Town ambulance hub not ruled out
The chief executive of East Midlands Ambulance Service told a public meeting that the idea of having an ambulance hub in Newark had not been ruled out.
Mr Phil Milligan, speaking at the Aura Centre, Manners Road, Newark, said the number or location of hubs could change in response to feedback on proposals to change the way the ambulance service works.
The meeting was part of a consultation on plans to close 66 ambulance stations and replace them with 13 larger hubs and 131 community stand-by points, but was attended by only 18 members of the public.
In the outline plans, only two of the hubs would be in Nottinghamshire — at Nottingham and Mansfield.
An EMAS paramedic in the audience said: “One of our concerns is that we will go to Mansfield to pick up the vehicles and then will never get away from that area.
“There is a big gap in North Nottinghamshire without a hub. Rural areas will suffer tremendously.”
Mr Milligan said: “We are looking at two extra options.
“One is to have more hubs, and the other is more community paramedic schemes so we have more in this area.
“Part of the advice we have had is to try to return crews to local areas, but that produces a dilemma in that it would mean longer response times in towns and cities but a faster response in smaller areas.
“That would help to provide a more equitable service but we need more help to reach a conclusion on that because it is a bit of an ethical dilemma.”
People said more co-operation was needed between the ambulance service and Newark Hospital.
The EMAS paramedic said: “We have a list of things that we can’t take to Newark and that has got longer since it went from an accident and emergency to a Minor Injuries Unit.
“But there are also jobs we take to Newark because we are 99% sure they can deal with them, but then find we later have to transfer those people to King’s Mill.
“The other night five transfers went out and each one ties up an ambulance.”
The MP for Newark, Mr Patrick Mercer, who chaired the meeting, said he was disappointed the ambulance service and hospital trust had not yet agreed suitable protocols.
“That does not fill me with confidence,” he said. “It is so important that this is sorted out.”
Mr Milligan said the hospital was an option for an ambulance post, and he agreed that could help to improve understanding.
Mr Mercer said he believed the proposals were still open to change and urged people to respond to the consultation that runs to December 17.
To respond e-mail beingthebest@emas. nhs.uk call 0800 9179911 or visit www. emas.nhs.uk
