On Wednesday 4 May, Kevan spoke in the Westminster Hall debate on the North East Ambulance Service, highlighting a number of cases in which his constituents had been let down.
During the debate Kevan said, “In the past 18 months, I have heard about 12 quite serious cases. The ambulance service is in crisis, and that is not down to the men and women who work in it; it is down to the management. Urgent action is needed if we are to avoid people dying and prevent the suffering that my constituents are going through.
” I did not think I would say this, but it might be time to break up the North East Ambulance Service and put it into special measures. It covers a large area and is completely failing. Will the Minister look into whether it is fit for purpose in the long term? I do not think it is. Urgent action is needed. People are not only suffering, but they have lost faith in the service, which is a terrible thing. What should be a flagship service—North East Ambulance Service—that people call upon only in a time of need is clearly failing.”
You can read Kevan’s speech, and the rest of the debate, by clicking on the link below:
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-05-04/debates/16050463000001/NorthEastAmbulanceService#contribution-16050463000059