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Warning over ambulance shake-up

11/12/2007

Ambulance unions have expressed concerns today over plans to change the way medics respond to emergency calls.

They claim plans to split two-person ambulance crews will affect the way a patient is treated and puts the lone responder at greater risk of attack.

From next April all ten ambulance trusts in England will have to respond to three-quarters of cases within eight minutes of calls being answered.

The BBC revealed today that all but one of the trusts submitted plans to the government in the autumn putting forward the case for the use of solo responders in order to meet the new time target.

Unison national ambulance officer Sam Oestreicher said if this happens it would be a "fundamental shift in the way the ambulance service responds to emergency calls".

"We are worried that it could become too easy to send a single responder when what is need is a fully equipped ambulance to treat the patient at the scene and then get them safely to [accident and emergency]," he commented.

"It must be rigorously controlled to make sure that there is no detriment to patients."

Mr Oestreicher added: "The lone responder could also be placed at risk of attack. Staff already suffer an unacceptably high level of violence and abuse, so we need robust lone worker policies in place to make sure this does not get worse.

"Unison is not convinced that all ambulance trusts have these in place and will be working with the employers to address this."

Health minister Ben Bradshaw has defended plans to change the way ambulances respond to cases.

"Fast-response vehicles can often get to the scene faster than traditional ambulances, and can provide assessment and care until a further response arrives," he added.