As local community support builds to stop the Purbeck Paramedic Car being scrapped, campaigners hope positive discussions with NHS bosses about the car’s future will take place next month, in May 2021.
This follows a request from Swanage Town Council for a meeting with Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group and South Western Ambulance Service, who are responsible for the funding and operation of the service.
Swanage Town Council first learnt informally in February 2020 that the service was threatened. Against the background of the Covid pandemic, the car was given a temporary reprieve and withdrawal delayed.
Engage and work with local stakeholders
Now the Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group and South Western Ambulance Service have said that no changes will be made to the existing service until they’ve had the opportunity to engage and work with local stakeholders, including the council.
In the letter, Swanage Town Council asks for a meeting to take place “in order to better understand the financial situation and to find a constructive way forward.”
Retention of the service must be one of the options
Campaigners say that there is clear evidence that withdrawing the paramedic car or ambulance car, as it is also known, will risk the lives of local people and the retention of the service must be one of the options on the table.
The news that the car is at risk has triggered a strong response from the community across Purbeck. A petition calling for the car’s retention now has over 6,000 signatures and campaign posters and banners have been appearing across Swanage, Langton Matravers, Corfe Castle, Worth Matravers and Wareham.
The campaign team have also launched a website, where people can donate to support the campaign and download a poster.
Donations from Purbeck Media
One Swanage company who has already donated campaign materials including banners, car stickers and posters is Purbeck Media. The staff said:
“As a local business, supporting this cause was a very important project for us. The ambulance car is a necessity for our town, for children and adults of all ages. We are so happy we could help support the petition and hopefully save our town’s ambulance car.”
Campaign posters donated by Purbeck Media are on display at The Mowlem
