Multi-million pound boost for Peterborough ambulance service

The funding means the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) will be able to fast-forward plans to improve their fleet preparation, supply and estate operations.

EEAST applied for funding as part of a nationwide funding boost for the NHS’s 70th birthday from the Department of Health and Social Care.

Wayne Bartlett-Syree, Director of Strategy and Sustainability at EEAST, said: “This is a significant investment which will improve facilities and enable us to save crews time, meaning we can increase their availability to respond to patients in the community. It will help us speed up our plans to update 10 existing Hubs across the region and improve facilities to clean, prepare and stock ambulances and response cars. The crew time that will be released will support our work to improve our overall performance.

“This is excellent news for our staff who absolutely recognise the benefit for patients that these changes will support. It is critical that we maximise the availability of our existing clinicians to support patients who need a response in the community.”

The funding will be used to support the services estate transformation plan to create a network of modern hubs and community ambulance stations across the region, and to invest in Make-Ready model and facilities, where ambulances and response cars are cleaned, prepared and stocked for front-line duties.

Earlier this week a CQC report told EEAST they 'Required Improvement' following an inspection.

The report said heavy demand over the winter meant there were a number of 'serious incidents.'