Ambulance trust status is 'unnecessary'
A PRESENTATION on East Midlands Ambulance Service's bid to gain foundation trust status got a mixed response from councillors.
Sam Price-Jones told South Holland District Council how the new trust status would mean staff and the public would be the members and they in turn would have a say on trust decisions and help improve the way local healthcare needs are met.
Eight “constituencies” for staff and five for the public would be formed, from which a council of governors would be elected or appointed who would work with the board of directors.
Ms Price-Jones said the trust has had a good response to its consultation on the proposed changes, which are part of a Government directive, and added it is hoped the status can be achieved by March 2010.
Coun Bryan Alcock asked if more could be done to stop people ringing the service in non-emergency situations, and what the point of the constituencies was when people were often taken out of the county to Peterborough or King’s Lynn.
Coun Roger Gambba-Jones, who has had experience of using medical services after battling cancer, said: “I am somewhat non-plussed by this.
“The ambulance service seems to have a fairly clear mandate to provide immediate care for and transport of those in need.
“These proposals suggest the setting up of a hierarchy for the sake of it. It’s a layer of management that appears to have been unnecessary before someone came up with the magic term ‘foundation’.
“Why does it need to be any more complicated than it is?”
l To have your say on the consultation, call 0115 884 5254, email foundation
trust@emas.nhs.uk or go to www. emas.nhs.uk/ft
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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