AGEING AMBULANCE FLEET TO BE REPLACED - MCGIMPSEY [01/10/08 @ 19:30]

Up to 60 new A&E ambulances will be purchased over the next three years as part of a major £17million capital investment in the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS).

In addition, a further 60 non-emergency vehicles and 26 Rapid Response Vehicles (RRV) are planned over the same period.

Public Safety Minister, Michael McGimpsey said that the new vehicles will be used to replace older ambulances and, thanks to a multi-million investment over the next ten years, will allow the ambulance service to move to a running replacement programme which will, in time, ensure no vehicle will be more than five years old.

Speaking on a visit to the Bridge Ambulance Station in Ballymacarett, Michael McGimpsey said: "A world-class health service needs a modern and responsive emergency service. For too many years, the NIAS has suffered from a lack of investment but now will benefit from a major funding boost. I plan to invest a further £2.5million over the next three years which is in addition to the £14.5million already allocated to fleet and equipment replacement as a result of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

"I also plan to invest some £100million over the next ten years in fleet, estate and vital equipment such as defibrillators. This funding is as a result of the review of capital priorities which I commissioned to help inform me on the longer term investment required in the health and social care and public safety infrastructure.

He continued: "I am aware of recent concerns over the age and condition of the NIAS fleet. This is without doubt the largest investment in the history of the NIAS. It will help ensure that the public has confidence in the emergency services and, in particular, that ambulance crews are able to carry out their life-saving working in vehicles which are roadworthy, reliable and modern."

A further £12million revenue funding will be allocated over the next three years to help the NIAS modernise, to respond more quickly to emergency calls and help provide life saving services to patients who need it.

He said "Just as every other health trust, the NIAS has to achieve 3% efficiency savings over the next three years. I want to ensure that the savings they make translate into a modern and responsive service

"This is a hugely significant investment for Ambulance Service. It is only right that we provide both front line staff and management with the necessary infrastructure to enable them to continue to deliver a quality, efficient and effective ambulance service to everyone in Northern Ireland."

Welcoming the investment NIAS Chief Executive Liam McIvor, Chief Executive said: "I am delighted at the long term funding commitment the Minister has announced today for the regular replacement of the ambulance fleet, improving the ambulance estate and ensuring that as a service we have the necessary life saving equipment and technology. This will allow us to plan our service delivery more effectively on a firm basis over the next ten years."

The Department is currently considering the NIAS strategic business case and work is in hand to expedite this process to ensure that expenditure can begin as soon as possible.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. Over the ten year period 2008/09-2017/18 the Department has been allocated a total capital envelope of almost £3.3billion, against a bid of £5.8billion. Just over £700million of this is earmarked for the Comprehensive Spending Review period with the balance of just over £2.5billion allocated in the remaining period of the Investment Strategy.

2. All capital expenditure is subject to the normal business case approval process.

3. NIAS has submitted plans to the Department for consideration which propose a new high performance ambulance service. To achieve this NIAS have identified the need to:

• create a more effective ambulance estate to support the delivery of a high quality ambulance service.The model proposes a mix of Depots, Sub-Stations and Outposts.
• have in place a funded fleet replacement programme that ensures regular replacement of ageing fleet, to achieve an ambulance fleet no more than five years old.
• have up to date medical equipment available in A&E ambulances and rapid response vehicles, to enable staff to provide the best treatment possible to those in need as quickly as possible.
• have effective ICT to underpin improvements elsewhere in the service and provide management with the necessary information to further improve performance.

4. Media queries to Clare Baxter, DHSSPS Press Office on 028 9052 0636 or mobile 07919 400248 or Jenny Magill on 07833 668748. Out of hours contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.

Freedom of the City to the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, 13 September 2008 [01/10/08 @ 19:30]

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) was very privileged to receive the conferral of the Freedom of the City and District of Armagh City on 13 September 2008 along with St John Ambulance and the Order of Malta.

The official ceremony began at 12noon followed by an array of celebrations in the Palace Demesne including Chinese Dragon and Drummers display, Bollywood dancers. A variety of fun activities also ran throughout the day including Kiddies Roundabout, Bouncy Castle, Face Painting etc

Over 45 NIAS personnel attended the event which included a cross representation of staff from across the Service throughout Northern Ireland and a large number of Armagh Station based staff (past and present). It was a very proud day for the Service. Other guests on the day included Lord Eames, Councillors and other distinguished guests.

Photographs are contained in the gallery section, please click here to access

Mr Liam McIvor, Chief Executive stated -"I would wish to formally record what a great honour and privilege it is for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service to have the Award of Freedom presented to us today by Armagh City and District Council.

