A&E delays are having a “major impact” on the police in Dyfed-Powys warns the area’s Police and Crime Commissioner.

Christopher Salmon said that officers in Dyfed-Powys transport around 12 patients to hospital every month with figure jumping to 22 last month.

He said it was a “long-running problem that has got significantly worse” and the situation is “unsustainable”.

In the first week of the year police took six patients to hospital prompting fears this month’s figures will be even higher.

“The force dealt with three particularly serious cases - all within an hour - over Christmas. On arriving at A&E, officers had to queue outside behind waiting ambulances.

“Notes on these incidents are being sent to the Welsh Health Minister and I understand that all Welsh forces are acting similarly,” said Mr Salmon.

“Longer waits at A&E are disastrous for the ambulance service in Wales – and this is having a major impact on the police in Dyfed-Powys.

"As ambulances queue up at the hospitals our force has repeatedly taken sick people to A&E in recent months. This is a long-running problem that has got significantly worse. It reflects conditions across Wales.

"Our initial analysis suggests we had twice as many incidents this December as last. That means more police officers waiting in A&E, officers conducting at-scene medical assessments beyond their expertise and officers leaving their duties to drive patients to hospital.

"It’s not fair on officers, who will take the blame if something goes wrong. It's not fair on patients who do not get the care they should. And it’s not fair on the public who expect their taxes to be spent wisely.

"The situation is not sustainable. I, and others, have raised the issue repeatedly over the past two years. We’ve had all talk and no action. The Welsh Government needs to pull its finger out and fix the problem,” he added.