Patient-Care Improving, East Of England Ambulance Service

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 30 Oct 2008 - 10:00 PDT

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Health chiefs have been able to see first-hand how more than £2m of funding for the East of England Ambulance Service is helping to further shape patient services. Health chiefs have been able to see first-hand how more than £2m of funding for the East of England Ambulance Service is helping to further shape patient services.

The partnership between NHS South West Essex and the ambulance service has led to an agreement in funding for new vehicles, new recruits, training and equipment.

Simon Eatherton, the ambulance service's general manager for south Essex, was joined by NHS South West Essex's deputy chief executive and director of quality and nursing Barbara Stuttle on Tuesday afternoon to meet some of those being trained up by the ambulance service, and some new equipment they are using.

Currently training at the St John's Ambulance centre in Rochford are 30 student ambulance paramedics who, when they complete their initial course in December, will be deployed to parts of the area covered by the primary care trust which includes Brentwood, Basildon, Wickford, Thurrock, and Tilbury.

Also included in the £2.5m funding is a new ambulance, response cars for Basildon, Thurrock and Billericay, an urgent suport vehicle, and improvements to Basildon station including a make-ready facility for vehicles.

Simon said: "We have to hit a tough Government targets including reaching a category A patient within eight minutes 75% of the time, and a less serious incident in 19 minutes, 95% of the time. Couple that with a high call demand because of things like population density, and it's clear what measures have to be put in place to address patient needs.

"This led to key people from both organisations meeting on a regular basis this year, to identify how south-west Essex would benefit from more resources and how we could work together to do that. What has come out of it is very positive."

Barbara has been out on an ambulance to see the kinds of work patterns and pressures resources are under. She added:"Fundamentally, patients in south-west Essex are entitled to the best possible care, with high clinical standards and up-to-the-minute resources.

"This collaboration with the ambulance service has involved a lot of hard work and determination, and seeing for myself the outcome of this joint working is very pleasing."

Last week (Monday 20th-Sunday 26th October, 2008), the ambulance service responded to 778 calls from the south-west Essex area.

East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust