Chief Executives Update - 23/01/2009
We are at the start of a new calendar year and this is traditionally the time when people, with one eye on the past, look forward and make plans for the future. I suppose that,
in the ambulance service, we are no different. Our planning for the future however has to be firmly based on the realities of the economic environment in which we operate.
Year after year, the demand for our services has increased. Our performance target, as you are all aware, has been set higher than ever, requiring that we attend 70% of Category A
calls within 8 minutes. This percentage target does not reflect the pressures linked to the growth in demand or take account of the fact that we are reaching more patients faster
than we ever did before.
To illustrate the growth in demand, we need do no more than compare the activity figures over a number of years. At the start of the millennium (which doesn't really seem that
long ago) we responded to 71,383 emergency calls. Only 5 years ago in 2003/04 the demand had risen to 80,234 and by 2007/08 we were responding to 108,611 calls (37,228 more than in 2000/01).
In fact over the recent Christmas and New Year period the number of calls we attended showed an increase on the previous year of 6% in relation to A&E callouts and 13% in relation
to GP urgents. I am well aware that this busy time continued well into this month with the flu virus in the community. I would like to thank you all for you continuing efforts at
these times of high demand.
Certainly there has been investment in aspects of our service in those intervening years. The investment has been in training, equipment, fleet and estate. But this has come
against a background of modernisation within the Health Service in general. Reconfiguration of acute services throughout the province has placed greater demands on us as a service.
The modernisation agenda is set to continue and the need for efficiency savings has been well aired in the public arena, as it deserves to be, and the debate will continue over
the next period of time. Our own proposals for these savings are still out to consultation which ends in February, after which decisions will have to be made on the best way for us
to meet this requirement from the Legislative Assembly.
Investment Update
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However it need not all be doom and gloom. I have, previously informed you all of Ministerial announcements in regard to investment in ambulance services, both in the short and long
term. This investment will enable us to examine and implement the most effective structure for an ambulance service which has to deliver on the expectations of an ever demanding public.
It is right that the public of Northern Ireland expect the highest quality of pre-hospital care and we must prove that we are equal to the challenge.
In the short term, and as a result of this investment, I am delighted to be in a position to inform you that orders have been placed for 26 new A&E ambulances, delivery of which we
expect by the end of this financial year.
These will be the first of a rolling fleet replacement programme, funding for which we have been trying to secure over a number of years and which is contained within the £100m
announced by the Minister. It is hoped these vehicles will go along way towards addressing the issues of fleet that have dogged us for so long. |
Additionally, tenders have been requested for the supply of 12 lead defibrillators and I will keep you informed of this process. This will be an important step in the roll out of
the delivery of pre-hospital thrombolysis throughout the province, for which training will be provided.
GP Pilot
You may be aware of the recent introduction of GP's into the control room. The purpose of this pilot is to discover if significant impact can be made in ensuring that our capacity
is maintained to deal with life threatening emergencies. Patients who call 999 for conditions which do not require an emergency or urgent response can be passed to the GP on duty, who
will advise on the best course of action to be taken, which
may include referral to a more appropriate treatment centre. |
999 Charity
Finally, I would like to thank all of you who helped, in any way, in relation to the 999 Charity Partnership. The Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children benefited to the tune of
£264,000. A cheque presentation ceremony was held at their Shimna Valley site on Monday 12 January and representatives from PCS, A&E and support staff attended on behalf of the
Trust.
If you have any comments or suggestions to make that may improve our service please feel free to email me at
suggestions@niamb.co.uk. |
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