It is my great pleasure as Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service to accept this award on behalf of Ambulance Staff, past and present and I consider it a personal privilege to be able to represent them in this setting.

With the receipt of this award we join a very distinguished company and we are very conscious of the enormity of this occasion and the tribute being paid to the Ambulance Service by the community and you their representatives.

I am sure that the strong ties which already exist between us will be strengthened further by the award being made today.

We are a service with a long and distinguished history of serving the people of Northern Ireland. Our history and our reputation as a caring service is built on the endeavour and the individual achievements of the staff who deliver that service now and have done so in the past.

It truly is a team effort and the men and women in the ambulances who respond to your calls could not do so without the professional support of their colleagues in ambulance control, the non-emergency service, the training department, maintenance, stores and all of the other areas who support the delivery of that front line service..."

The award of the Freedom of the City and District was conferred by Councillor Noel Sheridan and accepted on behalf of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service by Mr Liam McIvor, Chief Executive.

No Cuts to Ambulance Service - McGimpsey [07/10/08 @ 13:30]

Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey has stated the efficiency drive within health and social care will lead to more emergency cover, not less.

Speaking during an Assembly debate, the Minister also emphasised that no Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) service jobs would be lost as a result of efficiencies.

The Minister said: "Let me be clear ambulance service provision is absolutely not being reduced. Unfortunately, people have been too quick to jump to conclusions rather than listen to the facts. This scaremongering is simply not helpful and only serves to undermine public confidence in the emergency services.

"In fact, paramedic response capacity - by which I mean the total Accident and Emergency (A&E) and Rapid Response Vehicles response - will be increased by 61,000 hours to over 600,000 hours of cover. In reality, there will be seven additional vehicles on the ground providing emergency care to those who need it most.

The Minister added:"I am not cutting ambulance service funding, but rather I am committed to investing substantially in it. To this end, I announced on 1 October a major capital investment in the service totalling almost £100million over the next 10 years.

"This includes £17million over the current Comprehensive Spending Review period for 60 new A&E ambulances, 60 new patient care vehicles and 26 rapid response vehicles. This will allow NIAS to modernise its service, respond more quickly to emergency calls, and help deliver life saving emergency care to those who need it.

"I am also investing an additional £12million revenue funding in the ambulance service which will increase its annual budget to £57million by 2010/11, an increase of 24% on last year."

He continued: "Currently the ambulance service employs 1,076 people, and there will be no reduction in this figure as a result of the NIAS efficiency proposals.

"We are all indebted to the staff of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, who are skilled health professionals delivering vital, life-saving care in the front line of emergency services.

"They deserve to have modern equipment, vehicles and technology to allow them to deliver that high quality care to the public."

Appointment of a New Chair to the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Health and Social Care Trust [27/10/2008 @ 13:30]

The Health Minister Michael McGimpsey, has appointed Mr Paul Archer as Chair of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Health and Social Care Trust (NIAS).

The appointment, for a term of four years, is effective from 16 October 2008 and was announced by the Minister today (27 October 2008).

Mr Liam McIvor, Chief Executive of the Trust welcomes Mr Archer and stated - "I welcome the appointment of Mr Archer as Chair. This is a time of change, challenge and opportunity for NIAS and I look forward to working with Mr Archer to drive the modernisation and improvement agenda".

Mr Archer has commented - "I am very pleased tohave been appointed Chair of NIAS and am looking forward to working with Directors and staff in meeting the challenges which lie ahead. Change is always occurring within health and social services as the sector strives to become more efficient and patient focused while meeting increasing demand and the limits of finite resources. The rate of change has intensified through the major reform of the health sector under the Review of Public Administration which is underway and I am confident that NIAS and its dedicated staff will continue to provide a first-class service to the people of Northern Ireland and at the same time accommodate the significant changes which are taking place".

Mr Paul Archer, Chairman, NIAS

Mr Paul David Archer MSc lives in Bangor. He was formerly NI Director of Dairy UK, having previously been Head of Transport for United Dairy Farmers (formerly the Milk Marketing Board for NI). Mr Archer is Chair of Fitness to Practise Panels of the Health Professions Council and also chairs Professional Conduct hearings for the British Psychological Society. He is a lay member of the DHSSPS Care Tribunal, a member of the Independent Subsidies Appeals Panel (Agriculture) and the College Advisory Group of the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise. Mr Archer also chairs disciplinary procedure appeals panels for doctors and dentists in GB. He has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.