Patients waiting in pain as NHS ambulance staff ‘exodus’ sees resignations surge 51%
AMBULANCE crews are suffering a staff “exodus” with a surge in resignations over the past three years, figures suggest.
The number of staff quitting across 10 NHS services in England and Wales rose by 51 per cent from 4,609 in 2019 to 6,968 in 2022.
Ambulance delays were the worst on record last winter, with even stroke and heart attack patients waiting over an hour for help to arrive.
Many crews went on strike to protest working conditions earlier this year.
Liberal Democrat MP Daisy Cooper said: “The shortage of NHS staff has caused untold pain for millions of people across the country.
“With patients struggling to see a GP at the front door of the NHS and unable to access social care at the back door, ambulance crews are caught between a rock and a hard place.”
The Lib Dem research found there are 2,954 empty job posts across England’s 10 ambulance services.
In some areas nearly one in five positions were unfilled.
Sara Gorton, head of health at Unison, said: “Ambulance staff are under intolerable pressure because services are over-stretched.
“Spiralling 999 calls and endless queues outside A&E departments have left them burnt out.
“It’s no wonder so many decide they’ve had enough.”