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A THIRD of ambulance workers have been involved with cases where a patient’s death was linked to delay, according to a GMB survey.
The findings of the poll, which will be shown on ITV’s Tonight programme on Thursday, also reveal that 85 per cent of ambulance workers have witnessed delays that have seriously affected a patient’s recovery.
More than 80 per cent feel that the current pressure puts them at an unacceptable level of stress and 72 per cent have considered leaving the service.
Recent GMB research shows that ambulance calls have almost doubled to 14 million a year since 2010, highlighting a crisis waiting to happen if workers leave.
GMB national officer Rachel Harrison said: “A decade of savage cuts, an explosion in demand and ambulance workers leaving in droves has left the service on the edge of disaster.
“Public services have been slashed across the board, leaving ambulance workers desperately trying to stem the flow of humanity.
“Our members face unbelievable stress and even abuse while demand is rising 10 times faster than resources.
“We urgently need proper long-term investment — primarily in the workers themselves — before even more lives are lost.”
