North East Ambulance meal breaks changed to reduce wait times
999 calls have increased by nearly 35%
Last updated 21st Dec 2021
UPDATE: 21/12/21
North East Ambulance bosses are apologising to ambulance crews and paramedics following criticism and abuse some members of the public are directing at crews.
Chief Executive Helen Ray said:
“I am dismayed that our crews have received insults.
"Our coverage should not have inferred or blamed them in any way for delays that are out of their control.
"I am very sorry that this has been the case. I have apologised openly to our staff about this and do so here too so they are clear that this was wholly unacceptable.
“I want to make it clear that our crews are working tirelessly every day to care for our patients. The last two years have been relentless for them during the pandemic and everyone in NEAS deserves to be commended for their efforts under these difficult circumstances."
The GMB Union have criticised the temporary changes to crew's meal breaks, saying they will engage with the NEAS.
The North East Ambulance Service tell us that they are changing the way in which they plan meals in order to reduce wait times for patients.
It's hoped that this will allow paramedics to get to more patients quicker and reduce the potential harm that occurs when there are long waits for an ambulance.
Currently, North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) staff return to their bases for breaks, but this means that crews could potentially be unavailable for up to 60 hours across three days, according to a spokeswoman.
From 3 January to 31 March, breaks will instead be taken at hospitals or crews' nearest ambulance stations.
The NEAS are currently dealing with increased callouts and staff shortages due to the Omicron variant of COVID 19.
North East Ambulance service are the best responding ambulance service nationally for life threatening injury
Paul Liversidge, Chief Operating Officer of the ambulance service, tells us the service still has one of the quickest response times in the country but staff absences and COVID related pressures are making things difficult.
"At the moment we've got patients that could queue up to several hours," said Paul.
"A lower priority call, would be category three and category four, can wait long long periods of time. By making this decision we will indeed make sure that we are minimising any delays to those patients.
"If you look at our response time standards to our category one patients, patients that have life threatening injuries or illnesses, we are the best responding ambulance service nationally.
"Bare with us, we will always respond"
Currently, ambulance crews on a 10 to 12 hour shift get two 30 minute breaks.
The Chief Operating Officer has asked the public for patience for non-life threatening callouts following a steep increase of 999 calls.
The Chief Operating Officer said: "What I would ask the public, certainly they have got to bare with us, we will always respond, and if that's not with an ambulance it's with a clinician phoning up.
"We're seeing increases of nearly 35% on 999 demand, and that in itself, on the back of challenges we have to the workforce, is something that we're trying to manage. Our staff become infected and have to isolate the same way anyone else has to."