East of England Ambulance Service plans to close two emergency call centres
The decision, will result in the closure of Bedford and Chelmsford Emergency Operations Centres, with a new site planned for Essex
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) has decided to close the Bedford and Chelmsford Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs) over the next 12 to 18 months, leaving many staff members facing relocation or redundancy. The decision was made during a meeting on 7 May, where the Trust Board confirmed plans to retain the Norwich EOC and invest in a new operations centre in Essex.
The closure of the Bedford and Chelmsford sites, which currently handle emergency operations across several counties, is part of a move to streamline the service and improve future resilience. The new Essex centre is expected to become operational within 18 months to two years, subject to a full business case.
A Trust spokesperson said, “This is the best option for our future resilience and for the service to our patients. It will take at least 18 months to two years before the new emergency operations centre is up and running, and all EOCs will remain operational until then.”
The decision comes after five options were evaluated by the Board, with the recommendation being to maintain the Norwich site, acquire a new location in Essex, and close both Bedford and Chelmsford. Essex was chosen as the preferred site due to better recruitment and retention prospects, and a suitable property market that would impact fewer staff than a new site in Bedfordshire.
The Trust assures that any cost savings will be reinvested into frontline services to improve patient care. However, the closure of the Bedford EOC has raised significant concerns regarding ambulance cover across the East of England, an area that includes six counties, several large towns and cities, and four major airports.
Donna Thomas, Regional Organiser for the GMB Union, expressed concerns about the potential impact on patient safety, especially given the current challenges EEAST faces with staffing levels and call wait times. She said, “This closure would have a serious knock-on effect for ambulance cover across the region. It represents a potential threat to public safety, particularly as the Trust is already failing on call wait times. We are deeply concerned about the impact it could have on our members, who will be faced with the difficult choice to either relocate, redeploy, or find themselves out of work.”
The Trust has also faced criticism from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which issued a written warning regarding staffing shortages and delays in call response times. The closure of the Bedford site could exacerbate these ongoing issues, with fewer centres to manage emergency calls across the vast region.
Staff at the affected centres are being informed of their options, including relocation to the more expensive Chelmsford or Norwich sites, redeployment within the Trust, or facing redundancy. The Trust has committed to supporting affected staff during this transition and offering opportunities for retraining.