Despite an announcement from the GMB Union that Bedford’s Hammond Road Emergency Operations Centre would remain open, the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) has said that no decision has been made and the site’s future remains uncertain.
The union and Bedford and Kempston MP, Mohammad Yasin, both announced on 24 February that the centre, which deals with calls from Bedfordshire, Hertforshire, Essex and Suffolk, would be kept open thanks to their efforts.
Read: Bedford Emergency Call Centre given reprieve after campaign by union and local MP
However, a spokesperson for the trust has since told the BBC that no decisions had been made on the future of the site and its 200 staff, suggesting this is a temporary reprieve rather than a long-term solution.
The site was deemed not up to “modern control room standards” in September, and since then, the union and local MPs have been campaigning to keep the call centre open.
A spokesperson for the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) told the BBC that no decisions had been made on the future of its emergency operations centres (EOCs).
“A further report has been commissioned to explore a two-site proposal in more detail,” an EEAST spokesperson said.
“This report will include a full review of our three current sites in Bedford, Chelmsford and Norwich, and will consider other viable sites in these locations.”
Speaking about the potential closure, Mr Yasin said: “Bedford is the busiest hub in the EEAST, and its closure would have had a significant impact on the region.
“Given how overstretched the ambulance service is, losing a control room would have risked compromising the safety of patients.”
Bedford’s mayor, Tom Wootton (Conservative), has said that he understands the final decision will be announced in the next three months.
In a Facebook post, he wrote, “Myself and my administration will continue to work with all parties to try and keep our wonderful service going and support our incredible ambulance service.”
