Whitchurch rapid response car to be replaced by ambulance
Whitchurch's rapid response vehicle will be axed and replaced with an ambulance - but it will not be based in the town.
West Midlands Ambulance Service is investing in ambulance provision in north Shropshire by withdrawing the rapid response car based in Whitchurch.
The decision was made when the service decided not to renew the tenancy agreement in Chester Road, where the car is stationed.
The money saved will be used to purchase a new ambulance - however, it will not be based in Whitchurch.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "The substantial increase in demand for ambulance services means the amount of time our vehicles spend on stations and standby points has reduced substantially - they are out responding to calls.
"Over the last six months, only about a third of cases in Whitchurch have been responded to from Whitchurch itself. Spending money on buildings which are seldom used does nothing to save lives. We would much rather use that resource to increase staff and vehicle numbers which is exactly what we are doing."
Ludlow's rapid response vehicle was also withdrawn last year under the shake-up.
At the time, the service said it is investing in more ambulances and is increasing its fleet from 200 to 330.
A spokesman added: "The introduction of the Ambulance Response Programme has seen real benefits for patients. A good example is stroke patients. By reducing the number of cars and increasing the number of ambulances, these patients are now getting to a hyperacute stroke centre more quickly, reducing the number of patients being left with devastating changes to their lives. As a trust we have around 100 additional ambulances in service compared to two years ago.
"As the only trust in the country to have a paramedic on every vehicle, the efficiencies this has brought have benefitted patients because we have been able to reduce the number of cars and invest the money saved in more frontline services."
