§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the implications for the payment of ambulance staff of tri-service working with police and the fire service. [30306]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 25 January 2002]: The three invest to save projects in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Cleveland have been established to test the cost and operational effectiveness of joint ambulance, fire and police control rooms and a range of shared support facilities such as fleet management, information technology and accommodation.
National health service ambulance trusts have the local freedom to vary the rates paid to their staff to take account of local circumstances, including the discretion to make local pay supplements.
§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on pay and conditions of service for(a) ambulance technicians and (b) ambulance paramedics. [30304]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 25 January 2002]: The Ambulance Whitley Councils determine the pay for all ambulance staff on national terms and conditions. Negotiations on pay for 2002–03 will begin shortly.
For the future we remain committed to working closely with unions, professional organisations and employers to introduce a new pay system that will offer staff working in the national health service a more attractive career structure and fairer pay.
§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has for personal development for ambulance staff; and what monitoring occurs of ambulance trusts to ensure that they deliver these. [30307]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 25 January 2002]: Maintaining and extending the skills, potential and careers of national health service staff taking into account service developments and patient need in health and social care is a fundamental part of the NHS Plan and the Framework for Lifelong Learning for the NHS, "Working Together— Learning Together", copies of which are available in the Library or can be accessed on the DOH website: www.doh.gov.uk/lifelonglearning.
In 2001–02 £20 million has been invested in the NHS via workforce development confederations to ensure that trusts, including ambulance trusts, have the capacity to deliver training effectively and to support them in meeting personal and professional development needs identified as a result of appraisal.
The new strategic health authorities will monitor progress on implementing the lifelong learning framework targets, through mainstream performance management processes.
§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will investigate the eight minute limit for emergency calls for the ambulance service, with special reference to congestion, road works and other restrictions to journeys. [30305]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 25 January 2002]: Standards, supported by evidence of clinical and cost effectiveness, have been set for ambulance responses to 282W emergency and urgent ambulance calls. Current standards require that calls to people with potentially life-threatening illnesses and conditions should be responded to within eight minutes irrespective of location in 75 per cent. of cases. All other calls should be responded to within 14 minutes in urban areas and 19 minutes in rural areas in 95 per cent. of cases.
Road conditions do have an impact on ambulance response times but clinical evidence suggests that achievement of the 75 per cent. standard could save 1,800 lives each year in people under 75 years of age suffering heart attacks.
In March 2000, we recurrently invested an extra £21 million in the ambulance services to support the delivery of the 75 per cent. Category A eight minute target. This is being invested in more ambulance staff and front line vehicles.