09.01.13
95% response target failed by three ambulance trusts
Three ambulance trusts have failed to meet Government targets to respond to category A emergency calls in the 12 months to October 2012.
The GMB union has warned that the NHS quest to find significant efficiency savings over the next five years could jeopardise front line staff and equipment.
The target is for 95% of immediately life-threatening emergency calls to be responded to within 19 minutes. The response rate for England for all ambulance services for that period was 96.5%.
But the East of England ambulance service achieved a response rate of 94.4% for category A calls, East Midlands Ambulance service 93.3% and South Central Ambulance service 94.8%.
Tony Hughes, GMB organiser for ambulance staff, expressed his disappointment and said: “Clearly there are failures within the trusts that need some serious attention.
“The £50m savings over the next five years does not hold much hope of ensuring the adequate levels of front line staff and equipment can be provided.
“When Cameron and Clegg talk about creating jobs in the private sector these should be in addition to the public sector jobs not as a replacement for them.”
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