West Midlands Ambulance Service urges retired staff to come back amid surging Covid cases
The Trust wants more help in dealing with pressures caused by Covid-19
West Midlands Ambulance Service has put out a plea for staff who recently retired from the Trust, or who work in the private sector, to return to the NHS to help deal with pressures caused by Covid-19.
Health bosses say the additional recruitment measures are being put in place to ensure that they can carry on getting to those most in need of help quickly, and save as many lives as possible.
It's thought the increased number of coronavirus cases across the country is leading to problems such as staff shortages and longer waiting times for ambulances.
Over the summer, the Trust recruited hundreds of additional staff in both its control rooms and on ambulances using funded provided by NHS England, but WMAS says it still wants to go further.
Trust Chief Executive, Anthony Marsh, said: “We are once again, looking for any staff who retired within the last two years or are working in the private sector for the likes of events medical companies who would like to come back into the NHS family to get in touch.
“We are particularly looking for people who worked on an ambulance or in one of our control rooms to contact us. We have already had former members of staff get in touch who went on a career break offering to come back, which we welcome.
“Over the last couple of years, we know that several staff have retired from our service after giving many years of outstanding care to the public.
“We would like those colleagues to consider returning to WMAS so that we can increase the quality and amount of care that we can provide the public in these challenging times.”
Paramedic Rich Jones was one of those who answered a similar call in March 2020. He said: “I saw the situation that the country faced then and with Omicron as it is, we all need to do our part to help the country. When I came back, I realised how much I had missed it. If you’ve ever worked for the ambulance service, you know how much your work means to patients.
“Coming back in this way means you can fit the shifts in around your ‘new’ life. I do it part time because it fits around my other roles. In fact, it works so well that I’ve stayed working part time ever since and would urge others who are in a similar position to give it a go too.”
Mr Marsh added: “Across our country, we see the incredible efforts that so many people are going to, to help others, such as the ‘army’ of people vaccinating and ‘boosting’ Britain. There is no question that getting vaccinated and your booster is the best way we can tackle the Omicron variant.
“For those who have retired, I know how much the time you spent with us meant to you; many of you have told me that when we have spoken. I wouldn’t ask you to re-join if I didn’t think it was the right thing for the public of the West Midlands and our patients.”