HEALTH union bosses have condemned proposals to privatise part of Oxfordshire Ambulance Service, claiming the move could cut jobs and endanger lives.

A consortium of NHS Hospital Trusts in the region has hired a consultancy company to draw up plans to put patient and non-patient transport services out to tender.

Adverts have been placed inviting interest from outside companies to run these services and the consortium is meeting for talks.

But union leaders and ambulance bosses believe the move would lead to a less safe and reliable service, which could endanger lives.

They say that if the plan does go ahead, it would lead to the break-up of the Oxfordshire Ambulance Service, meaning potential job losses. John Nichols, chief executive of the service, said: "The dangers to the OAS of losing this market-testing exercise are extreme and would lead almost with certainty to the dissolution of the OAS as an independent NHS Trust." Unison's southern region spokesman Peter Thorpe said the union had written to Health Secretary Frank Dobson, calling for a halt to the further privatisation of patient transport services.

The union's senior national officer Maggie Dunn, wrote: "We are concerned about the future security of our members' jobs and their terms and conditions but the quality of service to patients, their safety and security are also a concern to us."

The letter added that in the past, where the private sector had successfully tendered for a PTS contract, the majority of staff had received only one day's training, the vehicles were not purpose-built and were usually staffed by one person.

Ms Dunn told Mr Dobson: "There is also worrying anecdotal evidence that there may be inadequate control procedures or health and safety precautions."

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