SOUTH Central Ambulance Service provides a stunning example that it is not a mistake that will crucify your reputation but the cover-up afterwards.

Today we are able to publish that more than 300 staff at our ambulance service have not been put through the proper criminal checks into their past to establish if they are a danger to the children and the vulnerable.

It has come to light following our revelation that one of its most senior staff was a convicted murderer and the trust was clueless.

This was clearly because of an administrative mistake – a serious one but a mistake nonetheless.

From that moment we asked South Central Ambulance Service how many other staff may be affected by this blunder.

But instead of seizing an opportunity to appear honest and transparent with the public, it refused to answer reasonable questions and said anything else would have to come through release under the Freedom of Information Act.

This is a common ploy by too many public sector organisations because the hope is that by sending an issue into the month-long FoI process the media and public’s attention will drift off elsewhere.

Well today we have lifted that stone and look what has scuttled out.

If it had been open a month ago many people would have taken the realistic view an error had occurred but SCAS could be trusted to rectify it. Its refusal to disclose the true picture until forced damages that.

In medical parlance they talk about a “golden hour” to save a critically ill patient.

SCAS had a golden day to be open over this. It may find now it is too late to resuscitate its credibility.