Every little helps with 999 calls
GREAT Western Ambulance Service has teamed up with Tesco to cut response times.
An ambulance crew is now permanently based at the supermarket in Brockworth to serve 999 callers on the east of Gloucester.
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ready for action: Phil Griffith, left, paramedic and station manager for Cheltenham and Gloucester, with Kevin Wright, Tesco store manager.
This comes as figures show that ambulances are not responding quick enough to emergency calls.
Statistics reveal only 66.9% of emergency calls were reached within the eight-minute target time in February by GWAS, failing to meet the national target of 75%.
Ambulances are currently based in Staverton, which is around six miles away in a journey which takes around 15 minutes.
Staverton ambulance station manager Ian Main said: "Patients dialling 999 with life-threatening emergencies obviously want an ambulance to get to them as quickly as possible, wherever they need us.
"In partnership with various organisations, such as Tesco, we are developing facilitated standby points for our crews, so they are able to provide the best levels of patient care and have suitable facilities if based away from their ambulance station.
"We are grateful to Tesco for enabling us to place our resources nearer to where patients need them – when it comes to responding to life-saving emergencies as quickly as possible, it really is a case of 'every little helps'."
GWAS has stationed an ambulance crew, either a single-manned rapid response vehicle (RRV) or double-manned ambulance at the supermarket store at Gloucester Business Park.
The agreement with Tesco means ambulance crews have 24-hour access to the store's staff facilities – including subsidised restaurant, toilets and rest area – in between emergency call-outs. Store manager Kevin Wright said: "We are happy to play our part in supporting the services that are vital in our local community."
Brockworth Parish Councillor Godfrey Browning welcomed the move. He said: "I think it is an excellent idea to help response times especially as more and more houses are being built in this area.
"Obviously the drivers will then know the roads better because more are being created all the time. I think it's an excellent idea."
Ambulance scrutiny committee chairman Andrew Gravells said: " 'This is an excellent example of everyone working together with the Ambulance Service so that they can deliver even better response times .
"I am grateful to Tesco's for their help here, and it shows their commitment to their local community in a very real and tangible way'."
8 Comments
by Anon, Glos
Monday, June 15 2009, 7:17PM
“Typical ambulance staff whining as usual!! The 45 minute break was voted on by all operational and control staff in GWAS it is nothing to do with A4C. Staff should stop belly aching and get on with the job they are paid for (almost £30,000 per year (without overtime). As for Staverton, fit for purpose depot - exactly as it was designed. The staff there simply want to sit down and do nothing all day.”
by anon, cheltenham
Saturday, May 23 2009, 2:25PM
“The question that should be asked is who made the ridiculous decision to build a station at Staverton in the first place?. No doubt in the NHS of today they have been promoted on to bigger and better things for making such a ridiculous decision. As for meal breaks Ambulance crews are guaranteed 45 mins uninterrupted break during a 12 hour shift, it's not what Ambulance staff wanted but what they were told they had to take under Agenda For Change.”
by Digger, Brockworth
Saturday, May 23 2009, 1:34PM
“Excellent idea. Midway between Gloucester and Cheltenham and serving the surrounding villages, this vehicle may well save a few lives by virtue of a speedy response. Sometimes the speed of administering aid is more important than anything else in a life or death situation.”
by Christine, Gloucester
Saturday, May 23 2009, 11:20AM
“Emergency personel regularly forefiet their entitlement to a meal break in order that they can respond to any emergency promptly. On occasions, emergency personel are also retained on duty. Do you expect them not to eat ? Canteens at Police Stations were closed many years ago to save tax payers money !”
by me, google
Saturday, May 23 2009, 8:57AM
“U 2 really haven't got a clue! lets hope u need 1 of the ambulances that r goin 2 b parked up there, maybe they will delay their response 2 u morons”
by Nige Murray, Huntley
Saturday, May 23 2009, 8:13AM
“Can GlosMan and First in the Queue along with any other like commenting people register on the DO NOT RESUSCITATE list.
Waste of space!!”
by FIRST IN THE QUEUE AT TESCO, GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Saturday, May 23 2009, 7:59AM
“I WAS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT EMERGENCY VEHICLES WERE STATIONED AT SUPERMARKETS ALREADY. I HAVE LOST COUNT OF THE AMOUNT OF TIMES THAT I HAVE SEEN THESE VEHICLES USED FOR SHOPPING! I ALREADY THOUGHT THAT ANY CALLOUT NEAR AN ESTABLISHMENT SELLING FOOD WAS REGARDED AS TOP PRIORITY!! I WOULD SAY THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE THE WORST FOR THIS. IN CIRENCESTER THEY USE THEIR APPLIANCE FOR SHOPPING AT TESCO A STORE WHICH HAS ONLY ONE ENTRY/EXIT ROAD. THE POINT BEING A MINOR ACCIDENT ON THIS ROAD WITHOUT ANY SERIOUS INJURIES COULD BLOCK THEIR APPLIANCE AND THEM AT THIS STORE WHILE A MORE LIFE THREATNING INCIDENT NEEDED A QUICK RESPONSE. THEY SHOULD RESPECT THESE VEHICLES AS WHAT THEY ARE. PUBLIC (FUNDED) PROPERTY AND NOT THEIR PERSONAL HOME SHOPPING VEHICLES.”
by GLOSMAN, GLOS
Saturday, May 23 2009, 7:33AM
“QUICK TELL THEM TO DOUBLE THEIR ORDER FOR SAUSAGE ROLLS,PASTIES,MARS BARS ECT'”