TENYAS: Chief Executive Defends Decision over Rapid Response Car

The head of the region's ambulance service today defended the service and its response times in rural areas of East Riding of Yorkshire.

Chief Executive Jayne Barnes MBE of Tee's East & North Yorkshire Ambulance Service (TENYAS) spoke out at a pre-arrange meeting held at the Bridlington Town Hall last night; accompanying Mrs Barnes were Paul Holyoake, Director of Finance (Deputy Chief Executive) (TENYAS) and Alan Peart, General Manager for East Yorkshire (TENYAS) they were invited to the Towns Council meeting to answer questions from a concerned Council over the with-drawal and now none operational Rapid Response Vehicle which as been removed from Bridlington; present at the meeting were Councillors David Grange (Mayor); towns clerk Chris Smith ; Ronald Adamson; Michael Charlesworth; Cyril Marsburg; Margaret Chadwick ; John Wilkinson ; Richard Harrap ; Ray Allerston; Leslie & Winifred Taylor & Doreen Clark .

Questions from various members of the Town Council were put to TENYAS Chief Executive who had to defend its removal; she said, the Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV) was now based at Hornsea and would cover this area and region from there; she also said it would achieve the 8 minute response time for category (A) calls within this region using new technology; Mrs Barnes stated that Bridlington now as 2 Ambulances on call based at the Bessingby Road, Ambulance Station Site Bridlington.

TENYAS; stands by its previous statement of not been cost effective and the RRV was only in Bridlington on a trial basis and was never on any rota; it also stated that the RRV was only called out 12 times in a period of 6 weeks; most people find that very hard to believe.

There are now 4 RRV based within this rural area/region; 1 at Brough; 1 at Withernsea; 1 at Driffield and 1 at Hornsea we were told by Alan Peart, general manager for TENYAS in the East Yorkshire the cars could cover incidents across the region; he also said the fleet of four cars could be moved, by use of the predictive analysis, into a position where they could respond within the stated eight minutes. Mrs Barnes added: “The vehicles have to be as flexible as possible to provide a rapid response; if the vehicle is left waiting at a station; that would not be the best way to deploy it”.

The Government expects ambulance Trusts to answer at least 75% of emergency calls within 8 minutes; they claimed a response time was been achieved at 72.4%. Mick Pilling: chairman of Save/Support Bridlington Hospital campaign, said he would only be satisfied if the RRV cover was returned to Bridlington.

I Mick Pilling confronted Chief Executive Mrs Jayne Barnes MBE of (TENYAS) and asked why Mrs Barnes had not replied to the many e-mails and letters sent to her asking if she would answer the various questions relating to the with-drawal of the RRV's now been put to her; Mrs Barnes reply was; your e-mails were of a nature of harassment and I was advised not to answer them;. To ignore e-mails is the perfect way to be un-professional; what better way to avoid the present issue.

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