Paramedics slam cuts to their service

Public sector union the GMB this week revealed that employees of the East of England Ambulance NHS Trust (EEAST) have written to the chair of the trust, expressing a vote of no confidence in chief executive Hayden Newton.

The trust proposes to cut costs in many areas, including a reduction to vehicles and staffing levels, despite only narrowly meeting its target for the percentage of responses within eight minutes and missing its target for responses within 19 minutes.

Chiefs from fellow union Unison claim the cuts could put patients’ lives at risk.

Shefford will lose its 24/7 rapid response vehicle (RRV). Instead it will be used only for 16 hours each day with no coverage after midnight.

Paul Mackin, mayor of Shefford, voiced his concerns about the cutbacks. He said: “We have fought long and hard to get to the service level we have at present. I realise that years ago we did not have the luxury of 24 hour paramedic cover but why should we be forced back into the 1960s?”

Gary Applin, East of England ambulance branch secretary for Unison, said: “The Trust already positions the nearest vehicle capable of transporting critically ill patients in Shefford outside of the eight minute government response standard; now they are proposing to cut the hours the area is served by a RRV. We are worried that this will have serious consequences.”

Between August 2011 and July 2012 EEAST crews responded to 172,845 Category A incidents within eight minutes. That was equal to 75.5 per cent, beating a target of 75 per cent. But crews arrived at the scene of 215,380 Category A incidents within 19 minutes – 0.3 per cent under the 95 per cent target.

A spokesman for EEAST said staff and vehicles will be on duty when patients need them. For example there will be more cover on Friday nights when call out numbers are higher than on Wednesday afternoons. At present the level of cover is the same.

He said: “The trust must change its rotas so that patients get the response when they need it.”

The service is in discussion with Unison and stakeholders and will reply to GMB. Only 84 of 4,000 employees raised concerns.