AMBULANCE chiefs have hit back at a watchdog’s claims that they are not doing enough to concentrate on York.

City of York Council’s health scrutiny committee has outlined its views on how health services in the area are performing as part of a national assessment.

The committee criticises Yorkshire Ambulance Service for what it claims is “a failure to retain a local York focus”.

They have praised the organisation for reducing the time it takes for ambulances to deliver patients to York Hospital before leaving to answer further emergency calls to 22 minutes, but members say they are disappointed service representatives have not attended more of their meetings.

Part of the committee’s work sees it comment on YAS, York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and NHS North Yorkshire and York’s own internal evaluation, the Annual Health Check, which analyses health bodies’ performance in more than 40 areas.

“The service has had limited input into our discussions and we felt they have not fully engaged in making contributions to the review of dementia care in York which we carried out,” said committee chairman Coun Sandy Fraser. “This is despite the fact YAS has the first contact with dementia sufferers and we feel they could have engaged more effectively with us in this, as well as having more input into our meetings.”

In contrast, plaudits were given to York Hospital for reducing infections such as MRSA and c. difficile and NHS North Yorkshire and York for its work in safeguarding children. The two organisations’ contribution to the dementia review was lauded.

But Vince Larvin, YAS’ assistant director of accident and emergency operations for North Yorkshire, said: “We are very disappointed the committee was critical of a lack of a ‘local link’ in York when we are doing more than ever before to tailor our service to meet the needs of the local community.

“In fact, we are proud of the way in which we are shaping the ambulance service in the area. A new purpose-built ambulance station is currently under development and will be operational later on this year, and we are also looking for a suitable site in the city for a new communications centre – both of which are important elements in the future enhancement of our service.

“Additional rapid response vehicles and emergency ambulances are being allocated in the York and Haxby areas to increase our capacity to respond to emergencies in the city, and further resources are also being introduced in areas such as Easingwold and Pickering.

“These are very important and effective developments of our service in the York area and we would like to reassure patients across North Yorkshire that they remain our first priority.”

Full details of the committee’s assessments will be discussed when members meet next week.