'RE-OPEN BRANSFORD' - BURT

12.00.00am GMT Tue 30th Jan 2007

Local Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, Richard Burt today called for the re-opening of Bransford Emergency Ambulance Control in the interests of public safety for resident in Worcestershire and Herefordshire.

The call comes after Mr Burt, who is completing his training as a Community First Responder, witnessed three potentially life threatening incidents during a ten-hour shift with a paramedic recently.

"As part of my training, I went on duty with a paramedic at 6am on a very cold, icy day and was pitched into one of the busiest shifts he has had for months.

"Within a space of six hours I had witnessed three potentially life threatening incidents that could be attributed to transferring emergency call taking to the Brierley Hill Centre.

"I discovered that from Monday to Friday between 7am and 8am emergency calls are taken down on paper at Brierely Hill and can result in up to two minute delays in response times during one of the busiest periods of the day.

"Instead of receiving the details with directions whilst mobile into the onboard computer, during this hour the paramedic has to stop the car to write the details down manually and then programme the satnav to proceed to the incident.

"This happens nearly every day and I am told only ever happened once during the last four years at Bransford."

"Because of an error in giving the correct address to one incident, we were delayed in responding to one category A 999 call until we found the right location.

"On another incident the supporting ambulance was stood down as we attended to an unconscious patient and a further request was made by the paramedic for urgent assistance to transport the patient to hospital.

"This incident is the subject of an official complaint to which I have been cited as a witness.

"Nobody died as a result of these operating systems and mistakes, but if this is happening on a daily basis, then it is not hard to imagine the consequences.

"I have discussed the early morning hour on paper call taking with the Chief Executive Officer, Anthony Marsh, and been told these are contingency arrangements in the event of a system failure.

"However, there was never any need to do this at Bransford, and why should the public be put at risk in this way for five of the busiest hours every week? - it just doesn't make any sense.

"After visiting Brierley Hill Control I called for the antiquated control system to be replaced with a system comparable to Bransford at the earliest opportunity.

"I have now been told that a decision on this will not be made for two more months, meaning that the replacement system could not be up and running before mid-summer at the very earliest.

"Bearing in mind the drop in performance figures, this is just not acceptable. The Trust has made a serious mistake in pressing ahead with the early closure of Bransford, and now despite the best efforts of staff, I believe that the public are being subject to unnecessary risk.

"The Trust has a duty to maximise public safety. They should now take the necessary action to make sure that is delivered.