Sussex ambulance staff shortages caused by 'government underfunding and mismanagement' - Liberal Democrats say

New House of Commons Library research commissioned by the party states there are now 94 less full-time ambulance staff members in the South East Coast Ambulance service (Secamb) – meaning there are 3,764 people per full-time equivalent registered ambulance staff in the region.

James MacCleary, Liberal Democrat councillor and Parliamentary candidate for Lewes constituency, said: “This once again proves the blame for the NHS crisis lies squarely with the Government.

"Our local health services have been decimated by years of underfunding and mismanagement from government ministers - including local MP and Health Minister, Maria Caulfield. It feels like we are being taken for granted.

“It is no wonder ambulance waiting times have reached dangerous levels in the South East when the ggovernment has failed to recruit more paramedics. This is on top of overwhelmed local GPs and hospitals so overcrowded that people are being treated in corridors and waiting on floors.”

A Secamb spokesperson said the trust did no recognise the figures as matching its totals.

The trust said job roles that fall into these figures (i.e. registered clinicians) will have changed between 2015 and 2022.

It also says that the figures only focus on registered roles so do not include those such as ambulance technicians, emergency care support workers and other clinical grades which make up a significant proportion of frontline ambulance crews.

According to Secamb figures, there are currently 2554.68 per ambulance crew role, increasing from 1835.45 in 2015.

However, Secamb did recognise the need to recruit further to the paramedic role and said it was committed to doing this alongside retaining more staff across all roles.

In December, the South East Coast and South Central ambulance services declared a major incident amid dangerously high waiting times in four counties it covered.

Members of the GMB union working for Secamb are also planning to go on strike on Wednesday and the public are urged by the NHS to "use health services appropriately" on this day.

The NHS has urged people to only call 999 for genuine emergencies, but said patients who needed urgent care would still be prioritised.

Sussex has also been chosen as one of the six areas of the country that take part in a trial of new solutions to free up hospital beds.

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The new initiative, which launched this week, will see Sussex NHS health services trialling a new data tool to help services manage performance, give operational oversight and manage demand.

Maria Caulfield, Conservative MP for Lewes, said it would help improve the local health service ‘immeasurably’.

Ms Caulfield said: “I am very pleased to see this trial locally that helps to free up hospital beds.It is great to see that Sussex has been selected as one of six national discharge front runners to help free up hospital beds.

“As a nurse I see first-hand the struggle and pressure that is on those working in the NHS and I know this trial will be very welcome.

"Whether it is ambulance delays, crowded A&Es or shortages of hospital beds, getting people home more quickly from hospital will improve our local health service immeasurably."