£10m will help ease 999 calls pressure
AN EXTRA £10 million is to be pumped into ambulance services in the West Midlands, which has become England's slowest region at reaching 999 call-outs.
The cash comes after the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust warned it was so badly funded it was struggling to keep pace with increasing numbers of calls.
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In the year to April the service was hit by a 4.3 per cent increase in 999s, taking total calls to more than 800,000.
Staffordshire is reaching 77 per cent of emergencies within eight minutes, against the Government target of 75 per cent. But overall the region hit 69.8 per cent; the lowest in the country.
The new money will come from the West Midlands' 17 primary care trusts which have already ploughed in an additional £20 million in the past two years to take the annual ambulance budget to £142 million.
It was announced as it also emerged a new computerised system to dispatch ambulances, due for launch in Staffordshire today, has been postponed.
The CAD system has been blamed for a worsening performance elsewhere in the region and officials admitted there would also be an initial dip in response times when it arrives at the county's Stafford control.
The cash injection follows the publication of an independent review of the service which looked at provision, rises in demand and how changes could lead to further improvements.
The cash will enable a major recruitment and training drive to continue at the trust, which serves 5.3 million people.
Officials say an action plan is being drawn up to develop new ways of working.
Dr Jane Povey, chairman of the regional PCTs' clinical quality group, said: "The review indicates that further investment is needed.
"We are also continuing to look into longer-term solutions such as other ways of providing urgent care to give more choice for getting treatment quickly, in patients' own areas, without going to A&E."
Ambulance chief executive Anthony Marsh, pictured below, said: "Unprecedented demand has put pressure on the service and, while our staff have responded magnificently, we have reached the stage where we need more resources."
Ian Syme, chairman of the ambulance subgroup of Stoke-on-Trent health watchdogs LINk (Local Involvement Network), said: "These resources are welcome, but equate to only £2 per person per year."
A trust spokesman said there was no date agreed for the new computer system going live.
4 Comments
by tired and fed up, newcastle
Sunday, October 04 2009, 4:30AM
“I suggest you come and spend a shift or two with us before you comment on our dismal performances? we have more staff on duty than staffs did, if it wasn't for the huge amount of 999 calls we receive a high percentage unnecessary our so called dismal performance would improve, ring 999 and see if you get a dismal performance. I have lost count of the number of times I have gone 9,10,11 or 12 hours without any kind of break due to the high volume of calls. If some people only realised what constitutes a 999 emergency help call performances would improve, what a disgraceful throw away comment eddie? " no doubt lives are being lost" like we don't care why the hell do you think we do this job? you people need to realise the more calls there are the more staff is required and more vehicles are required and this all costs money. Get up to the accident unit for the night and have a look how many ambulances pull up time after time after time and question the crews on dismal performances”
by Isn't It Ironic, Stoke-on-Trent
Friday, October 02 2009, 1:25PM
“I see the WMAS Spin Doctors are going to try and explain away the dismal performance as extra pressures.
Staffordshire Ambulance Service dealt with heavy pressures every day. Those who fought so hard to save it must be looking on with heavy hearts now as every dire prediction becomes a truth.
Even if WMAS were to get in a leader with passion, integrity and the drive to succeed, I doubt the sorry mess caused by the ineffective Board Members could be sorted now.
The people of Staffordshire were sold a "pig in a poke" with the merger of the ambulance services and I truly hoped that heads would roll for this debacle, but instead the Strategic Health Authority is busy trying to paper over the cracks by throwing even more cash at them.
Whatever happened to the huge cost efficiences to be gained by merging?????”
by Eddie, Sideway
Thursday, October 01 2009, 10:25PM
“If it ain't broke then don't fix it - unfortunately The Staffs ambulance service that was once the pride of the country has now been dragged down to the level of others and as a result no doubt lives are being lost. Everyone else knew this would be the case except the so called experts who pushed through the change .
Shame on them !”
by J.Woodward, Kidsgrove
Thursday, October 01 2009, 10:47AM
“How interesting. If you are unable to utilise the resources you have available at present efficiently, why throw more money away? The calibre of the current management team is comparable to that of the computer system they commissioned.
These people aren't interested in the welfare of the patients they serve, the service is target driven at any expense. It's time they were paid on results within a specific budget and failure should result in their immediate replacement.
How did the service perform prior to West Midlands taking the helm?”