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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Roger Lloyd Pack criticises Norfolk ambulance cuts plan | Roger Lloyd Pack criticises Norfolk ambulance cuts plan |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Actor Roger Lloyd Pack has criticised plans to cut ambulances in Norfolk amid claims he was told to wait four hours for one while "seriously ill". | Actor Roger Lloyd Pack has criticised plans to cut ambulances in Norfolk amid claims he was told to wait four hours for one while "seriously ill". |
| The 68 year old, who played Trigger in Only Fools and Horses, was eventually driven to hospital by his wife after contracting an infection. | The 68 year old, who played Trigger in Only Fools and Horses, was eventually driven to hospital by his wife after contracting an infection. |
| The East of England Ambulance Service (EEAS) has said it could remove two ambulances from north Norfolk. | The East of England Ambulance Service (EEAS) has said it could remove two ambulances from north Norfolk. |
| It said Mr Lloyd Pack's case was not considered an emergency. | It said Mr Lloyd Pack's case was not considered an emergency. |
| Under wider plans to save £50m, full-time ambulances could be removed in Cromer and North Walsham, which EEAS said was a bid to match services to demand and not to cut services overall. | Under wider plans to save £50m, full-time ambulances could be removed in Cromer and North Walsham, which EEAS said was a bid to match services to demand and not to cut services overall. |
| Mr Lloyd Pack said he was "appalled" at the proposals. | Mr Lloyd Pack said he was "appalled" at the proposals. |
| 'Deteriorated very quickly' | 'Deteriorated very quickly' |
| "It's shocking that they're even considering reducing the number of ambulances when they should be increasing them," he added. | "It's shocking that they're even considering reducing the number of ambulances when they should be increasing them," he added. |
| He said his condition "deteriorated very quickly" after he speaking to an out-of-hours doctor at his home in the Fakenham area. | He said his condition "deteriorated very quickly" after he speaking to an out-of-hours doctor at his home in the Fakenham area. |
| His wife Jan drove him to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, a journey of about 25 miles. | His wife Jan drove him to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, a journey of about 25 miles. |
| "I couldn't possibly have driven myself," said Mr Lloyd Pack. | "I couldn't possibly have driven myself," said Mr Lloyd Pack. |
| "One of the doctors at the hospital told me 'if I hadn't have gone in when I did', and she sort of left the sentence hanging. | "One of the doctors at the hospital told me 'if I hadn't have gone in when I did', and she sort of left the sentence hanging. |
| "I didn't really want to ask her what she meant, whether she thought I'd have to have my gall bladder removed, or kidney dialysis or whether I would have died. | "I didn't really want to ask her what she meant, whether she thought I'd have to have my gall bladder removed, or kidney dialysis or whether I would have died. |
| "It was important I got to the hospital... four hours is too long to wait in that situation." | "It was important I got to the hospital... four hours is too long to wait in that situation." |
| 'Hold to account' | 'Hold to account' |
| In May, CQC said the ambulance service had "not met some of its key performance targets in relation to response times", but had taken "satisfactory measures to address the shortfalls". | In May, CQC said the ambulance service had "not met some of its key performance targets in relation to response times", but had taken "satisfactory measures to address the shortfalls". |
| The East of England Ambulance Service said in Cromer one of its two full-time ambulances would become part-time and North Walsham would get a rapid response vehicle instead of its ambulance. | The East of England Ambulance Service said in Cromer one of its two full-time ambulances would become part-time and North Walsham would get a rapid response vehicle instead of its ambulance. |
| North Norfolk Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb said: "I've had a number of people contact me expressing concerns about delays. | |
| "For years now the response times in rural Norfolk have not been good enough. | "For years now the response times in rural Norfolk have not been good enough. |
| "They have told there is a whole programme of steps they are taking which they claim should deliver significant improvements in response times by the autumn | "They have told there is a whole programme of steps they are taking which they claim should deliver significant improvements in response times by the autumn |
| "I want to hold them to account on that. " | "I want to hold them to account on that. " |