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.
Zero tolerance ‘won’t fix sexual harassment of staff’
“Cultural transformation” rather than “zero tolerance” is required to overcome widespread sexual harassment by ambulance service staff and patients, according to the person leading national efforts to make improvements.
‘Profound’ improvement takes trust out of ‘recovery’
An ambulance trust is set to be promoted from the bottom tier of NHS England’s performance regime after nearly three years.
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.
‘Inadequate’ trust told to ensure it listens to staff
An ambulance trust has been told it needs to go further in its drive to improve, including that it listens to staff feedback.
Trust chair leaves after less than a year in post
An ambulance trust chair is leaving after just 10 months to take up an as-yet-unspecified executive role elsewhere in the NHS.
20% of corporate jobs to go in cost-cutting restructure
An ambulance trust is reducing the number of posts in its corporate directorates by 20 per cent.
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.
Plan for first ambulance group revealed
Two ambulance trusts are planning to form a group next year.
Ambulance response times soar
Ambulance trusts are coming under severe pressure this week with typical waits reaching two hours for category 2 calls in the West Midlands this morning.
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’.
Exclusive: Trusts forced to dismiss overseas staff shortly after hiring them
Two NHS trusts have been forced to dismiss multiple staff from a cohort recruited from overseas, leading to a row over assurance of their qualifications, HSJ can reveal.
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.
Trusts face paybill hike from rebanding claims
Ambulance trusts are facing significantly higher costs as thousands of staff look set to be upgraded to a higher pay band.
Top team overhauled at trust with ‘inadequate’ leadership rating
Half of the executive directors at an ambulance trust are absent from work or due to leave as it contemplates a major shake-up of its governance.
Outside CEOs bring ‘positive challenge’ to sector, says review author
The senior leader who carried out a cultural review of the ambulance sector has said bringing in chief executives from outside has “shone a different light” on the service, although she stressed it was not a “silver bullet”.
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.