Ambulances 'not run to demand'

London's ambulance service is no longer led by the needs of patients, but by budgetary constraints, its chief executive Martin Gorham allegedly told union officials. According to the GMB union, he said that the system was no longer 'demand-run, but finance-run'.

The union says that contradicts the NHS 'patient's charter' under which people are entitled to a high standard of service. John Edmonds, general secretary of the GMB, said yesterday that Mr Gorham's assertions 'make a mockery' of government guidelines saying ambulances should be present at emergency cases within 14 minutes of the 999 call.