Response to 999 ambulance calls on the slide in North West, says GMB union

Aug 26 2010 by Paul Mannion, Chester Chronicle

NORTH West Ambulance Service was among five NHS ambulance trusts in England not to meet performance targets in 2009/10.

And the GMB union fears the situation could get worse if the Tory/Liberal Government abolishes the current response targets.

North West Ambulance Service managed to respond to life-threatening category A calls within eight minutes 73.04% of the time – the target being 75%.

Justin Bowden, GMB national co-ordinator for GMB members working in the ambulance service, said: “GMB members who work in the service have problems with the targets but would be very worried with any attempts at removal of the targets.

“When members are called out what they often find at the scene differs greatly from what was reported to ambulance controllers.

“Before the targets are dismantled there needs to be a consensus as to what the elements should be.

“We all need to remember that the eight minute target has been credited with saving the lives of almost 20,000 heart attack victims since it was introduced in 2001.”

Mr Bowden said the proposed changes came on top of the ‘total gamble’ contained in the proposals in the White Paper to restructure the management of the NHS.