Harm to patients ‘normalised’ as ‘burned-out’ paramedics work without breaks, care watchdog warns

Harm to patients ‘normalised’ as ‘burned-out’ paramedics work without breaks, care watchdog warns Harm to patients has become “normalised” as burned-out paramedics are working without breaks, the national care watchdog has warned.

Concerns over the pressures on staff at South East Coast Ambulance Service have been raised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Senior staff told the CQC that patients were being adversely affected by ambulance delays but it was now being seen as “part of the culture”. The Independent