Ambulance service faces cuts

South East Coast Ambulance (Secamb) said frontline services will not be affected and that job cuts are not imminent, although the unions have expressed concern.

Sue Harris, Secamb's Director of Operations, said the trust had to make 10.7 million worth of savings in this financial year due to the NHS cuts imposed by the Coalition Government.

She said: "Secamb has robust plans in place to make these savings while protecting its frontline services. Our plans include reviewing performance to work more effectively and efficiently, reducing staff sickness and increasing the productivity of our staff by ensuring they are in the right place at the right time to respond to patient demand.

"We recognise that we have a finite pot of money and our responsibility is to spend that as wisely as possible and to continue to provide a responsive 999 service to local communities," she added.

The trust came under fire in June when it emerged one in four patients suffering from heart attacks, strokes and other life threatening conditions were not being reached in the eight minute target response time.