RAPID Response Vehicles are set to be removed from ambulance stations across Yorkshire - including Wharfedale.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust is planning to replace about half of its RRVs with ambulances in a bid to get patients to hospital quicker.

The change follows a national Ambulance Response Programme review that identified a problem of rapid responders - which can't transport patients - sometimes being misused to help meet response time targets.

Local resident Steven Roberts, however, fears there could be a negative effect in semi-rural areas like those (including Otley and Ilkley) served by Menston Ambulance Station.

Mr Roberts, who says he has been told that RRVs will definitely be removed from Menston, said: "We all agree that we need many more ambulances with qualified clinicians in all areas across our region.

"The Rapid Response Vehicles are not vital in large cities as the ambulances are concentrated in those places, but in rural/semi-rural areas they can and do save lives.

"Because the Rapid Response Vehicle does not transport to hospital it is always available to provide a vital emergency response to the local community.

"Crewed by paramedics, they provide vital early treatment for many serious conditions including heart attacks and road traffic injuries and they provide much needed pain relief and reassurance to patients, in addition to requesting the appropriate level of further response."

He added: "Government changes now mean that ambulance services are judged on getting the appropriate response, namely an ambulance that can transport the patient to hospital for treatment.

"This is clearly the right thing for patient care, yet in many semi-rural areas there are no ambulances available to send as they are constantly kept out of area.

"When the Menston Rapid Response Vehicle is removed it is suggested it will be replaced by another ambulance, which on the face of it sounds great - the reality is that they could base another ten ambulances there but, as soon as the crews start their shifts, they will end up being used for everywhere apart from the local area."

Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, however, insists the changes are designed to better serve the needs of patients across the region.

The Trust has confirmed that the changes will apply across Yorkshire but said no specific timescales had been agreed yet.

Deputy Director of Operations, Stephen Segasby, said: "Following the Ambulance Response Programme review it has been identified nationally that patients need more timely transport to hospital.

"Therefore, around half of our Rapid Response Vehicles are being replaced with double-crewed ambulances to ensure that patients are transported to hospital as quickly as possible.

"As a result, we are purchasing new vehicles and recruiting additional staff to better meet the needs of patients across Yorkshire."