Paramedics face sack if they’re tall ... or short!

Alert over vans converted into ‘bargain’ ambulances

PARAMEDICS risk being sacked if they are the wrong height to use new ambulances, union officials warned yesterday.

They claim the problem is the replacement of ageing vehicles with cheap converted vans with seatbelts that don’t fit drivers who are too tall or too short.

The GMB union fears the South East Coast Ambulance Trust could sack staff unable to safely drive the ‘ bargain basement’ ambulances, which are converted from Fiat Ducato vans.

Turning the vehicles into ambulances involves changing the seat position in relation to the seatbelt – meaning the latter may not fit correctly across the collar bone and shoulder.

The trust says it is working with a ‘handful of staff’ who may be unable to drive the converted vans.

But the GMB insists the vehicles are ‘ potentially unsuitable for the shortest 5 per cent and tallest 5 per cent of the population’. The Health Service Journal, which reported on the row this week, said the seatbelt issue mainly affected smaller women and taller men, although body shape was a consideration.

Charles Harrity of the GMB said: ‘Ambulance drivers speeding to emergencies with blue lights and sirens already face enough risk without the added danger that their seatbelt is not fully safe if someone gets in their way and they crash.

‘The concern is that if people refuse to drive under these conditions, then they could be sacked for failing to follow a reasonable management instruction.’

A review in 2018 found that switching to converted vans could save £56million over five years.

A spokesman for the trust said: ‘We continue to work with our unions to understand the implications for the handful of staff that may be affected.’

A spokesman for Fiat Professional vans said: ‘All vehicles must adhere to a European Type Approval as well as Euro NCAP’s rigorous set of safety tests.

‘The installation of seatbelts is carried out in accordance with rules set and if these standards are not met, the vehicle cannot be approved and sold. Fiat Professional will continue to work with the GMB and SECAMB to address concerns.’

East of England Ambulance Service uses Fiat ambulances which have the same cab as those deployed by South East Coast but with a box shape at the back. Its 94 staff assessed as unable to drive the vehicles can use older ones instead.

A spokesman said: ‘We have been working to address these issues – which affect a very small proportion of our colleagues – through assessment by an independent ergonomist to identify potential modifications.’

‘Already facing enough risk’