Agenda item

The Committee received a presentation from the Assistant Director of Communications and Engagement North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (NEAS) that provided information on performance against ambulance response standards progress together with data of CCG performance at a local level (for copies see file of Minutes).

The Chairman enquired as to how robust the figures were when covering sickness and training.  He also asked how NEAS were going to recruit a further 90 paramedics when they had difficulties recruiting in the past and expressed his concerns that the extra two minute response time for category one would not be met.

The Chief Operating Officer, NEAS explained that abstraction levels were a 33% level in the workforce.  The new standards built a relief workforce into the core workforce.  He assured members that the assessment of the current abstraction levels showed that a relief level was included.  With regards to vacancies he agreed that two years ago there were 130 vacancies and it had been difficult to recruit and retain paramedics.  However, there was now a healthy appetite through paramedic training at Teesside University and open learning at Cumbria University.  In relation to performance standards he assured members that every ambulance service was going through a similar programme to achieve the right level of cover.

The Assistant Director added that around the clock varies with the category one standard of 30 seconds, and the clock began after four minutes for category two.  He explained that the extra time helped the call handler.

Councillor Smith asked if the efficiency savings of £1.7m aimed for were achievable, as the handover arrangements were out of the control of NEAS.  The Chief Operating Officer explained that year one of the two year savings plan were on target and he agreed that further work with the hospitals was required to improve the handover arrangements.  He added that new resources and plans were in place to reduce the conveyance to hospital and improve the pathway for patients.

Referring to the switch from rapid response vehicles to double crew ambulances Councillor Bell asked if there were any clinical implications to this rather than just chasing targets.  He also asked if data could be provided at a ward level as found the data at CCG level too broad.  The Assistant Director advised that the replacement to a double crew ambulance was in place to meet the new standards.  He assured members that there would still be rapid response vehicles albeit fewer of them, as they provided a very valuable service.  He continued that the new standards were the biggest changes to the ambulance service and would take time to adjust.  The plans had been outlined today but were still to be implemented.  With regards to data he explained that this was around the service area at a CCG level and that data at a locality/ward level was not routinely looked at as they did not have the resources to do this.

Councillor Bell said that it would be helpful to know what the response rate was at a local level.  The Chief Operating Officer explained that it would be very few numbers and there would be huge fluctuations when looked at below a CCG level.  NEAS were commissioned at a trust level but did provide data at a CCG level.  Anything smaller than that becomes more difficult due to the amount of incidences.  The Chief Operating Officer added that new measures were in place to measure transportation and that a number of cases involved patients being treat in the ambulance rather than having to go on to hospital.  He added that there were three paramedics in the Teesdale area and three in the Weardale area.

The Chairman appreciated that NEAS could not give smaller numbers at a local level but said that it would be helpful for the committee to have sight of some case studies and examples of what happens at a local level.  Referring to the drop in figures during the night he asked if this would be when the rapid response vehicles would not be needed.  The Chief Operating Officer informed him that the graph was based on the current arrangements and a modelling exercise would be carried out on demand up to 2021 with resources being applied appropriately.

Councillor Henderson expressed concerns about the rural part of the County and the take it would take to get from point A to point B.  He was also concerned that the rapid response vehicles did not have the equipment to deal with all emergencies.  The Chief Operating Officer explained that the purpose of the rapid response vehicle was to provide an initial response and life saving skills and was not about transporting patients to hospital.

Resolved:

That the information contained within the presentation be noted.