Top team overhauled at trust with ‘inadequate’ leadership rating
Half of the executive directors at an ambulance trust are absent from work or due to leave as it contemplates a major shake-up of its governance.
Outside CEOs bring ‘positive challenge’ to sector, says review author
The senior leader who carried out a cultural review of the ambulance sector has said bringing in chief executives from outside has “shone a different light” on the service, although she stressed it was not a “silver bullet”.
Waiting times focus ‘overshadows misconduct’, finds NHSE review
Ambulance trusts have often prioritised capacity and response times over dealing with cases of misconduct, a review of culture in the sector for NHS England has found.
Revealed: 300,000 more NHS staff missing out on flu jab
Some 300,000 fewer frontline NHS staff had the winter flu vaccine last year than in 2019 and 2020, with huge variation in uptake among trusts, HSJ analysis shows.
56% of staff leave ‘relentless’ jobs within a year
A trust has found that more than half its new call handlers quit within a year of starting, and a third within six months — with ‘health’ being given as the main reason.
Trust which had three ‘catastrophic’ IT failures in two years still at ‘high risk’
A trust which suffered three major IT failures in the space of two years was let down by poor leadership and governance, an external review has found.
National director admits ‘misconduct’ in prior trust CEO role
A director at a national agency has been removed from the paramedic register after admitting to misconduct in a previous role as chief executive of an ambulance trust.
A&E handover delays up by a fifth, leak reveals
Hours lost to ambulance handover delays shot up by nearly a quarter last month amid growing fears about the pressure on ambulance services going into winter, according to figures seen by HSJ.
Chair to retire after 50 years in the NHS
An ambulance trust chair is to step down after more than half a century in the NHS.
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New CEO for trust where ‘bullying and harassment were normalised’
An ambulance trust grappling with major cultural problems has appointed a substantive chief executive, who most recently has been on extended leave from his role leading two acute providers.
Thousands of English NHS 999 calls answered in Wales
Thousands of 999 calls are being transferred to the Welsh Ambulance Service because they are taking more than five minutes to answer in England, HSJ can reveal.
Strike restrictions could make disruption worse, admits government
Introducing minimum levels of service during ambulance strikes could have a ‘significant negative impact’ if staff instead opted for other forms of industrial action, such as overtime bans, the government’s own impact assessment of the proposals has warned.
Staff at final ambulance trust vote to join strikes
Staff at the East of England ambulance trust – the only one to escape strike action so far – have voted to join the industrial action.
Only three trusts hit new A&E target
Average ambulance waits for stroke and heart attack patients topped two hours in three regions last month, amid another sharp drop in emergency care performance.
Exclusive: Ambulance crews urged to conserve oxygen
Ambulance staff are being urged to conserve oxygen supplies because of a national shortage of small cylinders used both on ambulances and in some A&E departments.
‘Constructive’ first ambulance strike agreement revealed
Elderly people who fall may only be sent an ambulance after they have spent four hours on the floor, and some category 2 calls may not be responded to under one of the first agreements with ambulance unions about next week’s strikes.
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‘Inadequate’ trust gets new chief executive
An experienced acute hospital executive has been appointed to lead South Central Ambulance Service Foundation Trust.
Ambulance strike dates and trusts revealed
Thousands of ambulance staff across England will go on strike during the festive period this month in a dispute over pay, three unions have announced.
Revealed: Ambulance waits quadruple in handover hotspots
Ambulance waiting times for stroke and suspected heart attacks have quadrupled in four parts of England since before covid-19 – whereas others have only grown by half – underlining the severe impact of long accident and emergency handovers.