TROUBLESHOOTER Anthony Marsh says he expects Great Western Ambulance Service (GWAS) to achieve national targets for response times in the next three to five months.

Mr Marsh has been brought in to transform GWAS following the departure of chief executive Tim Lynch five weeks ago.

Since it was formed two and a half years ago GWAS, which covers Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Avon, has consistently struggled to achieved the target of response times and for 2007/8 it was judged the worst performing ambulance service in England by the Healthcare Commission.

Mr Marsh, who is also chief executive of West Midlands Ambulance Service, told a meeting of councillors from Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Avon today in Weston-super-Mare that the recruitment of extra paramedics and control room staff was under way and said he was confident GWAS would meet the response times targets between January and March next year.

He also said by April next year GWAS will stop using private ambulances and agency ambulance staff.