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Ambulance chiefs hit back at unions
12:02pm Monday 5th May 2008
Comments (14)GREAT western Ambulance Service has hit back at the police, fire and trade union officials who claim poor ambulance provisions are affecting their services.
The Police Federation, UNISON, which represents more than 600 ambulance service staff, and The Fire Brigades Union have joined forces to call for an improvement in the availability of traditional' ambulances.
A recent reorganisation of the GWAS has seen a greater emphasis on more single target-busting' ambulance response cars, which they claim has been achieved by decreasing the number of traditional ambulances.
UNISON, the FBU and the Police Federation have raised fears that the changes have seen increased delays in getting patients moved from incidents and are impacting negatively on the other 999 services.
UNISON branch chairman, Ian Whittern, said: "Although the arrival of a solo responder may stop the clock' as far as the government target is concerned, the patient may wait an inordinate amount of time before an ambulance arrives to convey them to hospital.
"At times when ambulance resources are limited, and outstanding 999 calls exceed available resources, solo responders often find themselves in an invidious position, and sometimes forced by necessity, to convey seriously ill patients in an inappropriate vehicle, and unable to closely monitor the patients condition as should occur.
"The availability of ambulance resources has a direct impact on the other 999 providers by tying up their resources at medical incidents."
The joint statement has been issued on behalf of the FBU, Avon and Somerset Police Federation and UNISON GWAS branch.
In response to the claims, Steve West, the director of operations at GWAS, said: "It is absolute nonsense to suggest that we have reduced the number of ambulances that we have on the road. We have invested in new, extra, solo responders but we have not reduced the number of ambulances.
"We have made significant improvements in our performance over the last 12 months. We are extremely proud of our staff who have worked hard to improve the service to our patients."
Chris Jackson, Brigade Secretary of Avon Fire Brigades Union, said: "Our members work very closely with the staff of Great Western Ambulance Service and note the professional way that they carry out their duties toward the public.
"However we recognise that on occasions due to the ever-increasing workload on ambulance crews and the restricted financial resources afforded the service, crews sometimes are unable to meet the prescribed attendance times.
"These delays cause our members problems in that at times, fire service personnel are delayed at scene awaiting the arrival of ambulances.
"These occasions have caused fire service operations to be affected in as such resources are redirected to cover shortfalls of delayed fire crews."
The Unions of the three services are also calling on the Health Overview and Scrutiny committee to monitor more closely conveyance attendance times, irrespective of the response times published by the Trust.
Your Say YourWiltshire Times
CC, Wiltshire says...
4:12pm Mon 5 May 08
Single cars are going out due to the high sickness rate of crews in this area. Moral is very low, and the public are going to suffer as a result.
Someone should make the decision to get rid of some junior managers to save money for where it's really needed - on the frontline!
steve, Wiltshire says...
9:56am Tue 6 May 08
I'm moving there when I retire (sadly I can't speak French as I would love to live there)
norville, westwilts says...
10:04am Tue 6 May 08
GSXRRRSP, WESTBURY says...
8:38pm Tue 6 May 08
CC, Wiltshire says...
10:48pm Tue 6 May 08
quoteif you want a ambulance just head to the nearest layby or food establishment and they are there filling their faces
quote
The reason for that being that they've just done 11 hours of a 12 hour shift with no meal break (or any other break come to that), and when they are given it, they don't have time to return to their base station to get their packed lunch.
Also, with the closure of some stations, certain laybys and service stations are now classed as 'standby points' where they have to sit in order to make the response times.
It's far from a cushty office job, & I suggest people start having a chat with the next crew seen see at one of these places to get a better perspective.
Then you'll be more 'qualified' to pass comment.
These are the same people that pick us up off the roads 24/7, and deal with abuse and crap on an hourly/daily/weekly basis - and no, they don't get paid for that, that comes free!
mummy 1, trowbridge says...
3:24pm Wed 7 May 08
CC wrote:Well said CC.
quoteif you want a ambulance just head to the nearest layby or food establishment and they are there filling their facesquoteThe reason for that being that they've just done 11 hours of a 12 hour shift with no meal break (or any other break come to that), and when they are given it, they don't have time to return to their base station to get their packed lunch. Also, with the closure of some stations, certain laybys and service stations are now classed as 'standby points' where they have to sit in order to make the response times. It's far from a cushty office job, & I suggest people start having a chat with the next crew seen see at one of these places to get a better perspective. Then you'll be more 'qualified' to pass comment. These are the same people that pick us up off the roads 24/7, and deal with abuse and crap on an hourly/daily/weekly basis - and no, they don't get paid for that, that comes free!
