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News Release 19th October 2005STAFFORDSHIRE LIVES IN JEOPARDYLocal Conservative MEP for Staffordshire, Philip Bradbourn, vowed to pursue the proposed regionalisation of the Staffordshire ambulance service - which has served Lichfield well - with Michael Fabricant. Michael is raising the issue with John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister. "The proposed changes would put lives at risk and would see the 33 local services currently reduced to 8. The Staffordshire service, the most efficient according to the Government Efficiency Index, will have to merge with inferior services surrounding it." says Michael. "The Staffordshire Ambulance Service has the fastest response rate for all 999 calls in the country if not in Europe. The West Midlands Ambulance Service, with which our Ambulance Service would be merged, is far slower. And that costs lives. The recovery rate from heart attack is very high in Staffordshire as a consequence. Time is critical. I have no doubt that the proposed merger will put people's lives in jeopardy. The Staffordshire Ambulance Service reaches 88% of all 999 callers - including non-urgent - in under 8 minutes. Other ambulance services are far slower." Commenting from Brussels today Mr Bradbourn said: "I am delighted Mr Fabricant is taking up this vital issue, since it shows that the MEP and MP are working together to protect the wellbeing of the people of Staffordshire. Despite people actually voting against regionalisation, Prescott is pursuing this agenda by stealth to the detriment and great risk of people in the Lichfield constituency. I intend to take this matter up in the European Parliament." |
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