Trusts cut use of private ambulances despite performance woes
Two ambulance trusts with some of the worst performance on a key response time target are reducing the use of private ambulance firms.
Key recovery target hit
Ambulance services hit a crucial “interim” target for responding to the bulk of emergency calls last month, and showed marked improvements for the most serious category of incidents.
Staffing vital to high hear and treat rates, say trusts
Some 30,000 emergency ambulance trips could be avoided every month if trusts provided more advice over the phone, according to NHS England figures.
Finance chief moves to take up trust CEO job
North East Ambulance Service Foundation Trust has appointed a finance director as its new CEO, it has announced.
Ambulance services underprepared for ‘mass casualty incidents’
Ambulance services would still struggle to respond effectively to a mass-casualty event like the Manchester Arena bombing, HSJ has learned, as nearly all have been denied the funding needed to bolster preparedness.
Ambulance response time hits two-year low
Ambulance response times for incidents including elderly people falling rose to the highest level in two years in November.
CEO steps down after ‘rollercoaster’ five years
The chief executive of an ambulance trust has announced her retirement in the second high-profile departure from the organisation in as many weeks.
New chair appointed at ‘requires improvement’ trust
A new chair has been appointed to an ambulance trust that had its overall CQC rating downgraded to “requires improvement” last year due to concerns over its care and leadership.
Emergency performance dips as winter nears
Ambulance response times rose dramatically last month with urgent care performance also worsening as winter appeared to strike early.
NHSE admits ‘urgent’ ambulance target will be missed in capital
NHS England has agreed ambulance trusts can meet ‘realistic’ response times for ‘urgent’ ambulance calls including some heart attacks and stroke this winter, citing ‘service pressures, resources and demand’.
Five trusts join forces on AI and procurement
Five ambulance service trusts are forming a group, which will include joint projects on artificial intelligence, and a potential move to standardisation and joint procurement of vehicles.
Four regions still without extra ambulances promised by NHSE
Four regions that successfully bid for dedicated ambulances for mental health patients are still without the specialist vehicles, despite growing concerns the NHS is unable to respond to people in crisis.
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.
HSJ Podcast: Missing Sunak’s pledge
This week bureau chief Ben Clover is joined by colleagues to discuss some of the biggest stories ahead of the junior doctors’ strike.
Trust withheld key details of deaths, review finds
An ambulance service has pledged to overhaul how it makes disclosures to coroners after a review found that details of care failings were withheld in a number of cases.
‘Beginnings of safety culture’ emerging at ‘cover-up’ trust
An ambulance trust at the centre of an inquiry into alleged cover-ups has shown signs of improvement, according to the Care Quality Commission.
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.
Striking staff drop cover for strokes and suspected heart attacks
Striking ambulance workers in two regions have said for the first time that they will only answer immediately life-threatening calls — abandoning previous agreements to cover some Category 2 incidents.
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.
Paramedics not sent to quarter of urgent calls, admits trust
Some ambulance trusts are not sending paramedics to up to around a quarter of their most serious calls, according to figures obtained by HSJ.