Paramedics 'prepared for attack'

London's paramedics are well prepared to meet the threat of a terrorist attack or other major incident in the city, according to a watchdog.

The report by the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) suggested the rest of the NHS should follow London Ambulance Service's (LAS) example.

It also praised training and equipment provided to the service.

Dr Fiona Moore, director of LAS, said it was still focussing on improving training methods.

"I think there's always work to do and we wouldn't like to say that we don't need to continue with our activities," she told BBC London.

How can we have part of a rescue service in a situation where we can't talk to them to find out what is going wrong? Richard Barnes, Metropolitan Police Authority

"But we think we are very much better prepared than we were a couple of year's ago.

"We're better prepared year on year and it's something that we take extremely seriously".

Meanwhile the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) has warned rescue attempts after a terror attack could be hampered by police radios not working on the Tube.

Richard Barnes, deputy chair of the MPA said Met officers' radios do not work in the 22 London Underground stations which have no open-air section of track.

British Transport Police (BTP) and London Fire Brigade (LFB) have radios which do work on the system.

Mr Barnes said discussions over who would foot the bill for an integrated system had prevented installation.

'Irresponsible risk'

He said: "It is incredibly dangerous. How do you get people out if you can't talk to the rescuers?"

"It puts everybody at risk. How can we have part of a rescue service in a situation where we can't talk to them to find out what is going wrong? It is beyond belief. It is irresponsible."

The Met said in a statement that officers were either accompanied by a member of LU staff or loaned a LU radio before going into stations where their equipment does not work.

An LU spokesman said £1.8m was being spent on a new communications network, currently being installed.

He said ways in which the Met could link to this were being discussed.

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said a digital system which would allow staff to communicate on the Underground should be in place by 2006.