PATIENTS and paramedics are being let down by a failing ambulance service, a report has confirmed.

The result is patients are at risk of more serious harm or death because there are not enough resources to handle demand and it is taking ambulances too long to get to life threatening emergencies.

When paramedics arrive on scene they provide outstanding medical care during the vast majority of call-outs.

The report, by the Care Quality Commission, confirmed a rating of outstanding when it came to "caring".

But overall, and in every other category, the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust was rated as "requires improvement".

This includes investigations into whether services are safe, effective, responsive or whether the trust is well-led.

The trust provides care for six counties including Essex.

Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards, gave his verdict in the report published yesterday.

It concluded the trust was "under significant pressure" and "failing to meet performance standards and targets for response to emergency calls".

New strategies during the past six months from Chief Executive Robert Morton are "yet to reach fruition".

The report concludes resources were frequently unavailable partly because it takes too long to get patients out of ambulances and into hospitals, which are also often full and struggling.

The reported highlighted "ongoing significant issues in recruitment of paramedics".

The trust is training up as many as 600 student paramedics but this takes time and so many paramedics have left the trust many of these will now be filling gaps rather than providing the extra resources needed.

The trust was also criticised for the "low levels of mandatory training" and mental health programmes are flawed.

The report added: "Many staff were not equipped with the skills to care for people living with dementia and mental health problems".

Mr Morton said: "I want to pay tribute to our staff and volunteers and I am absolutely delighted this report recognises the outstanding care we provide to patients, day in day out.

"It is a testament to all of our staff and volunteers whom provide care to patients, whether on the road or over the phone, that we are the only ambulance service to get an outstanding rating.”

He said the trust continues to "work with our commissioners and the NHS to discuss and address" staff shortages.

He added: "The trust has developed an action plan in response to the areas identified for improvement."