An ambulance service which came under fire for failing to respond to emergencies on time has announced that it will take on hundreds more staff.

The head of the East of England Ambulance Service, which serves Epping Forest, has outlined his intentions to open up 350 positions to help to improve the service.

Acting Chief Andrew Morgan took over the trust in the wake of an inspection report from the Care Quality Commission, earlier this year, which found that the trust was failing.

Mr Morgan Said: “We need to improve the service we give to patients and better support our dedicated and committed staff.

“Transforming the organisation will take time but we have the staff and the focus to turn things around together.”

The Interim Chief Executive said that he had managed to make a saving of £5 million for the year 2013/14 by better ‘directing’ the trust’s funds and would therefore be able to take on more staff.

Eighty two specialist paramedics, 149 paramedics, 24 emergency medical technicians and 96 emergency care assistants will be recruited across the trust in the coming months.

The East of England Ambulance Trust provides services for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.