JOBS CRISIS: Hampshire's ambulance service faces paramedic shortage

South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) bosses said they are under extreme pressure to answer calls because of a lack of 260 paramedics.

And the NHS foundation trust is relying on private companies to meet demand with the need for private ambulances almost doubling in the past year.

Unions blame the crisis on low pay and a lack of internal training. 

Mark Ainsworth-Smith, consultant emergency care practitioner for SCAS, revealed there had been a 25 per cent increase in demand on the trust since 2010, telling an inquest it was difficult to retain staff because of the high cost of living.

He said: “We have 260 outstanding vacancies for paramedics. To meet current demand we need to mobilise basic ambulances. We use third party ambulance providers to cover shortfalls in ambulances and staff.”

Mr Ainsworth-Smith added that it was a less attractive career because trainee paramedics now took longer to qualify due to new degree courses – sometimes taking between two to five years, as opposed to 16 weeks in the past.

Although he said their actions did not make a difference to the eventual outcome, issues were raised about the use of private firms.

Last year private contractors attended nine per cent of call-outs on behalf of SCAS – but this has since increased to 16 per cent.

Contractors use their own vehicles and staff but some of the equipment is the same as that used by SCAS employees. Mr Ainsworth-Smith said the service works with the contracted companies on training and visits their premises to carry out random checks.

Between April 2011 and December 2013, the average wait for an SCAS ambulance from call to arrival was around 30 minutes, with the longest at 38 minutes in December 2012.

Unison South East regional organiser Sarah O’Donoghue blamed low pay and not enough internal training for the failure to replace outgoing staff.

She said: “While SCAS started training staff externally rather than internally some time ago, other competitor trusts have been investing in internal training.”

She added: “There’s no robust plan to close the gap between need and provision.”

And Martin Berry, executive officer for the Royal College of Paramedics, said the shortage was a national problem that was ‘failing’ patients with less serious conditions.

He added: “Because they are so good at making decisions and diagnosis they are increasingly being employed in walk-in-centres and GP surgeries and for telephone advice services. These jobs are sucking paramedics out of the ambulance sector because they are attractive roles and offer 9am-5pm working hours.”

Mr Berry added there were not enough university places available for paramedics because of a lack of Government funding to create them.

Under the NHS Constitution, ambulances have to reach the most seriously ill patients within eight minutes for 75 per cent of calls.

And SCAS figures over the past three years reveal they are meeting that target, dealing with between 76 and 78 per cent of urgent cases within eight minutes.

It is understood the service has 1,280 frontline staff, including 890 clinicians such as paramedics and nurses and 208 ambulances across the region.

A spokesperson for SCAS said: “SCAS recognises that demand is rising significantly year on year and our recruitment plans are challenged to try and meet the increasing need for more and more paramedics.”

She added the shortage of paramedics was a national issue and that the service was looking to private companies, as well as recruiting abroad, to meet the needs of patients.

Salary

Ambulance paramedics usually work as part of a rapid response team dealing with a range of situations.

Salaries start at around £21,400 per year and can rise to £34,500 for senior positions and team leaders.

Most employers now look for paramedics to have completed three-year university degrees or take a course at an ambulance trust.

Excellent driving skills, good levels of fitness and a complete knowledge of the Highway Code are also required.