Local Conservative MEP for Staffordshire, Philip Bradbourn, vowed to
pursue the proposed regionalisation of the Staffordshire ambulance
service – which has served Lichfield well – with Michael Fabricant.
Michael is raising the issue with John Prescott, the Deputy Prime
Minister. "The proposed changes would put lives at risk and would see
the 33 local services currently reduced to 8. The Staffordshire
service, the most efficient according to the Government Efficiency
Index, will have to merge with inferior services surrounding it." says
Michael.

"The Staffordshire Ambulance Service has the fastest response rate for
all 999 calls in the country if not in Europe. The West Midlands
Ambulance Service, with which our Ambulance Service would be merged, is
far slower. And that costs lives. The recovery rate from heart attack
is very high in Staffordshire as a consequence. Time is critical. I
have no doubt that the proposed merger will put people’s lives in
jeopardy. The Staffordshire Ambulance Service reaches 88% of all 999
callers – including non-urgent – in under 8 minutes. Other ambulance
services are far slower."

Commenting from Brussels today Mr Bradbourn said: "I am delighted Mr
Fabricant is taking up this vital issue, since it shows that the MEP and
MP are working together to protect the wellbeing of the people of
Staffordshire. Despite people actually voting against regionalisation,
Prescott is pursuing this agenda by stealth to the detriment and great
risk of people in the Lichfield constituency. I intend to take this
matter up in the European Parliament."