MILLIONS of pounds in redundancy has been paid out by the trust responsible for Cumbria's ambulance service.

New figures revealed by the GMB union show the North West Ambulance Service spent more than £7.1 million on exit packages since the 2010/11 financial year - more than any other trust in the country.

The sum could have been used to bolster the ranks of front line paramedics, GMB union representatives said.

But the total spent on exit payments was disputed by NWAS chiefs who claimed it actually amounted to £3.65 million.

However they admitted an NHS scheme allowing people to leave voluntarily in exchange for a reduced amount had also been in operation during the period.

The combined spend of the country's ten ambulance trust was £31 million.

The £10 million spent in 2013/14 alone could have funded the salaries of 300 new paramedics, said Kevin Brandstatter, GMB national officer.

"It is hugely concerning that trusts’ increasingly scarce resources are being used in this way rather than on front line care.

"£10 million pounds would pay almost 300 much-needed paramedics' salaries for a year."

NWAS, which is responsible for providing ambulances, paramedics and technicians throughout Cumbria, paid out £189,000 in redundancy during 2010/11.

But the figure jumped to £1.4 million the following year and was close to £2.2 million in 2012/13.

A further £1.9 million was handed over by the trust in 2014/15 with £370,000 in 2015/16.

Mr Brandstatter added: “At a time when our emergency services are at breaking point we should be investing in our ambulance services, not cutting them."

A spokesman for NWAS said the money spent had allowed the trust to reduce its administrative costs and grow 999 services by six per cent in three years.

They added: "NWAS works very closely with its partner trade unions to avoid redundancies and to support staff into alternative employment.

"The amount spent on redundancy costs over the last seven years is significantly lower than that stated by GMB, although the trust has also run NHS approved schemes which enable staff to leave voluntarily for a reduced severance payment.

"Where redundancies are made or voluntary schemes are offered, they are primarily within management, administrative and corporate functions in order to make efficiencies and cost savings which in turn enables us to maintain and improve our frontline services for patients."

PARAMEDICS are set to stage a six hour strike on Friday.

Members of the GMB union in the North West voted to go ahead with the walk out at the start of all days shift between 6am and 12 noon.

Union leaders and those in charge of the North West Ambulance Service said lives would not be at risk.

The strike is the second to take place over the issue of job evaluation - with paramedics claiming their roles have not been properly checked since 2005.