Secamb: Concern raised over paramedics leaving due to bullying

Concerns that ambulance workers at a trust could leave their jobs due to a culture of bullying have been raised.

Councillor Christine Robinson said staff at South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb) "aren't going to raise concerns, they're just going to leave".

Her comments at an East Sussex County Council meeting come after a watchdog said bullying had become "normalised" at the trust.

Secamb said the trust was improving and is "listening to staff".

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection report in June revealed staff felt raising concerns was "futile" and would negatively impact their future careers.

At an East Sussex Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting, Mrs Robinson urged the trust to "take a good look at yourself from the managers upwards".

Councillor Geraldine Des Moulins added: "Unfortunately, the way [the report] reads, is that the staff are doing a really good job in spite of the leadership, not because of the leadership."

Committee members also raised concerns over ambulance waiting times at hospitals.

Ambulances across Kent, Sussex and Surrey have waited 54,534 hours outside hospitals as they handed over patients since the start of the year.

By Mark Norman, health correspondent, BBC South East

With so many hours wasted by ambulances at hospitals this year, it's tempting to try and find someone to blame.

But it's not that simple. This is a whole system problem and indeed a national problem.

If there was a simple solution someone would have tried it already.

Matthew Webb, associate director of strategic partnerships and system engagement at Secamb, said the trust was "not in a healthy place" with regards to its culture.

But he said the trust had begun its "improvement journey" and was "listening to staff".

"The culture is not where it needs to be as an organisation. We need to understand from colleagues why they're leaving the organisation," he added.

Secamb strategy and partnerships manager Ray Savage said handover delays were a national issue.

"The challenge for us, which is our primary concern, is the hours being lost at hospitals and our ability then to respond to patients in the community," he said.

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