On the march against closure
Frontline crews are to hold a protest march through Newark to try to save the town’s ambulance station from the axe, and they want the public to support them.
Twenty four serving staff from East Midlands Ambulance Service, most of whom have worked from the Queen’s Road base, are due meet there today (November 14) at 10.30am and march to the Market Place for a rally with placards calling for the station to be saved.
They want people to support them by lining the route and signing petitions.
The protest has the backing of the GMB union, which will be distributing leaflets.
EMAS is proposing to scrap 66 stations, including Newark, and replace them with 13 main hubs, or super stations, and 131 community standby points.
It says it will enable it to respond to calls faster and better by having ambulances closer to where they are needed.
As revealed by the Advertiser, EMAS regularly fails to meet its response targets in the NG21 to NG25 postcode areas of Newark and Sherwood even with an ambulance station in Newark.
One serving paramedic, who did not want to be named, said: “People are waiting 30 to 40 minutes as it is and it will not get any better having ambulances based elsewhere.
“There is a lot of anger about it and we would encourage the public to help with the protest, turn out and have their say or nothing will change.”
He said proposed standby points at North Muskham and Farndon would not compensate for the loss of a base in Newark.
“It is vital that people can start and end their shifts in Newark,” he said. “Not having a station will have an impact on Newark and rural areas. The louder we shout and the more people we have on board, the harder it is for our views to be ignored.”
A former paramedic, who was based at Newark for 18 years, Mr David Moore, said: “Not having an ambulance station at Newark will put lives at risk.
“It is essential for Newark to have a station because we are quite a few miles from the main stations at Nottingham and Lincoln.
“Response times in Newark are already among the worst in the East Midlands and this would reduce cover even further.
“The station needs investment but closing it is not the answer, especially with an increasing population. It is crazy.”
Copies of the petition are at Tread Rite Tyres next to the ambulance station, Allwoods Automotive on Lincoln Road and Parkers Motor Services on Brunel Drive.
The chief executive of EMAS, Mr Phil Milligan, said: “I have met a number of staff at Newark so I do understand the strength of feeling. Formal consultation runs to December 17 and we will take into account all of the comments we receive at that point.”
Mr Milligan did not believe changes would lead to reduced cover in rural areas, but said he understood why people were protesting.
“It is an expression of frustration that is entirely understandable because they can’t see what the final picture will look like until the end of the consultation,” he said.
To comment call 0800 9179911, visit www.emas.nhs.uk or email beingthebest@ emas.nhs.uk
