A TOTAL of 44,287 private ambulances were assigned to incidents in Essex last year, figures reveal.

It cost the East of England Ambulance Service in excess of £6.23 million.

Dorothy Hosein, the trust’s interim chief executive, said it is in the process of an “ambitious” recruitment plan and improving staff retention rates.

Only 66 per cent (29,147) of the private vehicles designated to these incidents, actually attended the scene.

Spikes in the figures occurred in May, July and October.

Data was obtained from a Freedom of Information request made by a member of the public.

Ms Hosein said: “Private ambulance services are booked to cover periods of peak activity when historical data indicates more resourcing than we have available is required to provide the best care to our patients.

“These resources are targeted to areas with significant vacancies or where the system pressure is likely to challenge our response to patients.

“Our operational team use intelligent forecasting to predict the resourcing required to provide a safe service to patients.”

Cash was spent with St John Ambulance, Elite Event Medical Services, Central Medical Services, Jigsaw Medical Services, SSG UK Specialist Ambulance Service, Polaris Medical and Falck UK.

A Government commissioned efficiency review by Lord Patrick Carter estimated about £58 million each year is spent on private services.

The Care Quality Commission has also raised concerns about sub-contracting and unregulated independent ambulance services.

In a report on the state of care in independent ambulance services, the health watchdog said it would strengthen its assessment of how NHS trusts and clinical commissioning groups monitor the quality and safety of services they commission.