Private Ambulance Companies Axed in Gloucestershire

from Citizen Gloucestershire, The ..

By Phil Skelton

Great Western Ambulance Service has slashed its use of private ambulance companies in a bid to drive up standards and address concerns by paramedics.

Ambulance chiefs in Gloucestershire have terminated the use of all companies except Evolved Medical Services and stricter conditions have been applied to the remaining provider.

They have also imposed rules that a state registered paramedic must be provided on all vehicles responding to 999 calls and that continued use of the company will depend on high standards of care being met.

The move follows complaints by NHS staff over the widespread use of private companies to cover sickness absence and gaps in provision.

Paramedics were concerned over training standards and firefighters said there was a lottery in ambulance cover which has led to confusion between emergency services.

Great Western Ambulance had claimed the alternative service was safe and that crews were trained to an appropriate standard.

But with the arrival of new interim trust chief executive Anthony Marsh the situation has been reviewed and contracts with the private sector scrapped in many cases.

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