FRONTLINE staff who dispatch ambulances and paramedics to emergencies will be moved out of Dorset.

In a letter to staff, the South Western Ambulance Service (SWAS) said it will move 999 call dispatchers based at its facility in St Leonards to its ‘West Clinical Hub’ in Devon,where the 999 call handlers are sited.

The St Leonards centre has been criticised over recent months for its poor provision of the NHS 111 helpline, although that service will not be affected by the new plans, nor will the on site GP out-of-hours and single point of access services.

SWAS says the changes relate to 30 clinical staff.

Dispatchers do not answer calls but are responsible for allocating the correct resources, such as ambulances, rapid-response paramedics or air ambulances, to medical incidents as they are reported.

One of several people who anonymously contacted the Daily Echo yesterday about the plans said: “I think the people of Bournemouth and Poole deserve to know what is happening to the 999 control centre.

“It is being relocated to Exeter from St Leonards.

“Staff received the news in letters delivered today.”

Neil le Chevalier, the trust’s director of operations, said: “For a couple of years there have been questions from staff about whether the 999 clinical hub team in St Leonards would move to the clinical hub in Exeter and one-to-one conversations have been taking place with staff over the past few months.

“Last week at a local consultative committee meeting this subject was again raised and discussed.

“The 30 staff affected by this decision were written to personally this week to let them know that the decision has been made to move the clinical hub services - 999 dispatchers - from St Leonards to Exeter.

“Options regarding the timing and phasing of this change are planned to take place next week and staff will be informed first as soon as details are confirmed.

“We understand this is an uncertain time for staff as the future of our East clinical hub in St Leonards has been undecided for some months, but we hope to provide clarity soon.”

A spokesperson for SWAS said moving would not hinder the work of the dispatchers.

Details of the transfer will be discussed at a trust board of directors meeting scheduled for Tuesday next week.

The St Leonards site hit headlines earlier this year when a whistleblower released photographs of ‘exhausted’ 111 call centre staff ‘asleep’ at their desks.

A Care Quality Commission (CQC) report published last month found the 111 service was ‘inadequate’, with unqualified staff answering calls and call waiting times “regularly at unacceptable levels”.

Martyn Webster, manager of Healthwatch Dorset, said: “The staff concerned will be anxious about the future and we urge the trust to provide them with clarity - and support - as soon as possible.”