Ambulance

New approach to identify hypertension

North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) has successfully piloted an initiative in Greater Manchester to help identify previously unknown cases of hypertension and is now working to scale this up to be rolled out region-wide. Having high blood pressure, or hypertension, is a main factor causing heart attacks and strokes. Over one third of adults in… Read more »

Home Office seeking views on JESIP in new survey

Emergency services are being encouraged to complete a new survey about interoperable working and the use of Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles (JESIP). Aimed at commanders, control room staff and frontline responders in the police, fire service and ambulance service across England and Wales, the survey aims to understand how JESIP is currently working in… Read more »

Mental health clinical advisers supporting 999 services in Scotland

The Scottish Ambulance Service has introduced mental health clinical advisers to its ambulance control centres (ACCs), in an initiative that is the first of its kind in Scotland. As part of the project, the advisers support the ACC by speaking with patients who have dialled 999 for mental health issues, with the aim of ensuring… Read more »

London Ambulance Service to provide 111 service across more of London

London Ambulance Service (LAS) has been awarded the contract to provide NHS 111 services, in partnership with London Central and West (LCW), to the 1.5 million people who live within North Central London. LAS and LCW will take on responsibility for 111 and GP out-of-hours service from November 2023 covering five London boroughs – Barnet,… Read more »

Minimum Service Level Bill becomes law

New legislation means that fire and rescue services and ambulance services must ensure that a minimum service operates in specified services during periods of strike action. Now that the Strikes (Minimum Service Level) Act 2023 is on the statute books, the Government will launch a public consultation on the ‘reasonable steps’ unions should take to… Read more »

Men’s Wellbeing Network launched

East of England Ambulance Service has set up a new support network to help men talk openly about working in a frontline emergency service and the impact it can have on their mental health and wellbeing. Senior paramedics David Walker and John Hammond were among a group of staff who championed the introduction of a… Read more »

Proud moment for paramedics as they complete degree level apprenticeship

The first cohort of East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) staff to qualify as paramedics through a new apprenticeship degree programme with the University of Cumbria have been celebrated at a special ceremony after achieving ‘phenomenal results’. The group of 20, who graduate at the University of Cumbria later this month, were presented with a… Read more »

London Ambulance Service celebrates 75 years of the NHS

London Ambulance Service is joining the nation in celebrating the difference the NHS has made to millions of people’s lives over the last 75 years with a range of events and will display a historic Daimler ambulance outside the Waterloo Road headquarters, which entered service a few months after the birth of the health service… Read more »

Ofcom launches investigation into 999 failure

The regulator has confirmed that it is investigating BT following a UK-wide disruption to emergency call services on 25 June. Ofcom said that its rules require BT and other providers to take all necessary measures to ensure uninterrupted access to emergency organisations as part of any call services offered. They also require providers to take… Read more »