A UNION has launched a whistleblowers’ website for people to report dangerous incidents involving an ambulance service.

Unite says there are increasing concerns about possible “life-threatening issues” at Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) NHS Trust and so has set up a secure website for workers and the public to report incidents and concerns.

The service is in the process of saving £46m in a five-year period from 2013 and recently introduced Emergency Care Assistants (ECAs) to ambulances to work alongside more highly-trained paramedics and reduce the number of paramedics needed on vehicles.

But the union claims there are cases where ECAs are being sent to possible patient emergencies without qualified paramedics or being trained to deal themselves with emergencies.

The YAS NHS Trust “strongly refutes” the Unite claims and insists care assistants are not sent out without a qualified clinician.

But Unite says it had been “inundated” with concerns from patients and the public about the service in the areas the union had already visited in Bradford East, Harrogate and Knaresborough and Sheffield Hallam.

Unite spokesman Terry Cunliffe said the website, http://act.unitetheunion.org/page/s/yorkshire-ambulance-service, has been set up so people can report their concerns safely.

He said: “Those of our members who felt able to talk about these things on social media have found themselves the victim of gross misconduct proceedings, even those who raised issues on an enclosed ambulance workers’ website have been disciplined for gross misconduct.”

He said they would use the information to present to MPs and health commissioners.

Ian Brandwood, executive director of people and engagement at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said they had a strong whistle-blowing policy already in place for staff to report concerns

“We strongly refute the misleading claims Unite the Union has made around patient safety, the role of Emergency Care Assistants - who do not go out without a qualified clinician - and the trust’s longer-term plans.

“We have a comprehensive whistle-blowing policy in place and encourage staff to use that avenue in absolute confidence.

“Despite Unite’s campaign against us we have tried to work with them to ensure we have a better relationship, yet they are failing to deliver on commitments they have made, and have consistently ignored calls to meet with us. We have also regularly asked Unite to raise their specific concerns with us and again they have failed to do so.”