§ Mr. George Grantasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many ambulance service staff are awaiting training courses in the Northern Region for the ambulance service advisory certificate, the management course, and the refresher courses, respectively.
§ Mr. Alec JonesThe numbers of ambulance service staff in the Northern Region awaiting the three training courses referred to are 83, 14 and 419 respectively. The reason for the delay in providing refresher courses is the objection of the majority of staff to post-course assess-26W ment. Consideration is being given to ways of overcoming this problem.
§ Mr. George Grantasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals she has for a replacement for the Jubilee Road, Newcastle, Ambulance Service Staff Training Centre.
§ Mr. Alec JonesThe training facilities at Jubilee Road, Newcastle which were lost as a result of demolition have been transferred to alternative accommodation at the Tynemouth Ambulance Training Centre.
In order to determine the ambulance training needs of the region and to assess the capacity of the Tynemouth Training Centre to meet these needs, a review of the requirements has been mounted by the Northern Regional Health Authority in consultation with management and staff interests. In addition the terms of reference of the new National Staff Committee for Ambulance Staff will cover advice on overall training needs in England and Wales and the facilities required to meet them.
§ Mr. George Grantasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the present arrangements for training ambulance service staff in the Northern Region; and if she is satisfied with the arrangements, taking into consideration travelling time and costs.
§ Mr. Alec JonesThe present arrangements are for ambulance men in the Northern Region to take the six-week basic training course leading to the award of the proficiency certificate at the Yorkshire Regional Health Authority Training Centre at Keighley and the North Western Regional Health Authority Training Centre at Preston. Twenty-six ambulancemen from the Northern Region are currently attending these courses and a further 77 places have been allocated at the Keighley School in the academic year ending 31st March 1976. In addition it has been agreed as an interim measure to offer a basic course shortly at the Tyne-mouth Training Centre.
The training arrangements in this region are similar to those in other parts of the country and I am generally satisfied with them in the light of the resources available at present.
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§ Mr. George Grantasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will list in the Official Report the location of the ambulance service staff training centres in the United Kingdom, stating
LOCATION OF AMBULANCE SCHOOLS, AREAS THEY SERVE AND POPULATION School and Location Catchment Area and Population Million Preston North Road School, North Shields (Northern RHA) Northern Region … … … 3.1 Elm Bank Cartmell Road School, Keighley, Yorkshire (Yorkshire RHA).* Yorkshire Region … … 3.5 Northern Region … … … 3.1 Ratby Lane School, Markfield, Leicester (Trent RHA) … Trent Region … … … 4.3 Northern Region … … … 3.1 North West Thames Region … 1.4 Oxford Region … … … 2.1 Baddow Road School, Chelmsford, Essex (North East Thames RHA). North East Thames Region … 1.4 North West Thames Region … 1.4 East Anglia Region … … 1.7 The Horseshoe, Boulters Lane, Banstead, Surrey (South West Thames RHA). South West Thames Region … 1.6 South East Thames Region … 2.0 East Anglia Region … … 1.7 Oxford Region … … … 2.1 Wales … … … … 2.8 London Ambulance Service, 220 Waterloo Road, London SE1. GLC Area … … … 6.0 Plus Students from other area. Clay Lands Road School, Bishop Waltham, Southampton (Wessex RHA). Wessex Region … … … 2.5 Oxford Region … … … 2.1 South Western Region … … 3.0 South East Thames Region … 2.0 1. 70 Stone Road, Stafford … … … … … West Midlands Region … … 5.1 Northern Region … … … 3.1 2. Birmingham Fire Service, Lancaster Circus, Queensway Birmingham B4 7DE (West Midlands RHA). Trent Region … … … 4.3 Wales … … … … 2.8 Wrenbury Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire (Mersey RHA)* … Mersey Region … … … 2.5 Wales … … … … 2.8 Trent … … … … 4.3 Westleigh, Lea Road, Near Preston (North Western RHA)* North Western Region … … 4.1 Northern Region … … 3.1 Kingsway Industrial Estate, Waterton, Bridgend, Glamorgan Wales … … … … 2.8 * These three schools offer specialist courses on a United Kingdom basis in addition to basic training.