Fear as 999 chief takes two jobs

A patients' group has raised concern over the appointment of West Midlands Ambulance chief executive as a part-time boss of another service.

Anthony Marsh will take up the post of interim chief executive with the Great Western Ambulance Service, which covers Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

It means he will effectively have two jobs until the Great Western trust finds a permanent boss.

The current post-holder at the Bristol-based ambulance trust Tim Lynch is taking up a new appointment working at a hospital in Chester.

Mr Marsh has insisted that the strength and structure of the West Midlands service will allow him to do both jobs.

But Ken Timmis, chairman of Wolverhampton Coronary Aftercare Support Group, said it was too much pressure on one person to do both jobs.

"It puts rather a lot on to one pair of shoulders," he said. "My main concern would be if the West Midlands service deteriorated as a result.

"We don't want to see the service to patients cut, or lose any staff or ambulances. We shall be keeping a keen eye on how the service may be affected.

"I don't doubt that Mr Marsh is up to both jobs but he should not be overburdened."

Mr Marsh has said he remained "committed" to his role with West Midlands Ambulance Service, claiming his new appointment was a "tremendously positive reflection on the way it is considered to be one of the best performing in the country". "I would not have considered this offer if I did not have complete confidence that the structure and the strength of the West Midlands was not sufficient to allow me to do so.

"The strength of our team is excellent.

"I look forward to helping colleagues in Great Western over the next few months. However, it is important to stress that I will continue to be actively involved in the management of West Midlands Ambulance Service and will only be away for part of each week.

"When West Midlands Ambulance Service was formed we found best practice in each of the four former Trusts and I have no doubt that I will find methods of working in the Great Western Trust that I will want to bring back to the West Midlands."

Mr Marsh started his career in the health service in 1987, building up his career up from being an ambulanceman in Essex.