A LOCAL councillor has slammed a revolutionary new scheme to draft paramedics into hospital at the week-end to support junior doctors.
Blackburn Council health spokesman Frank Gorton is concerned that patients will lose out when a pilot scheme starts next month, the first in the North West.
The scheme will involve two paramedics joining Blackburn Royal Infirmary to work in the medical admissions ward.
"The hospitals need more doctors, not paramedics," blasted Coun Gorton, a former Queen's Park Hospital nurse for 40 years. "This scheme is the result of market forces and hospital privatisation.
"Paramedics will end up over-worked and patients will suffer as a result."
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article