Ambulance service regularly short staffed at weekends

Unison representative Roddy Lynch said that when urban areas are understaffed, crews scheduled to cover rural areas are often redirected for emergencies, leaving people outside the city with fewer ambulances.

Mr Lynch has been working for the ambulance service for 29 years and says that demand increases every year.

But he said the number of ambulances available to the health service during his time has not increased.

“The ambulance service has been chronically underfunded for years, with budgets failing to keep pace with increased calls and rising demand,” he said.

Mr Lynch added that it can put strain on staff who are often asked to work overtime to fill the gaps.

“Ambulance crews are doing an incredibly physically and emotionally demanding job on the front lines,” he said.

“But the workforce is also overstretched; they’re struggling to get the necessary rest periods or to finish their shifts on time.”

The workload often leads to “burnout or sickness-related absences,” he said.