Ambulance equipment theft putting crews and patients at risk
Vital personal protective equipment needed by ambulance crews to keep themselves and their patients safe is reported to have been stolen in a number of incidents over the past week.
In four separate incidents this week, ambulance crews have reported the loss of key equipment whilst treating patients across the region. Each is now being investigated and reported to the police
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is used by healthcare workers to protect themselves from infection from COVID 19 and it also keeps them from infecting other vulnerable patients. Without it, staff may more easily get infected and ill, impacting directly on the provision of the region’s 999 ambulance service and subsequently patients calling for help in an emergency.
Head of risk at North East Ambulance Service, Alan Gallagher, said: “NHS staff like ours are facing incredible challenges in the current climate, both personally and professionally, but because of their unwavering dedication to the people in our communities, they continue to come to work to help people in their time of need.
“To hear about such selfish acts of theft is incredibly disappointing and we will not tolerate it. The impacts of such acts could severely impede our combined efforts to keep people safe. Those responsible should consider the wider impact that their actions could have on the community and their own emergency care, should they ever need it.
“As a result, all vehicles will now carry minimal stocks.
“All of our vehicles are fitted with CCTV and anyone attempting to board one whilst the crew are treating patients is likely to be caught on camera and the footage provided as evidence to the police.”
Notes to editors
For more information, contact the NEAS press office on 07559 918672 or email publicrelations@neas.nhs.uk
About the North East Ambulance Service
North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (NEAS) covers 3,200 square miles across the North East region. It employs more than 2,600 staff and serves a population of 2.7 million people by handling all NHS111 and 999 calls for the region, operating patient transport and ambulance response services, delivering training for communities and commercial audiences and providing medical support cover at events.
In 2018/19 we answered more than 1.4m emergency 999 and NHS 111 calls, with almost 290,000 patients taken to hospital, 21,500 treated and discharged over the phone and more than 100,000 treated and discharged at home. Almost 76,000 emergency incidents were reached within seven minutes and more than 570,000 Patient Transport Service journeys were made. Over the year we responded to almost 6,000 road traffic incidents. 6,300 people were trained in CPR and defibrillator awareness and 167 new community defibrillators were registered.