AN uncertain time for the Hampshire Ambulance Service has come to an end as the government has decided to dump controversial merger plans.

Now the organisation says it can provide an improved service for people across the county.

Plans for a merger with the Surrey Ambulance Service had been met with fierce opposition. Every community health council in the two counties joined forces to write a joint letter of objection.

In November last year it looked as if ambulance workersÕ fears had become a reality when the South East regional office of the NHS recommended that the merger should be given the green light.

But on Tuesday health minister Hazel Blears announced that the plans will be scrapped. She came to the decision after realising that almost every organisation was against the idea.

She said: ÒWeÕve taken on board the views of local people and the planned changes to ambulance services in the south east will not go ahead.

ÒWe are committed to saving more lives by providing faster, more responsive and effective emergency ambulance services.

ÒIt is one of my top priorities to modernise ambulance services across the South East and make sure people receive the best treatment in the quickest time.Ó

Chairman of the Hampshire Ambulance Trust Sarah Murray told The Herald that staff were thrilled that the merger plans had been dumped.

She said: ÒObviously weÕre very pleased with this announcement because the public in this area were largely not in favour of the plans.

ÒWe are very pleased that this has finally come to an end and we can now carry on improving our service.Ó

Mrs Murray said that the service was in a very strong position and was looking forward to making more improvements in the coming months.

She said: ÒOur response times have really improved in the last six months and we feel that we have really turned a corner.Ó

Now it is up to the new strategic health authority to review ambulance plans and come up with new proposals by September.

Mrs Murray told The Herald that the new plans might involve sweeping changes to the service but she did not expect similar merger plans to be on the cards.

Hampshire County Council leader Ken Thornber said he was pleased with the decision and said the councilÕs offer to take on the running of the service still stood.

He said: ÒI think the good common sense of the people of Hampshire and their organisations and councils has prevented the NHS from making a costly mistake.

ÒWhat the NHS was proposing was tantamount to suggesting that a general hospital in Southampton should be managed from Guildford in Surrey.

ÒAmbulance services are very much a local service and can be best managed locally.Ó

He added: ÒWhat was being suggested by the NHS would have resulted in a large impersonal service covering two counties being run from one town in Surrey.

ÒThe county council offered to take over the running of the ambulance service, as it did prior to 1974, and our offer remains on the table.Ó