Health workers on Merseyside are feeling the effects of government cuts already, as paramedics are being asked to operate in what some see as unsuitable vehicles to serve the public. Vans that were originally designed for work that would require commercial vehicle insurance for the operator, are now being converted to carry even more precious cargo.

Health workers union, Unison, say that ambulance chiefs at the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) have made conditions difficult for paramedics to operate in, as they have started converting vans into makeshift ambulances. The NWAS admitted that four vans had been turned into ambulances already and fully expected to use more in the future. The union believe the main reason for this is that the converted vans are a much cheaper option than buying the modular Mercedes ambulances that are the standard vehicle for the NWAS.

Although Unison objects to the introduction of the vans, they are working constructively with the NWAS to make them as suitable as possible. A spokesman for the union said “We have opposed the introduction of van conversions over existing modular vehicles from the outset, due to reduced working space and their comparatively cramped layout. But, in the current economic climate, where cutbacks are already looming for NHS trusts across the UK, the £30,000 cost saving on the new van conversion in comparison to the modular Mercedes vehicles has proved a major factor in influencing management’s decision, senior union officials believe.”

A poll of paramedics showed that 57% of them were opposed to the introduction of the new vans but a NWAS spokesman defended the decision by saying “In the current environment, we must use resources as efficiently as possible, while ensuring the highest levels of patient care and safety.”