News Release

20th October 2005

FABRICANT TACKLES GEOFF HOON IN COMMONS OVER STAFFORDSHIRE AMBULANCE SERVICE

Further to the News Release of yesterday's date (see below), Michael Fabricant told Geoff Hoon, Leader of the House of Commons, in the Chamber today (20th October) that "While you look a slim and fit sort of guy if, God forbid, you were to have a heart attack the best place to have it would be in Staffordshire". He told Mr Hoon "this is because Staffordshire has one of the best survival rates from heart attack because the response time for Ambulances in Staffordshire are the fastest in Europe. But all this will be jeopardised if, under Government plans, the Staffordshire Ambulance Service is merged in with the West Midlands Ambulance Service which has far slower response times".

Geoff Hoon responded by saying that he is aware that Staffordshire Ambulance Service is excellent but that merger plans are for "greater efficiency" and "this doesn't mean that Ambulances in Staffordshire would be moved away to Birmingham, for example".

But Michael Fabricant is not so sure. "I wish I shared Geoff Hoon's optimism. If control over our Ambulance Service moves away from Stafford and to Birmingham, I am not at all convinced that standards will be maintained and that controllers in Birmingham will have the same sense of duty to the people of Staffordshire. I fear that resources will be aggregated throughout the region. And while that means a rise in standards in some areas, it can only mean a reduction in standards in Staffordshire.

"When a few months ago a pal of mine in Lichfield had a heart attack after he had been out running, an Ambulance arrived within 6 minutes. It saved his life. What would have become of him under the new arrangements being proposed by Geoff Hoon and his colleagues?" Michael asks.