A more central location is being sought for ambulances on the Island.

But a decision over the future of the Queenborough station has not been made.

According to minutes from a Sheppey Local Engagement Forum last week, representatives from South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) said its vehicles were not getting to some places within eight minutes so they were being kept elsewhere while waiting to be called.

They said this was not the most suitable scenario but it is the most effective solution until a more central point can be determined.

Sheppey has one ambulance and one response car.

One sits in Minster so it can get to life-threatening issues quickly anywhere on the Island.

If one vehicle is called out, it will be replaced by one from another area.

Sheppey also has community first responders who are trained first aiders, to provide broader coverage.

The representatives said the pressure on hospital beds has been helped by other paramedics treating patients to prevent them from needing to go to hospital and the local referral unit at Sheppey Community Hospital.

MP Gordon Henderson will meet operations manager Chris Stamp on June 19 to discuss the future of services on the Island.

A SECAmb NHS Foundation Trust spokesman said: “No decisions have been taken over any new configuration of ambulance provision in the area.

“As previously explained, we are in the process of introducing our Make Ready system across our Kent, Surrey and Sussex region.

“Under this system, ambulance crews report to a central Make Ready Centre and then respond from a network of strategically-placed ambulance community response posts during their shifts.

Committed

“This ensures our crews are better placed to respond to patient demand.

“Sheppey Ambulance Station is not on its own in the best place to meet our current demand and we are looking into the possibility of where else we can respond from to better serve the Island.

“No decision has been taken on the future of the ambulance station and we are committed to providing the local community with the service they expect and deserve.”