Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
Walked past earlier the above looked like it had for sale signs up
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
been up for ages keith and a planning application went in a while back to convert it into flats.
Guest 659- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 331
been centralised to sign in and out at Ashford
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
yes didn't please the operatives who live in dover or folkestone who now have to travel to ashford to start their shift.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Ashford is the "Make-Ready" station fo9r Dover; instead of one ambulance station in Dover, there will be two - one next to the (old) site off of Folkestone Road (which is why the old ambulance station is up for sale), the other is at Whitfield, so we have doubled the coverage.
Good news I'd have thought.
Roger
Guest 720- Registered: 20 Jul 2011
- Posts: 114
I can't believe you wrote that Roger. Have you not seen any of the newspaper stories about the closure of the ambulance station, and the DDC scrutiny committee meeting(s) about the ambulance cover? They have taken all the ambulances away from Dover, made the staff travel to Ashford at the start and end of their shift every day, ambulances have to come from all over the place to answer calls in Dover, and you call it good news?
Providing two places where crews can just call in for a cup of tea - if they have the time - is far from "doubling the coverage". The crews hardly stop from the time they log on (at Ashford) to the time they sign off (at Ashford) and in between times they can end up answering calls anywhere. Local knowledge has gone out of the window which is why you sometimes see ambulances, or paramedic cars, going round in circles or having to be guided to the scene of an emergency by the police. Have a word with the ambulance crews - if you can find them with a minute or two to spare.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
most are stressed out before they even start their shift.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I'm on the Scrutiny committee at DDC and have had meetings with SECAMB; we've already visited the ambulance Make-Ready station at Ashford and are due to make another visit there next week - Monday.
It is true they sign on at Ashford, then go to their respective response units and await calls and respond as necessary.
A much more efficient service for those who need it. Ask anyone on the Scrutiny Committee.
Roger
Guest 720- Registered: 20 Jul 2011
- Posts: 114
I don't think so Roger. As soon as they've signed on at Ashford they are sent to calls here there and everywhere. Going to "their respective response units and await calls" doesn't seem anything like the situation I've heard about. Perhaps you could ask the CREWS on your next visit, not their bosses.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Do I have this right?
Ambulance crewmen leave from their several residences, make their own way to perform some ritual at a central point (Ashford), from there they again make their own way to one of two 'parking spots' and there await the arrival of the team they are to take over from?
So it could be that one who lives on or near the Folkstone Road pootles off to Ashford, perhaps passing a sitting Ambulance "off the Folkstone Road", only to return to an empty space to await the return of the crew he is to relieve?
It is the particular aspect of tipping-up at one, far flung, point to do...(this is the bit I don't get) If all that is done is 'sign-on' to their shift, could this not be done by telephone or internet?
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i am assuming that they pick up and drop off their ambulances there tom, though i am ready to be corrected.
Guest 720- Registered: 20 Jul 2011
- Posts: 114
They collect their ambulances at Ashford where the vehicles have been "made-ready" by civilian staff. I can see the sense of that - it saves the crews having to spend their time cleaning out an ambulance and re-stocking it ready for the next mission, but sometimes this was also the only break they got where they could have a cup of tea at the same time. Now they are straight out on the road from Ashford and may well be sent to a call in Dungeness, Canterbury, Faversham or goodness knows where before they ever get to Dover. Another crew, who might be in Margate, could be sent to a Dover call, depending on who is closer - and is that measured in distance or time - the results could be very different. I think it's something we all need to keep an eye on, including Roger and his scrutiny committee who should be on their guard against being fobbed off by management. Talk to those at the coalface (so to speak).
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
jim;
well worth roger speaking to staff
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