The Guardian - Denis Campbell
An NHS ambulance service is cutting back its presence at Gatwick airport and major sports events so it has more crews available to answer 999 calls, amid unprecedented pressures.
The South East Coast ambulance service (Secamb) has ended a longstanding arrangement under which Gatwick paid it to have an ambulance car and paramedic on site.
Secamb’s move has prompted speculation that other ambulance services may reduce or end resources at mass spectator events and focus on “core” work. England’s 10 regional ambulance services are under pressure to speed up response times, which have been growing across England, and tackle the growing number of patients who have to wait hours for a crew to arrive, despite in some cases suffering a life-threatening emergency.
