AMBULANCE chiefs have insisted single response vehicles are not a half-way measure.

The system has come under fire from Wyre Forest paramedics who say they are being deployed merely to meet Government time targets.

While the single-man crew can administer oxygen and defibrillators, the paramedic cannot move or strap patients and has to wait for the ambulance to arrive.

However, trust clinical director Brian Chambers said the system was not devised to be on a par with ambulances but ensure patients were treated faster.

Since the hospital downgrading 82 per cent of patients were being seen within eight minutes compared to 55 per cent in September 2000.

He spoke after Health Concern vice-chairman Malcolm Cooper voiced fears about the time lapse between the single responder and ambulance arrival times at last week's trust meeting.

Mr Chambers said: "Ambulances are required to get there within 19 minutes. Eight minutes is an enhancement to improve patient care.

"If we get someone there quickly and give immediate care to a patient, then the patient's chances of survival will improve."

Director of operations Steve McGuinness said the trust was under no obligation to record the time lapse between single response vehicles and ambulances.

The average response time for Wyre Forest was 12 minutes due to some crews not being "immediately available".

He added: "However, these are few and far between and there hasn't been a clinical incident as a result of this."

He stressed the trust used only paramedics for the vehicles whereas other areas used lay people.