How patients can benefit from a single, new Ambulance Trust

1. How patients can benefit from a single, new Ambulance Trust

2. New national policy • New government policy launched on 30 June means big changes to ambulance services: • Clinical outcome not just speed • Stronger integration within the NHS, rather than with other emergency services • Helping patients get the right treatment, not only taking them to hospital Accident & Emergency • Greater recognition of the professionalism of ambulance staff • Better use of new technology

3. How this fits with our proposal • The new national government policy supports the direction we have been taking for the past year • Our proposal focuses on reducing bureaucracy in order to invest in frontline services, and about improving standards • This mirrors the direction in the new national policy

4. Where we are now • PricewaterhouseCoopers presented their findings on 23 May • A preferred option of one new organisation to manage ambulance services across AGW was recommended by Steering Group in the best interest of patients

5. What are the benefits for patients? • PWC report highlighted that a single new Trust would deliver the greatest benefit for patients: • Stronger management capacity and capability • A better equipped workforce • Savings from reduced management costs reinvested in frontline services – between £10m and £14m over 10 years • Adoption of the best practice from each of the three Trusts • Improved performance at the boundaries between services

6. Involving staff, patients and the public • We started to consult with NHS staff, patients, the public, and others on 7 July 2005 • Huge exercise – involving meeting many groups, such as Patient Forums, MPs, Unions etc • We have published a discussion document • People can give their views in variety of ways: • Online via our website • Freepost form in our discussion document • Attend our public meeting on 6 September 2005 • E-mail