§ Mr. Staintonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in the light of the decision of the Suffolk area health authority to ban the volunteer Suffolk hospital car service in the face of union threats that otherwise even emergency ambulance services will be withdrawn, if he will hold discussions with the authority and any other authorities affected to ensure that the service is resumed; and if he will confirm that the work of such car services is concerned with persons not normally dealt with by ambulances.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe problem to which the hon. Member refers has been overtaken by events. The ambulance service in Suffolk, with the exception of the New-market ambulance section, resumed full, normal working from midnight on Tuesday 30 January. The hospital car service throughout the county resumed normal service at the same time.
214WThe hospital car service normally functions as an integral part of the ambulance service, conveying patients requiring transport but not a fully equipped ambulance or trained crew.