CANVEY’S Rapid Response Vehicle will be cut as part of a long term plan, it has been confirmed.

Canvey resident, Kieran Smith, put forward a freedom of information request to the East of England Ambulance Service, asking about the long term plans for the island’s RRV, whether shifts are still being manned for the vehicle and, if so, how far into the future.

The response stated: “Shifts are currently still being covered on the RRV based at Canvey for the immediate future. A second double-staffed ambulance (DSA) has now been stationed at Canvey which started in January 2019. The long-term plan is for a third DSA to move to Canvey to replace the RRV, giving Canvey more resources than it has ever had before.”

Kieran also asked how many shifts every month from September 2018 to March 2019 had the Canvey RRV not been manned. It was revealed that in February 2019, 16 shifts out of a possible 56 (29 per cent) were covered on the Castle Point RRV stationed at Canvey. A further 46 shifts were covered on the other RRVs working in the Castle Point area.

Mr Smith also asked whether the RRV was manned on February 2 between 9pm and 10pm, whether the RRV was manned on February 2 for the day shift, and whether the RRV was manned on February 2 for the night shift, following the death a woman from a cardiac arrest, at about 9.30pm in Long Road, Canvey.

The response confirmed it was not manned at any of these points, but that the other Castle Point RRV was covered.

The 37 year old, who has been campaigning to keep the RRV, said: “Following this devastating event, which has left a 12-year-old child without a mother, we now can confirm our worst suspicions.

“If the RRV had been manned, the lady would probably have had a paramedic response within less than a minute- the RRV is based on Sydervelt Road and with blue lights on it would have been on the scene quickly.

“This is clearly very worrying. In February this year, the Canvey RRV was unmanned for over two thirds of the shifts, meaning patients will often be waiting for a paramedic response, which will likely have to come from off the island and need to manoeuvre through traffic and congestion.

“In category one calls such as cardiac arrests, the time in getting a paramedic on scene can be the difference between life and death.”

“Ambulances will be occupied with patients and transporting them to Southend or Basildon hospital and so be unable to provide a fast response to Canvey residents.

“We now have over 5,000 petition signatures and will keep fighting to keep the Canvey RRV permanently manned on the island.”

Mick Allwood, former co-ordinator of the Canvey First Responders, said: “Sadly, this response isn’t a shock to me.

“As a resident I feel getting rid of the RRV is a completely wrong move.

“I have all my children and grandchildren on the island, and family who’ve been directly affected by the use of the RRV.”

“My sister in law had a major heart attack and received such a quick response, they came to her in three or four minutes.

He added: “Ambulances could be called to anywhere in Essex - as far as Clacton, which means it could take at least 20 minutes to get back to Canvey.”

An ambulance trust spokesperson said: “An independent service review identified that we needed more ambulances available for our patients.

“That is why we organise our staffing to ensure that as many ambulances as possible are available to respond to patients.

“Response cars – including the one based on Canvey Island – support that work.

“We’re also conducting a significant project, Building Better Rotas, and actively recruiting additional staff so we can increase the number of ambulances available across all of Essex.

“That is how we will improve our response to the needs of the patients we serve.”

  • Kieran Smith is running in the election as a Labour Party Candidate for the Canvey Island Central Ward, alongside Dave Blackwell for the Canvey Island Independent Party and Conservative John Andrew Nicol Stone.