PATIENTS needing critical care in East Lancashire were left at risk because of a lack of ambulances, critics have claimed.

Large areas including Accrington, Burnley, Blackburn and Rossendale, were left unmanned during the weekend.

Staff said the area was like a ‘war zone’ because of the battle to deal with 999 calls quickly.

Union officials said staff sickness levels were at an alarming level and response times for critical patients were not met on Sunday.

However, the North West Ambulance Service said workers were being recruited and target response times overall were being met.

One worker said problems were caused by delays at A&E because of a lack of beds, understaffed ambulances, and ‘huge’ sickness levels.

He said: “The situation is so bad that control room staff call East Lancashire the ‘war zone’ because it is a real battle every day at the moment.

“At the weekend there were no ambulances at all at stations in Burnley or Rossendale.

“On Saturday there were no ambulances in Accrington on Blackburn.

“We get questioned why service is down but we are in crisis."

The worker expressed fears that resources were being focused in highly populated areas such as Manchester and Liverpool, rather than more rural geographic areas.

He said: “Care is being severely compromised."

Unison official Craig Wilde said the North West Ambulance Service was experiencing a staffing crisis.

He said: "The NWAS had higher levels than normal of sickness within the road staff - 11 per cent across Cumbria and Lancashire - last week.

“They have 15 members off on maternity leave and a number of staff shortages which are currently being filled.

"Any dip in paramedic resources is of concern.

“Turnaround times at hospitals reached 30 minutes at some times over the weekend.”

Mr Wilde said on Sunday in East Lancashire 73 per cent of Category A Calls were responded to within eight minutes. The target is 75 per cent.

The trust said it was reaching specific targets set by the Government - 75 per cent of Category A calls within eight minutes and 95 per cent within 19 minutes overall for the North West but would not breakdown East Lancashire figures.

Speaking about the lack of coverage across East Lancashire, Blackburn MP Jack Straw said: "Sickness rates over eight per cent are too high. High levels of sickness are almost always an indicator of management issues.

They need to manage their sickness levels down.

"I am concerned to hear the reports and I await reassurance from the North West Ambulance Service, but if nothing is forthcoming I will take it up with them."

Russ McLean, chairman of Patient Voice Group for Pennine Lancashire, said he was worried about patient safety.

He said: "I am very concerned indeed. I hope that lives aren't being placed at risk because this is happening.

"I shall be making representation to the trust to make sure this doesn't happen again."

Gordon Birtwistle, MP for Burnley, said: "I am horrified if they are sending ambulances from the Burnley area to cover other parts of Lancashire.

"In the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale area there are 250,000 people. If ambulances are needed outside the area, they should sort themselves out.

"Because of the overload at Blackburn A&E ambulances are sitting there with patients in them rather than being able to pick people up.

“I warned this would happen in 2006. We said Blackburn wouldn't be able to cope with the capacity. I have seen as many as nine ambulances waiting for people to be admitted."

A spokeswoman for the North West Ambulance Service said: “Despite there being a number of factors which reduced the number of resources operating in the East Lancashire area this past weekend, performance targets were exceeded.

“East Lancashire achieved performance levels of 85.71 per cent on Saturday and 88.89 per cent on Sunday for calls categorised as immediately life threatening and required a response within eight minutes. We are required to achieve a target of 75 per cent for those calls.

“These figures clearly demonstrate that staff worked exceptionally hard to ensure those who urgently needed an emergency ambulance, got one.

“In terms of hospital turnaround times, the Trust has had no particular issues this weekend.”

Clare Clark, matron for the Emergency Department at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We continue to work closely with NWAS colleagues to facilitate the swift and safe transfer of patients into the emergency department.”

Service for four million people

* NWAS covers an area of over 5,400 square miles with a population of over seven million people.

* Almost 1,000 emergency and non-emergency vehicles operate in the region.

* Emergency 999 calls are prioritised into two categories - category A and category C - to ensure that the most life threatening cases receive the quickest response.

* The emergency control room may send a rapid-response vehicle equipped to provide treatment at the scene of an accident, a traditional ambulance, or Community First Responders.

* The Trust is expected to reach specific targets set by the Government - 75 per cent of Category A calls within eight minutes and 95 per cent of Category A calls within 19 minutes. Response times to category C calls are not formally reported.