A WOULD-BE MP is to quiz ambulance bosses over public concerns about the transfer of emergency calls from Bransford in Worcestershire to Brierley Hill.

Harriett Baldwin, Conservative parliamentary candidate for West Worcestershire, is due to visit the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust Brierley Hill emergency operations centre (EOC) on Monday.

The visit follows the closure and transfer of operations from Bransford EOC on December 1, 2008.

Miss Baldwin, along with your Worcester News, campaigned to stop the closure of Bransford but despite collecting 2,000 signatures objecting, the move went ahead.

Since the switchover, your Worcester News has been contacted by several members of staff expressing concerns about the service.

They said problems had arisen because call takers at the Brierley Hill control room, near Dudley, had no idea where ambulances are stationed because the computer system is outdated and they lacked local knowledge for Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Last month, the service admitted it was failing to reach its target of dealing with 75 per cent of Category A calls – the most serious incidents – within eight minutes.

Ambulance services nationally have been under strain from the coldest start to the winter for 30 years combined with outbreaks of flu and winter vomiting bug norovirus.

Miss Baldwin said she had advanced 10 questions to ambulance trust chiefs which needed answering.

She said: “I objected strongly to the closure of Bransford because of fears ambulances would be sucked out of Worcestershire into the greater West Midlands conurbation to meet targets and local knowledge of Worcestershire would be lost in the transition.

“There is a high level of public interest in the performance of the ambulance call centre since the closure of Bransford.

“I have been contacted by members of the public and ambulance staff with worrying stories that suggest our worst fears are being realised.

“We need answers to ensure Worcestershire people receive at least as good a service as they have been used to before Bransford was closed.”

Mrs Baldwin said she was “working closely” with the Worcestershire County Council health overview and scrutiny committee, which meets ambulance trust chief executive Anthony Marsh at County Hall on Monday, January 19.

Chris Kowalik, ambulance service spokesman, said: “We were forwarded Miss Baldwin’s questions and we will have the answers ready for her on the day.”

He refused to say whether the trust had met its Category A call target yesterday adding the information would be included in the answers to Miss Baldwin.

Questions for ambulance bosses

How many Bransford staff transferred to Brierley Hill?

On any given day since Monday, December 1, 2008, how many Bransford staff have been on duty on the telephones during each shift?

Since Monday, December 1, 2008, what has been the daily performance against the Category A and B targets for Herefordshire and Worcestershire calls and how does that compare with December 2007?

For Category A calls that miss the target, how long have delays been in Herefordshire and Worcestershire in December 2008 versus December 2007?

What has been the volume of Herefordshire and Worcestershire calls in December 2008 versus December 2007?

How many ambulances/ ambulance drivers and paramedics have been located in Herefordshire and Worcestershire during each shift in December 2008 versus December 2007?

How many WMAS 54 forms and ROSC forms were raised in December 2007 versus December 2008 for Herefordshire and Worcestershire?

How does staff sickness compare for the Bransford staff in these two periods?

Is it planned that meal breaks will soon become unpaid, and if so, what impact is that likely to have on staff availability?

How is the new computer dispatch system performing and can I see it in action?