- South Central Ambulance Service and London Ambulance Service team up for the benefit of patients
- The partnership could see joint procurement of supplies, support services and vehicles
- As both Trusts lead the development of NHS 111 services locally, the partnership could also deliver seamless access to care for patients, particularly commuters, wherever they are within the two areas
A Reading-based SCAS ambulance in London last Christmas following an emergency hospital transfer.
South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and London Ambulance Service NHS Trust announced today (25 September) that they have established a partnership to look at potential efficiencies through projects like joint procurement of vehicles, equipment and IT systems.
The two trusts, which provide 999 / 111 urgent and emergency care services for about 16 million people between them, are also committed to working more closely together and learning from each other’s best practices.
Will Hancock, Chief Executive – SCAS
South Central Ambulance Service Chief Executive Will Hancock said:
“We already work closely together with London Ambulance Service, including at incidents which happen on or near our boundaries, during large-scale planned events and major incidents. With ever increasing demands on ambulance services across the country, such partnerships will be crucial to ensure that the improvements in patient care and experience, working environments for staff and innovations in service delivery can be delivered within our existing resources.
“Many of our residents in the South Central region commute into London daily to work. We would also therefore like to explore opportunities to improve patient care for that large body of people we share between our two services, for example, through closer working between our 111 and integrated urgent care services. People might call 111 during the day and have a face-to-face appointment booked for them nearer home when they return.”
Garrett Emmerson, Chief Executive – LAS
London Ambulance Service Chief Executive Garrett Emmerson said:
“Our patients expect and deserve the best care we can provide and that means making every £1 of taxpayers’ money count.
“Our five year strategy is improving the way in which we provide urgent and emergency care to people who live, work or travel in London in the most cost effective way. And we know that to keep improving, we need to partner with the wider NHS – and that’s what this partnership is all about, working with and learning from our neighbours to ensure the best care for the 16 million people who live and work across London and the South Central region.”
South Central Ambulance Service covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire (as well as Sussex and Surrey for non-emergency patient transport services) and London Ambulance Service covers the 32 London boroughs.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust:
- Provides emergency 999 and urgent care NHS 111 services 24-7-365 to people living in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire
- Provides non-emergency patient transport services seven days a week to people living in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey and Sussex
- Serves a population over the six counties of over 7 million people
- Employs 3,300 members of staff
In 2017/18 we:
- Took 1,284,974 calls to NHS 111 (that’s one call every 24 seconds)
- Went to 567,219 emergency 999 incidents (more than one a minute)
- Completed 873,922 patient transport service journeys (driving over 10.5 million miles)
Emergency 999 and urgent 111 calls are received in two clinical co-ordination centres: one in Bicester, Oxfordshire, and the other in Otterbourne, Hampshire.
We have 279 frontline emergency 999 vehicles which are based at 43 operational sites in the Thames Valley and Hampshire.
We have over 450 patient transport service vehicles.
For more information, media enquiries or interview requests please contact the communications department on 07623 957 895 or email oncallmedia@scas.nhs.uk
London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
London Ambulance Service is the busiest emergency ambulance service in the UK. We receive around 5000 calls a day and respond across London in ambulances, response cars, bicycles, motorcycles and by helicopter to help those in need.
We have over 5,200 staff who work in a wide range of teams. We provide both emergency care and other care options for our patients who do not have life-threatening or serious injuries or illnesses.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook for the latest news and information. To see videos of our crews in action and to get a behind the scenes glimpse at our work visit our YouTube channel.
For more information, media enquiries or interview requests please contact the communications department on 020 7783 2286 or email communications@londonambulance.nhs.uk