Union bosses have slammed plans to draft in army men and women to drive ambulances.
Bosses at Unison Union have demanded "adequate long-term" cash and measures to help boost ambulance services.
It comes as staff shortages and busy A&Es tying up paramedics waiting to unload patients have meant military personnel are being drafted in to prop up services in Essex and Hertfordshire.
Unison Eastern regional secretary Tim Roberts said:“The East of England Ambulance Service was underfunded and overstretched even before the pandemic. With the huge extra pressures from Covid and its knock-on effect on staffing, it’s little wonder the trust has had to turn to the military for help.
“But drafting in the army to replace highly trained ambulance staff is a crude sticking plaster to patch up much bigger problems. Adequate long-term government funding and measures to retain ambulance staff, including better pay, adequate breaks and finishing on time, are urgently needed rather than a succession of quick fixes.”
The East of England Ambulance service has been contacted for comment.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel