Ambulances must remain in town
The MP for Newark, Mr Patrick Mercer, says having ambulances based in the centre of Newark is essential.
Mr Mercer told East Midlands Ambulance Service he favours having ambulances based at Newark Hospital as part of a medical hub.
He says he has had assurances from EMAS there will be a presence in the town when it closes the ambulance station on Queens Road, Newark.
EMAS is looking at two locations in the Newark area where ambulance crews could be based, in community or portable buildings or at roadside standby points.
Finalising the exact locations will be part of a consultation process.
EMAS is consulting on the locations of 131 standby points across the East Midlands, and 13 main hubs.
They will replace 66 ambulance stations, including Newark. The Nottinghamshire hubs will be at Sutton-in-Ashfield and Nottingham.
Mr Mercer said: “I completely understand that it is not economical to keep the ambulance station where it is, but we have to have quick access to the town centre.
“They have assured me this will happen.
“Ambulances have had difficulty enough hitting their response times, even the eight minute target for life-threatening situations, with a base in the centre of town.”
EMAS stressed its consultation, which ends on December 17, was at early stage. Public meetings will be held.
The chairman of the county council’s Northern Health Scrutiny Committee, Mrs Sue Saddington, said ensuring a meeting was held in Newark was a priority.
She said Newark should be an ambulance hub but if EMAS wouldn’t change its mind on that, she favoured standby points at North Muskham and Farndon alongside a base in Newark itself, possibly at the police station on Queens Road.
Mrs Saddington said: “It has become evident EMAS is slipping in its rural response times so it makes sense to have a standby point at North Muskham that could serve the A1 and the villages and at Farndon to serve the A46 and villages around there.
“I have told EMAS that they have an awful lot of convincing to do in the Newark area that these consultations will ultimately demonstrate they have enough ambulances in the correct locations to do the job they are employed to do.”
EMAS told the Advertiser the changes will enable it to respond to calls better and faster.
A spokesman said: “The whole point of the consultation process is to get people talking. It will help us shape our plans. It is important though that people make their comments to us.”
