Alison Marquis, Chief Officer of the St John Emergency Ambulance Service.
The St John Emergency Ambulance Service (SJEAS) has signed a new contract with the government of Guernsey to continue the ongoing delivery of the island’s ambulance service. The new contract comes into operation from 1 January 2019.
Under the contract with the States of Guernsey, which will be managed by the Committee for Health & Social Care (HSC), it is expected that SJEAS will respond to more than 5000 emergency calls each year, in addition to the transfer of a similar number of patients to scheduled diagnostic and treatment appointments.
This is a planned renewal that provides continuity of service for the public, while setting out a joint commitment for the future transformation of the emergency road ambulance service in accordance with the direction outlined in HSC’s Partnership of Purpose policy letter.
The new contract provides a 10-year commitment, however it also enables either party to signal their intention to withdraw with a 12-month notice period. The States will provide a grant to SJEAS, and both parties have committed to working side-by-side on a programme of change that will ensure the Emergency Road Ambulance Service is equipped to best meet the changing needs of the community in the long-term.
Deputy Heidi Soulsby, President of the Committee for Health & Social Care, said, “Members of our community understandably place a lot of faith and trust in the St John Emergency Ambulance Service, so I am delighted that we have signed this contract well in advance of the current contract expiring at the end of 2018. This agreement is an excellent example of partnership working. The negotiation process has been extremely positive, which was particularly pleasing given how vitally important it is that we are collectively aligned about the need to transform services to meet the changing needs of patients.”
Alison Marquis, Chief Officer of the St John Emergency Ambulance Service, said, “Everyone who works for the St John Emergency Ambulance Service considers it an honour to serve and support members of our community, often in their hour of greatest need. We wanted to continue serving the community and we’re really pleased that the negotiation process has resulted in a robust contract for the ongoing delivery of our essential services for residents of the Bailiwick. I look forward to working with HSC and other States of Guernsey colleagues to focus on how we transform these services to meet the future needs of islanders.”
