12.04.13
Union’s safety concerns over Yorkshire ambulance plans
Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust has been accused of “stonewalling” offers to hold talks with union Unite over safety concerns.
Unite held a 24-hour walkout earlier this month over a workforce plan which proposed to introduce an emergency care assistant role, to assist paramedics and to have six weeks training.
The union, which has 500 paramedics and other medical staff at the trust, warns that a strike may be necessary if there is no progress on the talks.
Unite regional officer Terry Cunliffe said: “Our offer to hold talks with the trust’s senior executives has been met by a stone wall of silence, which the Yorkshire public may find surprising given that the key issue here is patient safety.”
The trust, which aims to make £46m savings, has stated that the assistants would not replace clinicians and the training would be “appropriate”.
A spokesperson said: “All of these staff perform a highly valued and important part of the delivery of our emergency ambulance service and continuing to suggest that such capable and committed staff would have a negative impact upon patient safety is unfounded.”
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