Paramedics’ health crisis Hospital bed-block soars

OVERWORKED paramedics are at breaking point, a union is warning.

Ambulance staff regularly face 14 to 15-hourshifts, with some doing 19.

Long hours are affecting their health, a poll ofmore than 900 workers atEast of England Ambulance Service Trustfound. Unison’s Fraer Stevenson said: “Sickness relating to mentalhealth reached a record high in December. Our members are atbreaking point.”

The Trust’s Kevin Brown saidstaff well-being is of “paramount importance”. TORY social care cuts have led toa huge rise in patients stuck in hospitalbeds.

Lastyear, 6,181 patients’ transfers were delayed, compared to 3,753 in 2010, a parliamentary question reveals. Barbara Keeley MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Social Care, said: “Delayed transfers of care have reached record highs under this government.

“The Tories need to pledge £1billion this year to ease the social care crisis.”

A delayed transfer is when a patient isdischarged but still occupyinga bed.