Funding for a £10million paramedic recruitment drive to turn a failing ambulance service around is yet to be agreed.
At the end of last month the East of England Ambulance Service unveiled its plans to recruit 400 student paramedics in a bit to address criticism over problems with 999 response times and staffing levels.
The first 30 of the student paramedics are expected to begin their training in June but it will take at least two and a half years to reap the benefits of the recruitment drive.
Chief executive Anthony Marsh, who also heads up the West Midlands Ambulance Service, believes the key to turning around the East service to hire more paramedics.
He said: “At the moment in the East of England half of the ambulances of don’t have a paramedic on board, they will have an emergency care assistant or two technicians.
”I simply can’t pop down to the local university and just recruit paramedics, they are simply not there."
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 The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.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 here