John Penrose

Conservative Party | Weston-super-Mare

MP Praises Improved Ambulance Cover

Local MP John Penrose praised the Great Western Ambulance Service today after it was confirmed to him by the Trust’s Chief Executive, Tim Lynch, that round the clock ('24/7') ambulance cover in the Weston-super-Mare area had increased by 50%.

Since 10th June 2007 the number of 24/7 teams placed in Weston has risen from two to three, providing the area with three Double Manned Ambulances.

The increase is particularly welcome after the Weston-super-Mare MP wrote to Mr Lynch last year with his concerns that the quality of ambulance cover had got worse since the merger of Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Ambulance Services into one overarching trust. In July last year Mr Penrose showed that ambulance response rates for the most serious (category A) emergencies in the area had fallen from 76.8% in 2005-6 to 72.8% in 2006-7.

Mr Penrose said:

“It’s great to see that the Ambulance service is listening, and starting to raise its standards. Double Manned Ambulances are crucial for the effective dealing of “Category A” emergency incidents as patients can be given critical and often life-saving treatment while they're on the way to hospital”.