FEARFUL paramedics have warned people will die if county ambulance provision is not changed.

They also fear stressed-out staff at Kidderminster Ambulance Station will leave in droves because of increased pressure.

Under-siege Kidderminster paramedics have had to endure one of their two night-crews covering Bromyard in Herefordshire since a Hereford team was axed.

This has left Wyre Forest with one district-based crew, with the other having to meet emergency calls from up to one hour away.

Association of Ambulance Personnel Hereford and Worcester branch secretary Stuart Gardner warned: "I hate to say it, but if this carries on someone will die. There is simply not sufficient ambulance cover.

"Crews are having to rush back to Kidderminster from more than half an hour away to meet emergency calls - it is putting them under a lot of pressure.

"When they arrive, they are met by complaints from relatives asking why they have taken so long - morale is very low."

The increased workload can be seen in station mileage rising from 8,308 in November 1999 to 25,751 in November 2001.

A paramedic, one of 13 paramedics and 12 technicians at the site, backed up union fears.

The long-standing worker, who did not want to be named, said: "Most staff live in Kidderminster, are well-respected and part of the community.

"Many of us have worked here for many years and we are very concerned at how the service is going - we also have friends and family who live here."

Meanwhile, Mr Gardner has called on Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Trust to change its tactical deployment plan and return the night crew to Kidderminster.

Other complaints cited by paramedics include:

Failure by management to train them in the much-vaunted "clot-busting" drugs. It was understood paramedics would be trained by last autumn.

Being placed on standby for up to eight hours with no breaks and no time to clean their vehicles.

Single responder vehicles being sent to emergency calls to meet time targets. While the single man crews can administer oxygen and defibrillators they cannot move or strap patients and have to wait for the ambulance to arrive.

Wyre Forest MP Dr Richard Taylor has met ambulancemen to discuss their problems and is to ask questions in Parliament.

He said it was another example of the county health shake-up in ruins.

He said: "When Kidderminster's blue-light A and E was open we had to two emergency vehicles 24 hours a day. Now when patients have to go to Worcester we lose an ambulance.

"Before Christmas the consultants came out with concerns, now the ambulance staff - the plans are clearly not working."

Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Service NHS Trust acting chief executive Linda Millinchamp slammed paramedics for "misleading" the public.

She declined to talk about stressed-out staff, clotbusting drugs and the standby service situation.

She said Wyre Forest folk were receiving an "excellent" service. County-wide the service was the second fastest for emergencies in the country last month.

She added: "We are extremely disappointed to learn that a small number of ambulance staff at Kidderminster still have concerns over the emergency service provision in Wyre Forest and are misleading the public by implying the service is unsafe."

She also declined to comment about the number of single response vehicles being sent out, stating over 80 per cent of patients in life-threatening situations are now getting an "ambulance person" on scene within eight minutes compared to 60 per cent 12 months ago.

She said extra staff had been employed at Kidderminster and the service was "as effective" as before the downgrading and was among the best in the country.

She said: "The staff have been involved and will continue to be involved in the decision-making process regarding operational service changes which are leading to continued improvement in patient care."