Ambulance service closes Melton Mowbray 'standby point' at Phoenix House

Employees of East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) have contacted the Melton Times to say they are unhappy about the decision because they say crews needed somewhere comfortable to rest, have meal breaks and go to the toilet when they are taking a break in the town.

But EMAS say the room at the Nottingham Road building, which is owned by Melton Borough Council, was not used regularly and it will not impact the service patients receive in emergencies and when urgent care is needed.

An EMAS worker, who wanted to remain anonymous, told the Melton Times: “Breaks are taken at Base Stations so Phoenix House wouldn’t be used for breaks as it isn’t used as a station as such - it is a standby point for Melton but means there is now no location in the town for crews to standby or have debriefs after serious incidents.

“It also means there is no place for crews to use toilet facilities other than the BP petrol station, which aren’t always open or available.

“For crews, it just means they have to stay in the cab whilst on standby and not have somewhere more comfortable like a sofa or table and chairs if eating.”

Another employee, who also declined to give their name, said: “Phoenix House isn’t used every day by crews but it’s important for them to have somewhere they can go to take a break.

"It’s a stressful job and sometimes you need to take a break.”

It’s understood EMAS crews will no longer use Phoenix House after June 23 – the nearest other standby points are Oakham and Loughborough.

In response to the closure, Susannah Ashton, divisional director for Leicestershire at EMAS told the Melton Times: “The lease with Phoenix House came to an end and after reviewing how it’s used, we’ve decided not to renew it.

“The room was only used occasionally as a standby point when crews were not responding from a hospital or another scene.

"It wasn’t somewhere crews were based or where they took their meal breaks.

“Existing ambulance service provision will be maintained, and there is no change in how we respond to patients."

EMAS insist that an ambulance crew’s day doesn’t revolve around a building, ‘it revolves around patients’, and that local people will continue to receive emergency and urgent care quickly, as and when they need it.

The spokesperson added: "The nearest available ambulance will always be sent based on patient need, just as it is today.

"Patients in Melton who need an emergency response will continue to receive one.”

EMAS say they are growing their frontline teams ‘to deliver and build resilience to help us meet response targets’.

The service confirms it has invested to provide 40 new additional ambulances and has plans to recruit hundreds more frontline staff.

A Melton Borough Council spokesperson commented: ““We can confirm that the ambulance service will be vacating a small office space at Phoenix House at the end of their current lease agreement in June.

"We were informed by East Midlands Ambulance Service that they would not be renewing their lease once it ended.”