To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, pursuant to AQW 43733/11-15, what plans he has to train and recruit additional frontline ambulance service staff in order to curb long term expenditure on private ambulance services.

Recruitment matters are the responsibility of individual HSC employers. The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) is currently undertaking a comprehensive recruitment programme across a number of operational frontline groups (Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), Ambulance Care Attendants (ACAs) and Emergency Medical Dispatchers) as part of the stabilisation and modernisation of the workforce in line with patient needs and commissioners’ expectations.

During the summer of 2014 NIAS recruited qualified Paramedics and EMTs thereby offering staff in training for these positions an opportunity to gain full time permanent employment within the NIAS. The programme has continued in early 2015 with the recruitment of unqualified EMTs with the first cohort of 20 trainees starting their training in March 2015; the second cohort of 24 to start training in July 2015; and a further two cohorts planned for Autumn 2015.

In addition NIAS has also recently recruited qualified ACAs who will be taking up their permanent posts in May 2015 as well as unqualified ACAs to backfill any vacancies resulting from the career opportunities provided through the recruitment to EMT posts.