AN Enfield politician has said he remains “unconvinced” that job cuts to London's ambulance staff will not affect patients.

Nick de Bois wrote to the chief executive of the London Ambulance Service, Peter Bradley, last month to raise concerns that planned cuts of 900 staff, including 560 frontline jobs, could affect journey times for ambulance crews taking patients to other A&E units should Chase Farm's department close.

The service is aiming to cut £53m in spending between now and 2015 as part of the Government's commitment to make savings in the health service.

But after Mr Bradley sent a letter to the Enfield North MP claiming that any changes – such as giving more advice over the phone to patients rather than sending ambulances – will “benefit the residents of Enfield”, Mr de Bois said he had sent another letter asking more questions.

He said: “I am unconvinced by the reply from the London Ambulance Service because of the lack of detail.

“The response raises more questions than it answers. I understand the need for changes and savings but we must retain the highly valued front line service that London ambulance men and women provide.

“I will not let this matter drop.”

The letter to Mr Bradley asks eight questions about the structural changes, covering the telephone advice service to exactly which staff the axe will fall on when cuts are made.

He wrote: “Given that current annual increase in callers for emergency services has been at roughly four to five per cent and that it is reasonable to suggest this growth will continue, have you plans to increase the clinical telephone advice team using paramedic and emergency care practitioners?”

“Could you please outline, of the 560 projected redundancies/retirements, how many will be solo paramedics and how many will be ambulance staff?”

Enfield Council has submitted a report to health secretary Andrew Lansley urging him to reconsider the plan to close Chase Farm's A&E department.

Mr Lansley is currently considering the report, and must decide whether to take action or allow the current plan to proceed.