Ambulance service facing emergency What do you think?
NWAS CANCELS ALL PLANNED LEAVE AS BOSSES PREPARE FOR DEMAND TO ‘PEAK OVER NEXT TWO WEEKS’
THE ambulance service across Greater Manchester and the north west region is now facing ‘unprecedented challenges’ over the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been revealed.
North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) has cancelled all planned leave for staff as a result. And the trust expects demand on its services and paramedics to ‘peak over the next two weeks,’ a QC has said.
All clinically-trained staff have been switched ‘to the responding frontline’ and the trust is increasing its use of private providers.
There’s also been a request for help from paramedics in other parts of the country, it was said.
The developments were revealed at a preliminary hearing held yesterday of the independent public inquiry into the Manchester Arena bombing atrocity.
NWAS staff are due to give evidence at the inquiry over the coming weeks and months.
The hearing was used to discuss ways to progress the inquiry in the light of the third national coronavirus lockdown. The inquiry was due to resume after Christmas on Tuesday, January 12.
Chairman Sir John Saunders, however, decided to ‘pause’ proceedings until January 18, next Monday, over the continuing coronavirus pandemic.
The inquiry is set to resume then, with altered procedures in place. From Monday, the inquiry will sit for two and a half days a week, with greater use of virtual hearings.
The situation will be reviewed in midFebruary, in line with the government’s review of the lockdown. ‘Core participants’ in the inquiry – NWAS being one – were invited through their legal representatives to submit submissions for yesterday’s hearing. Lisa Roberts QC, for NWAS, said the trust was ‘at the highest level of preparedness’ and there has been a ‘significant’ reduction in staff because of illness or employees isolating.
Around 18 per cent of NWAS staff were now said to be off work.
Ms Roberts said submissions for yesterday’s hearing were submitted on behalf of NWAS on Monday.
But, she said, the situation had ‘deteriorated’ since then.
NWAS was moved into level four of the Resource Escalation Action Plan (REAP) on Tuesday, which means there is ‘extreme pressure’ on its services.
For the duration of the pandemic, NWAS has been operating between levels two to three.
Level four is the top level of the NHS alert framework.
Ms Roberts said: “We are, as an organisation, facing unprecedented challenges due to the national health emergency caused by Covid-19. The situation has deteriorated in the short space of time since our submissions were lodged.”
NWAS, Ms Roberts said, was still able to provide its services.
But she said: “The pandemic has significantly reduced ambulance staff available to deploy to frontline duties. Eighteen per cent of staff are currently unavailable – the vast majority of these being ill or self-isolating because of Covid-19.”
The hearing was told the vast majority of NWAS staff that have been called to give evidence at the inquiry were now ‘fully engaged in responding on the frontline.’
Ms Roberts added: “The trust is now at the highest level of preparedness.”
“This is due to the extremely high levels of activity in the north west region, the pressure on local hospitals and the trust operating while some of its workforce is isolating or
shielding. In response to this rise, NWAS is maximising its resources by putting all clinically trained staff on the responding frontline, increasing the use of private providers and working with healthcare partners to safely help and guide non-urgent cases.
“The public can help by only calling 999 in serious or life-threatening emergencies.
“The demands of the service in the north west are expected to peak over the next two weeks or so.
“The north west is currently tracking some of the highest transmission rates in the country in both Cheshire and Merseyside, and this is only likely to worsen.
“Mutual aid has been requested as part of national contingency arrangements and consideration is being given to requesting other support.
“All non-essential activities such as training and planned leave have been cancelled to support the increased demands.
“It’s very difficult to predict how far the situation will deteriorate and the impact that this will have. “Whilst the situation is worsening, the public should be reassured that the trust is doing all it can to continue to meet the demands for services in the region.” Ms Roberts said those due to represent NWAS at the inquiry would continue to assist, despite the ongoing difficulties.
Sir John said: “Clearly the life-saving activities of members of NWAS will and must take priority over any attendance at the inquiry and that will continue to be the position.”
Write to: Viewpoints, M.E.N, Mitchell Henry House, Hollinwood Ave, Oldham, OL9 8EF Or email: viewpoints @men-news.co.uk