Row over plans to cut ambulance service's fast fleet

The service is proposing to reduce the number of fast response vehicles

Proposals to scrap half of East Midlands Ambulance Service's fast response vehicles (FRVs) will "put patients at risk", a union has said.

A review is under way on plans to increase double-crewed ambulances in the region by reducing the number of FRVs - which are smaller than ambulances but are kitted out with lifesaving equipment - from 28 to 14.

Unison said the change "will not work" with staff hours being lost to ambulances queuing outside hospitals waiting to hand over patients.

The ambulance service said it was "improving patient safety" rather than "putting lives at risk".

Unision's Dave Limer said ambulance service leaders had "got their priorities wrong"

The service, which said it deploys more FRVs to emergencies compared to ambulance trusts of a similar size and geography, has launched a 45-day review of its rotas for ambulance teams.

Dave Limer, ambulance lead for Unison in the East Midlands, said it was a "massive reduction".

"While this sounds a good idea on paper, in reality it's not going to work," Mr Limer said.

"The problem we've got is the bottlenecks at hospital where ambulances are trying to hand over the patients to busy A&E departments

"And if they get the increased capacity on the road it's just going to mean longer queues at hospitals.

"[The FRVs] get there a lot quicker, they've got life-saving equipment and the skilled paramedics provide initial intervention before an ambulance arrives.

"Cutting them by 50% is going to have an impact on patient safety."

The service is proposing to re-deploy half of fast response vehicle staff into ambulances

In September, the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham recorded the highest number of ambulance delays outside hospitals in the region, with more than 2,700 hours lost and 32% of patient handovers taking over 45 minutes.

New rotas are planned to be implemented across A&E operations for the beginning of April 2026, according to hospital board papers published on the East Midlands Ambulance Service website.

There are no plans in place to "reduce cover", according to managers.

Ben Holdaway said the aim was to "boost overall ambulance capacity"

Ben Holdaway, trust director of operations at the service, said: "Our aim is to improve patient outcomes, service delivery, and staff wellbeing, including creating an increase in double crewed ambulance capacity.

"Consultation and dialogue continue, and feedback, along with wider evidence, will inform final decision-making.

"The aim is to enhance patient outcomes, service delivery, and staff wellbeing and safety, while boosting overall ambulance capacity."