This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Private Ambulance Service staff lacking training, investigation reveals
An investigation by Victoria Derbyshire has found that staff employed by the Private Ambulance Service (PAS) have only received an hour's training to drive under blue lights.
The Private Ambulance Service in Basildon, Essex, provides emergency cover for the East of England Ambulance Service.
Current staff members have also claimed some equipment in PAS ambulances is in poor condition.
A former PAS staff member said: ”I got in the vehicle, got everything ready, started to drive out, put the blue lights on, and then it was just drive all the way down the A127… and then back to the trading estate from where they are based - an hour's training.”
Alan Lofthouse, Unison's lead officer for ambulance workers, raised concern over the finding: ”The patient that's got to ride in the ambulance has the right for that ambulance to be clean and in a condition that's going to support their health.
He added: “Patient transport services move some very ill and vulnerable people."
Responding to the investigation, a spokesman for PAS countered: "All of our staff are fully trained above the required standard, and we have full policies and procedures in place to deal with any eventuality within the business.
"We are regulated and inspected by the Care Quality Commission and were last inspected in October 2016.
"Whilst we appreciate there have been some allegations made, we do not accept the nature of the allegations to be accurate."
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