03.06.16
Union calls for parliamentary investigation into SECAmb scandal
A secret scheme to deliberately delay answering urgent 111 calls at South East Coast Ambulance Trust (SECAmb) must be investigated, trade union GMB has said.
The trust’s chief executive, Paul Sutton, resigned on Wednesday, and its chair, Tony Thorne, resigned in March after a Deloitte review found that “fundamental failings in governance” meant the pilot was implemented without proper oversight.
Paul Maloney, GMB regional secretary, called for the House of Commons Health Select Committee to investigate how the SECAmb board has held executives responsible for the scandal.
“GMB members and the public are flabbergasted that such a serious matter has now disappeared into a room of smoke and mirrors,” he added.
The Patients Association has also called for SECAmb to apologise over the scandal.
GMB, along with Unison and Unite, is also balloting ambulance staff on whether to strike over pay freezes and grading.
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