DESPITE spending cuts across the NHS, the London Ambulance Service (LAS) will receive an additional £7.1 million funding this year, which will be used to recruit 240 new staff.
Increasing demand has resulted in a need for more staff to be trained in order to maintain levels of care and reduce waiting times.
The funding should bring LAS closer to its goal of having a paramedic, who would work in conjunction with accident and emergency staff, on board every ambulance.
Such a set up is already common in other ambulance services.
LAS chief executive Ann Radmore said: “This way of working will mean more patients will be treated by a paramedic and it will increase ambulance cover locally so that patient waiting times are reduced.”
However, it is acknowledged whilst increased staff numbers are imperative, LAS must also work more efficiently in order to deal with predicted increases in demand.
Indeed, 999 calls rose by 6.4 per cent last year and a similar increase is anticipated this year.
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