Paramedics could leave the ambulance service in their hundreds due to constant late finishes, a union has claimed.

Unison surveyed more than 1,500 ambulance workers at the East of England Ambulance Service, which operates in Epping Forest, and found 55 per cent were considering leaving.

More than two thirds said long hours were causing stress and 44 per cent said they have taken time off as a result.

The service is currently trying to recruit another 400 student paramedics to improve response times and treatment.

The survey also found one per cent of staff think the service's board treat staff with respect of care about their welfare.

Fraer Stevenson, Unison branch secretary, said: “Staff are consistently providing a very high level of care to our patients, through face to face clinical care, and other vital roles, such as call takers, dispatchers, and support services staff.

“This survey highlights although there have been a number of changes in 2014/15 more needs to be done to support our staff.

“A change in culture is needed to help secure the future of our organisation and ensure staff can continue to provide excellent care to our patients.

“The senior decision makers in our ambulance trust have a lot of work to do to rebuild relations with their staff.”

Board chairman Sarah Boulton said: “Since I joined a year ago, we have made significant improvements in our ongoing transformation and the board has our service to patients and better supporting our staff at the forefront of its work.

"We're also involving staff in a massive new programme to help change the culture of the organisation for the better which is something myself and the board have made a top priority.

"This work, as well as supporting new career pathways, paramedic recruitment and other development programmes, will help us make this one of the best organisations to work for."

The trust also pointed to its own survey which had more encouraging results and suggested work related stress was down nine per cent, although still high, and more people thought the trust was becoming a better place to work than in 2013