Telford MP to quiz health chiefs and union bosses over ambulance crisis

Parliament's health and social care committee will be taking evidence from a series of representatives on Tuesday.

The committee is gathering evidence on the current delays to ambulance response times, and will also be considering strike action – which takes place on Wednesday.

Telford's Conservative MP, Lucy Allan, is a member of the committee and will join her colleagues to hear from ambulance bosses and trade unions during the session.

The MPs will question and take evidence from Tracy Nicholls, chief executive of the College of Paramedics; Darren Mochrie, chair of the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives; Professor Julian Redhead, national clinical director for urgent and emergency care, and Rachel Harrison, national secretary of the public services section of the GMB.

Ms Allan said she will focus her questions on issues around delayed discharge and handover times – major factors in long waiting times Telford and Shrewsbury's hospitals, and also the geographical inequalities that exist in ambulance response times across the country.

She said: “Throughout 2022, ambulance waiting times in our area have been worse than almost anywhere else in the country.

"I am pleased to have the opportunity to work with colleagues in Parliament to find solutions and make recommendations to Government.

"Patients in need of emergency care face excessive waits at the scene and outside hospital.

"This has caused real suffering for many people in Telford.

"The committee is an important platform to hold the NHS and Government to account and the evidence we hear will help to directly improve the situation for my constituents.”