The Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) was disappointed to learn that it was necessary for London Ambulance Service to be placed into special measures by the NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA) as a result of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) report published today.
AACE has agreed to provide significant support to help address the London Ambulance Service’s current problems.
AACE Chair Dr Anthony Marsh QAM said:
“This is clearly a very difficult time for London Ambulance Service but it is also an opportunity for the Trust to take advantage of the additional support and help that will now be provided by the TDA, AACE and other partners, to deal with the concerns raised in the important CQC report.
We are aware that many improvements are already underway at the LAS, in particular to address staff shortages and improve response times, and we will be providing additional input from our highly experienced Managing Director to form part of the TDA support team.
I am also confident that the entire ambulance sector, through AACE, will also offer support in terms of sharing best practice to ensure the LAS continues to improve. We are reassured that a new leadership team is in place that is determined to tackle the report’s key issues while creating a more positive working environment for its staff.”
The CQC report comes at a time when AACE continues to underline the fact that the whole ambulance service is facing significant pressures, with demand for urgent and emergency care services at an all-time high, and increasing every year by over 6%.
AACE Chair Dr Anthony Marsh QAM added:
“Despite these unprecedented pressures we must remember that the staff who work for the ambulance service are extremely committed and do a fantastic job in difficult circumstances. The professional care provided by LAS to Londoners highlighted in the report is testament to that fact and is replicated by all ambulance staff across the country.”