Plan to move Warwickshire ambulance control to Stafford

West Midlands Ambulance Service says it plans to close its Warwickshire control room and move staff to Stafford.

No redundancies will occur from the move, affecting about 15 staff. Alternatives will be made for workers who cannot move, a spokesman said.

Coventry and Warwickshire will also join the main control system, which shows what resources are available across the West Midlands region.

The proposals, backed by the service's board, are being discussed with staff.

It is not known when the control room in Leamington Spa will close.

'No cost-cutting'

The service has two control rooms, one in Stafford and also in Brierley Hill in the Black Country.

Trust chief executive Anthony Marsh said all ambulances currently based in Coventry and Warwickshire would remain in the area.

"It is important to state that there will be no redundancies involved in this change.

"Ideally, the majority of staff will move to work in Stafford

"But where that is not possible, we will work with the individuals to find suitable alternatives in roles such as working in one of our non-emergency control rooms or by training to work on an ambulance vehicle."

He added the decision was not a cost-cutting exercise and that local knowledge would not be lost.

He said: "It is quite wrong to suggest that there will be a loss of local knowledge by this change.

"The local knowledge will remain with the crews on the ground. It is not a cost-cutting measure.

"The trust has invested heavily in the technology that it uses to ensure better patient care."