Dear Colleagues/Members

East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) Trust is proposing a fundamental change to Fast Response Vehicle (FRV) crewed by Paramedics/Technicians across the whole of its catchment area.

The basic principle of this is to reduce the amount of FRV’s by approximately 50%, this will in our opinion have an impact on our patients and colleagues. This is currently due to happen at the beginning of August 2025

Those colleagues who are affected by this will not have a change in role directly, nor will they have their current shift pattern changed, they will however work on a double crewed ambulance (DCA) with a member of relief staff.

Because of this the Trust have stated that they do not need to go into consultation over this matter, although we feel as a Trade Union they should have done. The Trust say they will write to all affected colleagues with a rationale for change and an offer of engagement with their local management teams.

Despite asking for a full explanation of the benefits of this change, we have yet to be given a satisfactory answer.

The decision to change to this model has already been made, there has been no engagement with staff over this nor any consideration to individual needs and circumstances.

We as the largest trade union in EMAS oppose this change, we have not an opportunity to challenge a decision that has already been made.

The Trust state that as an organisation we already put out more FRV cover proportionally than any other UK Ambulance Trust, this reduction will see a minimal increase DCA cover (approximately 5-10%) in EMAS but pay no attention to remote areas, the potential for serious incident to receive a delayed response and the damaging effect it will have on staff morale for those affected.

We would encourage all members who are affected by this to engage with their local management team and request representation from a GMB representative.

We are absolute in our opposition to this change; the destabilising effect it may have on colleagues and question the very rushed nature of this implementation.

We encourage our members to contact us, share your views, and allow us to challenge this in the robust manner you would expect.

If you wish to contact us you can leave a message via our GMBEMAS face book page, via our website GMBEMAS.org or email us at enquiries@gmbemas.org

Kind Regards

GMB@EMAS