'Patients not at risk from move' (From Witney Gazette)

'Patients not at risk from move'

7:08am Saturday 26th January 2008 in Headlines

PATIENT care is not at risk after Oxfordshire's ambulance control room staff were moved 30 miles out of county, NHS managers say.

The majority of the 18-strong team was transferred earlier this month from offices at Oxford's Churchill Hospital to Deanshanger, outside Milton Keynes, to join colleagues who run the Buckinghamshire control room.

The move is part of an efficiency drive by South Central Ambulance Trust, which will eventually lead to the creation of a single call centre covering both counties by the end of the year.

Spokesman Helen Robinson-Gordon said: "This is something we've planned for the past six to eight months and it's not something that's been done without thought.

"Since the staff moved across two weeks ago, there have been teething problems, like minor technical issues with the telephone system, but no-one has noticed any difference in service."

When the trust was formed in July 2006, Oxfordshire Ambulance Service merged with Buckinghamshire into one of three divisions. The other two are Berkshire and Hampshire.

Mrs Robinson-Gordon said: "The reason we had to move across is that the Oxfordshire control room was very old and too small for any more staff.

"We also wanted to put in updated technology."

Trust managers worked with unions to ensure staff were happy. Thirteen were transferred and five were found alternative work.

Tony Heselton, Unison's branch secretary, said: "Obviously, there are some staff who are upset, but as far as I'm aware, management wanted to minimise this.

"Getting vehicles to incidents shouldn't be affected and we've had assurances that the public won't suffer from this move."

It is expected that the new HQ will be in Bicester.