A PRIVATE ambulance firm has recruited 20 drivers since September and could create another 40 jobs in the next few years.

Medical Services Group North-East is already the largest private ambulance operator in the region but plans to double in size in the coming years.

The company provides transport for discharged patients at an hour’s notice whereas a traditional ambulance would take up to 24 hours to arrange. This helps free up ward beds for other people as well as taking pressure off the emergency drivers.

Wayne Hall, managing director, said: “We are now up to 68 staff with 58 drivers and demand is still growing because of the standards of service we provide.

“I do believe that the NHS is fantastic and the North East ambulance service is very good but it is under pressure. We are not one to take work away from them but are offering a support service.

“I don’t think the ambulance service is going to disappear but I do think there is room for private companies to support hospitals with services that are stretched to the limit.”

“We are currently ISO accredited and are going for the next level up. That means we have to have plans in place for what would happen if a fire burnt all our vehicles, if there was a sudden outbreak of disease or a power cut: how long we could last without our phones, without power, where we would go for standby vehicles. We don’t know of any other private service in the country to have this.

The company takes 2,500 patients a month in 30 vehicles to and from appointments, and is used mostly in the evenings when the NHS only has a few drivers available.

While it provides a limited blue-light emergency service transferring patients between hospitals including James Cook, Sunderland Royal and University Hospital of Hartlepool, it is not used for emergency call outs and has no plans to expand into this sector.

A spokesman for North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust said: “The company provides an excellent service, is considered as part of the team and we would welcome future involvement with them. We are very pleased with the work they do for us.”