Latest news from across the emergency services

Every morning, Emergency Services Times combs a significant list of sources to bring you the sector’s freshest news stories. Compiled into a single article, this daily news digest is an easy, single point of reference for emergency services news, saving you the time and effort of searching yourself. Don’t forget to bookmark this page and check back daily to stay abreast of the latest goings on in the emergency services sector.

Met saves 34,000 hours of officer time in first month of new approach to mental health calls

Reporting to the Met Police Board earlier this month, Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley confirmed that his officers attended 6,000 less deployments to mental health calls, almost half compared with the same period last year. This comes after the Met introduced a new approach called Right Care, Right Person for those in mental health crisis. More via Emergency Services Times

Dr John Martin starts as SWASFT Chief Executive

Dr John Martin has today (Tuesday 19 December 2023) formally taken on the role of Chief Executive at South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT).

John joins the Trust on secondment from his role as Chief Paramedic and Quality Officer and Deputy Chief Executive at London Ambulance Service NHS Trust. More via SWASFT

Home Secretary appoints new Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner

Home Secretary, James Cleverly, has appointed Tony Eastaugh as the new Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner, in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. ced a new approach called Right Care, Right Person for those in mental health crisis. More via Emergency Services Times

Health Secretary Victoria Atkins summons bosses of five worst-performing NHS trusts

The Health Secretary has launched a crackdown on some of the worst-performing NHS trusts this winter.

It is understood the CEOs from University Hospitals Plymouth Trust, Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust, Gloucestershire Hospitals FT, The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust and Worcester Hospital attended the virtual meeting with the Secretary of State. More via Daily Mail

Expanded Maryport Rescue base ‘will save lives’, says charity

A lifeboat charity which is fundraising to expand its base said a revamp would help save lives.

Maryport Rescue, which carries out search and rescue and flood emergency call-outs, currently has to keep its kit in two buildings.

Operations manager, Mike Messenger, said travelling between the two added 20 minutes to response times. More via BBC News

Boosting referrals into urgent community response services to benefit patients

This briefing from the Community Network, hosted by the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers, explores what can be done to increase further the number of patients who benefit from urgent community response services, including through boosting referrals from key system partners. More via NHS Confederation

Mayor of London proposes council tax increase to address police, fire and transport services funding gap

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced that he is planning an increase in council tax next year as part of his budget proposals in order to provide urgent funding to the police and London’s other vital public services.

This follows the government’s failure to properly fund the Metropolitan Police Service, Transport for London (TfL) and the London Fire Brigade (LFB). More via london.gov.uk