Westside BID say decision to withdraw ‘life-saving’ ambulance unit ‘will drain resources’

What has been described as a “life-saving” medical treatment centre based on Broad Street every Friday, Saturday and Bank Holiday evening has been withdrawn by West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS).

But Westside BID has challenged the decision to remove the City Centre Treatment Unit (CCTU), claiming it will “drain more resources than it saves”.

It has asked Nathan Hudson, WMAS’s emergency service operations delivery director who authorised the withdrawal, to reconsider what may be a “huge mistake” that could cause “major risks to emergency care”.

And the BID has offered to meet with Mr Hudson to explain how valuable the CCTU is.

WMAS has been running the CCTU from an ambulance for several years on Westside, giving night-time customers a range of first aid, medical reassurance and at times emergency treatment.

Based in a space on the Black Sabbath bridge, the CCTU is able to quickly respond to anyone who needs help, and Westside BID estimates it prevents between 16 and 24 calls to the 999 service every night.

WMAS explained “operational pressures” were behind Mr Hudson’s decision to withdraw the CCTU, plus it says it is no longer needed because of a new Safe Space unit, launched by the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner’s office.

But Westside BID is concerned that while the Safe Space is valued, it is not there every weekend evening, and does not have the same level of first aid skills and emergency healthcare that the CCTU provides.

Mike Olley, general manager of Westside BID, said: “The CCTU has prevented what we estimate is between 16 and 24 calls to the 999 service for every night it is on Broad Street, which represents a huge saving.

“It therefore seems to be a major cost inefficiency for the WMAS to withdraw it and then to have to respond to multiple emergency calls instead, placing a major drain on their other ambulance resources.

“There’s also serious concern among Westside BID’s street wardens, the people on the ground who see how incredibly useful the CCTU is at dealing with medical issues at an early stage.

“We value the Safe Space that has been launched by the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, but it is wrong to assume that this is now doing the same job that was previously done by the CCTU.

“Our operational people feel the Safe Space has nothing like the skills, experience, resources and regularity offered by the CCTU, which on many occasions was quite simply life-saving for those needing urgent assistance.

“I therefore want to politely challenge WMAS’s emergency service operations delivery director Nathan Hudson over his decision.

“I want to invite Mr Hudson to meet with us to reconsider what we think may well be a huge mistake that could cause a major drain on resources and create major risks to emergency care.”

A WMAS spokesperson said: “The Trust has taken the decision to remove the CCTU on Broad Street due to continuing operational pressures and the introduction of a more permanent medical provider by the local night time economy.

“The Trust has been proud to be able to provide the CCTU on an ad hoc basis at weekends and bank holidays for a number of years. But with the addition of a funded private Safe Space to provide medical cover, it makes sense for WMAS to withdraw and utilise its CCTU resources to respond to patients in the community.

“Of course, as part of the Trust’s statutory duty it will continue to respond to 999 calls in the vicinity as normal.”

The spokesperson added that the decision was ultimately about “resource efficiency” and “ensuring we’re doing the right thing for our patients”.

Mr Olley added: “I understand that WMAS needs to balance its resources carefully, but I really do think the CCTU is needed and would welcome a meeting with Mr Hudson as soon as possible.”

Main picture: West Midlands Ambulance Service helps a man who had a cut to his eye at the CCTU on Broad Street, Birmingham.

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