CONSERVATIVE opposition councillors in Northumberland are threatening to mount a legal challenge to planned ambulance service changes.

They fear fringe areas such as Haltwhistle in the west and Berwick in the north will be left isolated under a shake-up of emergency ambulance cover across the region proposed by the North East Ambulance Service.

Tory group leader Coun Peter Jackson says they are prepared to call a judicial review to protect the level of emergency cover.

NEAS says paramedics are presently being assigned to non-emergency urgent care patients when they could be better deployed on 999 calls.

A new tier is planned to allow paramedics to respond to emergencies where they are at any time.

But it would mean the withdrawal of an urgent care ambulance and a rapid response vehicle from the Haltwhistle-Hexham area.

Haltwhistle Conservative councillor Ian Hutchinson said: “Fewer vehicles means a greater risk of rural residents being left without ambulance cover when there are major incidents closer to Newcastle.

“In legal-speak, any ‘substantive variation’ to the ambulance service must be subject to a full and formal consultation process. Without this, there can be no legal grounds for withdrawing ambulances.

“The voices of residents will leave no doubt as to the strength of local feeling. We would seek to mount a legal challenge to any decision that ignored overwhelming public opposition.

“We are prepared to call a judicial review to ensure that rural residents are not ignored.”

NEAS has also proposed withdrawing one of two ambulances from Berwick – a move that has prompted a 1,000-name public protest petition led by Liberal MP Sir Alan Beith.

The Conservatives now say they are watching the decision-making process “like a hawk”.

Coun Jackson added: “We will not stand by and watch as areas such as West Tynedale and Berwick become more dangerous places to fall ill in.

“Residents of rural and relatively remote areas deserve as good a service as everyone else.”

NEAS NHS Trust chairman Tony Dell says the reorganisation would allow accident and emergency services to focus more on urgent care patients and free up A & E crews to respond to more life-threatening incidents.

“Across the region there will be a shift in the number and types of our vehicles as we balance the model to better meet the demand of our patients,” Mr Dell said.

“We believe that the public across the region will benefit from the peripatetic nature of our operations as these changes support our principles for continually improved patient care.”

The trade union UNISON, which represents 1,700 of the service’s 2,00 workers, has expressed concern.

Northern region lead officer for health Trevor Johnston said: “We are not convinced it is the best way to go.”