East Midlands Ambulance Service to detail closures

East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) is set to announce which ambulance stations it plans to close as part of a reorganisation of its services.

The organisation wants to replace about 70 current stations in the region with 12 larger "hub stations".

It says the plan will help to improve response times after a series of disappointing figures.

But critics have argued reducing the number of stations could have a detrimental effect on patient care.

It took them two hours to get me into hospital

EMERGENCY response times are always a talking point. After the Grimsby Telegraph printed a story about one father's experience of waiting one hour 19 minutes for an ambulance, others came forward to share their experiences. Reporter KATIE BLACKBURN talked to them.

AN IMMINGHAM couple's frightening ordeal came flooding back after reading an article in the Grimsby Telegraph.

BRINGING BACK MEMORIES: Pauline Plaskitt, of Immingham, who suffered a stroke in August last year and had to wait more than two hours to be taken to hospital by ambulance. Picture: Abby Ruston

For Malcolm Plaskitt, 63, and his wife Pauline, 64, memories from more than a year ago, when Pauline suffered a stroke at her home, were fresh in their minds after reading about delayed responses from the area's ambulance service.

Mr Plaskitt was shocked that someone else had suffered an experience similar to his when he complained to East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS).

Monthly meeting

Our August meeting is  2-4pm today, at Corpus Christi Community Centre and will feature two guest speakers.  

Mark Green from East Midlands Ambulance Service will give his talk on 'A Day in the Life of a Paramedic' and Gill Franklin will explain her new role as Older People's Floating Support Worker.