GMB work with East of England Ambulance Service Trust to improve service following review
GMB pledge to work with East of England Ambulance Service Trust to improve service following a review of delays in the service
We as a union, regularly meet with the EEAST Chief Executive Robert Morton to discuss how he and his staff are working hard to improve the East of England Ambulance Service, says GMB London
GMB, the union for ambulance staff, have said they are working with the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) to help improve their service. This comes after the trust published a thematic review of serious incidents over the winter period, which revealed three patients suffered severe physical harm because of ambulance delays due to the winter demand. [See notes to editors for copy of the review and previous GMB press releases]
GMB have also called on MPs such as Norman Lamb, the MP for North Norfolk, to try working a 12 hour shift as a paramedic to understand the invaluable job they deliver daily. In February, Lamb told the House of Commons that 81 deaths may have been caused by ambulance delays, questioning the leadership of the EEAST.
The review from the EEAST says that between the 17th December and 16th January 2018, they received more than 100,000 calls, and despite 136 of those calls being identified as experiencing significant delays in response, only 22 were deemed "serious incidents".
GMB have previously questioned whether government plans to scrap 19-minute ambulance response times in 2010 were a factor in delays to the service over the winter period. Under the new system, call handlers time to assess a patient over the phone increased from 60 seconds to four minutes.
Paul Meddes, GMB Regional Organiser said:
“The GMB Union understand that there are still measures to be taken in order to improve the Ambulance Service. There were 22 cases which were identified, by a senior clinical panel, as serious incidents taking place, which led to three patients experiencing severe harm.
“We as a Union, regularly meet with the EEAST Chief Executive Robert Morton to discuss how he and his staff are working hard to improve the East of England Ambulance Service. Robert has stated that they have a three-year financial plan to improve the staffing level to deliver the service.
“GMB would like to see MP's like Norman Lamb to work a 12 hours shift as a paramedic to understand the invaluable job our Ambulance Services deliver on a daily basis.
“We also trust that the Conservative government do not take funding away from the service, as this would delay the progress that they are trying to achieve to improve the East of England Ambulance Service.”
ENDS
Contact: Paul Meddes 07738 457 622 or GMB London Press Office 07970 114 762
Notes to Editors
1] East of England Ambulance Service Trust - Thematic Review of Serious Incidents (23 May 2018)
http://www.eastamb.nhs.uk/about-us/papers-2018/EEAST-Thematic-Analysis-of-SIs-May-2018.pdf
2] GMB London calls on investigation into ambulance response time changes (11 Jan 2018)
3] GMB concerned with ambulance failings (5 Jan 2018)
https://www.gmblondon.org.uk/news/gmb-concerned-with-ambulance-failings
