Fears over ambulance staffing

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The BBC said that all but one of the ambulance trusts in England had submitted plans for greater use of "solo responders" instead of two-person crews, to help meet new response-time targets.

From next April, the 10 English trusts will be expected to respond to three-quarters of the most serious emergencies within eight minutes of receiving the 999 call.

Some ambulance staff said the move was an attempt to provide emergency cover on the cheap, and that "solo responders" were not always appropriate.

Jonathan Fox, from the Association of Professional Ambulance Personnel, and the driver of a solo-responder vehicle, told the BBC: "We are already hearing of solo-responders transporting patients, but that is not right as you cannot manage the patient if you are driving.

"Solo-responders have their place, but the emphasis now is on hitting the eight-minute target rather than what is happening once you are there."

Sam Oestreicher, from the Unison union, said the plan could "potentially put patients at risk".