Ambulances fail to meet 999 targets (From Warrington Guardian)

Ambulances fail to meet 999 targets

AN URGENT action plan has been launched after Mersey Regional Ambulance Service was awarded zero-star status in a review carried out by the Healthcare Commission.

The service - which serves Cheshire and Merseyside - had been awarded two stars in the previous year but failure to meet two response time targets resulted in this year's downgrading.

Chairman Ken Hoskisson said: "The ratings show we failed to meet our response targets but other elements of our work, such as clinical care on scene, are good."

MRAS also achieved its financial management targets and scored above national average in clinical protection and vital life saving treatments.

But now recommendations from a review - requested by the ambulance service, strategic health authority and the 15 area primary care trusts - have highlighted areas for improvement.

Key recommendations include devoting the rest of the year to compliance with emergency standards, placing greater emphasis on performance improvement and management, and improving training and development.

It also suggested organising emergency calls according to their seriousness.

Mr Hoskisson said: "The review, while critical in some areas, makes clear the scale of the issues we face. It was purposely commissioned to help us identify next steps - both short term and long term - and there is a long way to go.

"The public can be assured that delivering improvement is our main concern and primary goal in the months ahead."

Chris Hannah, the chief executive of Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority, said: "A major programme of work is needed to deliver this vision and this report provides all of us with an excellent starting point."