GSXRRRSP perhaps you should enquire about work experience, a nice 12hr shift on a ambulance,no time to have a drink or food hardly time for a p**s!! then you will be able to comment on here what really happens and not just what you think!!!!
walter, wilshur says...
6:27pm Wed 7 May 08
GSXRRRSP, WESTBURY says...
8:16pm Wed 7 May 08
CC wrote:DONT TRY AND SELL ME A SOB STORY I KNOW WHAT PARAMEDICS ARE AND YOU CANT TELL ME DIFFERENT!!!!
quoteif you want a ambulance just head to the nearest layby or food establishment and they are there filling their facesquoteThe reason for that being that they've just done 11 hours of a 12 hour shift with no meal break (or any other break come to that), and when they are given it, they don't have time to return to their base station to get their packed lunch. Also, with the closure of some stations, certain laybys and service stations are now classed as 'standby points' where they have to sit in order to make the response times. It's far from a cushty office job, & I suggest people start having a chat with the next crew seen see at one of these places to get a better perspective. Then you'll be more 'qualified' to pass comment. These are the same people that pick us up off the roads 24/7, and deal with abuse and crap on an hourly/daily/weekly basis - and no, they don't get paid for that, that comes free!
GSXRRRSP, WESTBURY says...
8:18pm Wed 7 May 08
mummy 1 wrote:SORRY NOT LISTENING TALKING TO THE WRONG PERSON I KNOW WHAT PARAMEDICS ARE AND THEY ARE NOT FLAT OUT 12 HOURS A DAY AND THEY ARE LAZY AND DO VERY LITTLE WHEN ON A SHOUT AND HAVE VERY LITTLE KNOWLEDGE AND I HAVE EXPERIENCE OF THIS!!!!
CC wrote:Well said CC. GSXRRRSP perhaps you should enquire about work experience, a nice 12hr shift on a ambulance,no time to have a drink or food hardly time for a p**s!! then you will be able to comment on here what really happens and not just what you think!!!!quoteif you want a ambulance just head to the nearest layby or food establishment and they are there filling their facesquoteThe reason for that being that they've just done 11 hours of a 12 hour shift with no meal break (or any other break come to that), and when they are given it, they don't have time to return to their base station to get their packed lunch. Also, with the closure of some stations, certain laybys and service stations are now classed as 'standby points' where they have to sit in order to make the response times. It's far from a cushty office job, & I suggest people start having a chat with the next crew seen see at one of these places to get a better perspective. Then you'll be more 'qualified' to pass comment. These are the same people that pick us up off the roads 24/7, and deal with abuse and crap on an hourly/daily/weekly basis - and no, they don't get paid for that, that comes free!
CC, Wiltshire says...
12:07am Thu 8 May 08
I suggest you get out as an observer, as put forward above - to get a REAL perspective.....! Hopefully not on my shift though as I may have to aim the first vomiting drunk person in your direction.
GSXRRRSP, WESTBURY says...
1:07am Thu 8 May 08
CC wrote:if you think you are so hard done by get another job!!!!!!
You really are a plonker at times GSX. For a start, a lot of crews are now 1 x Paramedic and 1 x ECA - so the para works much harder in the back for each shout. If 2 of the Technicians go out together, they get to share the workload. I suggest you get out as an observer, as put forward above - to get a REAL perspective.....! Hopefully not on my shift though as I may have to aim the first vomiting drunk person in your direction.
my last experience of paramedics was a joke and 2 chimps would have had better medical knowledge and anyone can sit around eating all day like you all do!!!
realistic old man, West wilts says...
9:20am Thu 8 May 08
CC, Wiltshire says...
9:57am Thu 8 May 08
It takes 3 years to train for a Paramedic degree, and they are constantly having to update their skills.
I guess you think all ambulance people are Paramedics, like most ill-informed people do. Technicians/ECA's were and are out on the road after a 3 or so months of training (which is updated too), but often get called 'Paramedics' by mistake.
Para's have the OK to pronounce someone dead, which is something usually only doctors are allowed to do. They don't give out that responsibility to 'chimps' - facts are a great thing, usually found by reading things without pictures however, hence why you may be lacking them methinks.
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mummy 1, trowbridge says...
3:38pm Mon 5 May 08
The above is a load of B******s Warminster & Devizes stations now have only one day crew where as they used to have two, Wilts ambulances are now doing jobs in Bath & Bristol. They are not interested in treating the patients only in reaching targets!!!!