MPs and Audlem Councillor pressing the NWAS

The pressure is mounting on the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) to halt its plans to downgrade the First Responder service so that the volunteers can only be called out to a fraction of the calls they have responded to in the past.

Audlem Parish Councillor, Mike Hill, has been writing to NWAS chief executive John Burnside and their communications executive, Asiya Jelani, who has attended a number of meetings in Audlem, pressing them for answers to concerns that have been raised. Local MP Stephen O'Brien, who has also been in extensive communication with Mr Burnside and appeared on Granada TV earlier this year to put questions to the NWAS, has also been fully briefed on the issue and will continue to work on preventing the planned reduction in service.

Last week's Chronicle also reported that the new MP for Crewe & Nantwich, Edward Timpson, has joined the fight and will present a petition, which includes signatures by many Audlem residents, to the NWAS and 10 Downing Street.

Mike Hill is urging NWAS to delay changes until the ambulance response times are on target. He has told John Burnside: "We believe, given the extremely poor ambulance response times in this area, there should be no reduction in the First Responder service and training until your ambulances are hitting your own targets of '8 minutes in 95% of emergencies' and '19 minutes in 95% of amber cases'. To reduce the one part of our local service that seems to work well, the First Responders, without you hitting your ambulance response targets, is putting lives seriously at risk. You will be held responsible and we will not let up in publishing any future serious failures."

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