Fears over plans to scrap Weymouth’s paramedic bike service
By James Moules, Dorset Echo, August 8, 2019
Photo: The bike is due to be replaced by a Rapid Response Vehicle Picture: Weymouth and Portland Police.
Residents have expressed concerns over plans to end a paramedic bike service in Weymouth.
The South West Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust has decided that the paramedic bike, that regularly assists the town with emergency callouts, will be replaced with a Rapid Response Vehicle in the near future.
David Simonds, 52, who is a relief operations supervisor for First Bus, said: "I have dealt with dealt with so many incidents where I have been waiting an hour or two hours plus for an ambulance. People around the town see it as a brilliant service to have.
"I have had people fall, I have had people collapse on the statue."
Mr Simonds has started a petition on Change.org to raise awareness for the issue and attempt to save the bike.
He said that the bike has the advantage of being able to get through traffic faster than a larger vehicle, meaning that medical attention can arrive to the scene of an emergency faster, especially in heavy traffic during the summer months.
Cllr Jon Orrell said: "It is a sad loss to the town to do without this low carbon paramedic. The point is that the cycle could get through crowds and traffic jams in the summer months. I would expect the replacement to be permanently based in Weymouth so the town does not yet again suffer loss; like with community hospital beds. Maybe it could be an electric vehicle?"
No firm date has been set for the replacement of the bike.
The South West Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust has said that replacing the bike will improve the efficiency of its service.
A spokesman said: "Whilst the bike is useful for a small number of local incidents, a vehicle is able to respond to significantly more incidents, travelling faster and further, and therefore is able see many more patients in one shift. In June, July and August 2017, the bike attended 142 patients in a 92 day period. That’s not even two patients per day. There are some days when the bike does not attend any patients, which is not a good use of our paramedic’s time."
The ambulance service spokesman said that this will not mean that emergency service responses will be hindered because of the loss of the bike.
The spokesman said: "Following our recent announcement of an additional £12 million of funding, South Western Ambulance Service is delighted to announce that it is investing heavily in extra staff and resources across the South West. In Dorset alone there will be an additional 30 paramedics and 35 emergency care assistants (ECAs). This will mean two additional ambulances and crews in Weymouth - this is great news for Weymouth and great news for patients.
"The paramedic bike does have a place – particularly at events where there are large numbers of people – and we will work with event organisers to provide this service by agreement."