The East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) will be re-running a public meeting in Chesterfield – following pressure from MP Toby Perkins.
Not a single member of the public attended the poorly advertised original session last month, where ambulance bosses put forward their plans which include replacing the region’s 66 ambulance stations and with 13 of ‘super hubs’ and 118 ‘community ambulance posts’.
Empty... The previous meeting was poorly advertised
EMAS have stated that the new model will lead to a more efficient and effective service but opponents, including some councils, have raised concerns that response times will increase.
The new meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday 21st November in Chesterfield Royal Hospital’s Lecture Theatre, beginning at 6pm.
Chesterfield MP, Toby Perkins, said: “I was horrified when I found out, by chance, from an MP in the Nottinghamshire area on the day of the original meeting in Chesterfield that such serious proposals were being tabled without the public’s knowledge.
“The meeting hadn’t been reported in the local media. I tipped off the only journalist present as soon as I found out about the session, only hours before it was due to take place.
Mr Perkins added: “These proposals have the potential to affect anyone who calls an ambulance in the East Midlands, so I strongly encourage people to come forward, scrutinise the plans and make their views heard”.
