An ambulance service today distanced itself from comments posted on Facebook by one of its senior employees in which he criticised ''lazy'' and ''unproductive'' NHS staff.

David Forster, policy and strategy director at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, criticised the NHS for employing ''too many who are lazy, unproductive, obstinate, militant, aggressive at every turn'', the Yorkshire Post reported.

In the comments, posted in an online discussion, Mr Forster claimed some employees ''couldn't secure a job anywhere outside the bloated public sector where mediocrity is too often shielded by weak and unprincipled HR policies''.

The trust issued a statement distancing itself from the comments and said the matter had been dealt with internally.

It said: ''These are the personal opinions of an individual and in no way reflect the sentiment of the organisation.

''We hold our dedicated and professional staff in extremely high regard and work alongside them, in partnership with our trade unions, to provide a high quality ambulance service to the people of Yorkshire.

''Yorkshire Ambulance Service has dealt with this matter under normal Trust procedures and would now