John Cymru Wales, the country’s leading first aid charity, has invested £160,000 into three new ambulances.

St John Wales’ Patient Transport Service, which is based in Cardiff, transported more than 24,000 patients last year. The service supports the Welsh Ambulance Service and Local Health Boards during busy periods.

The three new multipurpose ambulances are a new hybrid design, which will enable St John Wales to respond to day-to-day non-emergency patient transport, high dependency transfers and to carry out emergency responses.

St John Wales operates a number of First Responder schemes, where volunteers attend emergency call outs received by the Welsh Ambulance Service, providing immediate care until the ambulance arrives.

James Shaughnessy, St John Wales’ Director of Operations said, “These new vehicles have a more ergonomic interior layout making us more effective and efficient at responding to the specific needs of the community, Local Health boards and supporting the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust.

“As well as containing all the standard equipment you’d expect to find in an ambulance, the vehicles have some extra safety features such as better wheelchair clamping for safer patient transfers and reversing cameras for safety and manoeuvrability.”

St John Wales has also unveiled its new green and black uniform, which will now be worn by its entire staff.

All profits made by St John Wales’ Patient Transport Services are gift aided to the charity.

For more information about St John Wales visit www.stjohnwales.org.uk