The Government is undermining NHS staff by forcing them to accept top-down targets instead of responding to emergency calls, according to the Conservative Parliamentary spokesman for Norwich South.Antony Little, who is also Conservative group leader at City Hall, said that despite NHS staff working flat out to try and maintain a first class service for patients during the difficult winter months, “Ministerial incompetence” had tied their hands.
A growing number of ambulance services say the cold start to the month and outbreaks of illness have created unprecedented levels of calls. Ambulance services say this has put pressure on hospital beds, often slowing down ambulances needing to offload patients and move on to attend new emergency calls.
Cllr Little said: “Labour’s top-down targets distort priorities and are forcing ambulances to queue outside hospitals rather than respond to emergency calls. I urge people to dial 999 only in a genuine emergency.
“Is it any wonder if hospitals are struggling to cope when Labour have closed down local Accident and Emergency Departments at the same time as hospitals report increases in the number of patients they are treating?”
