999 bosses hailing call response times
Monday 3rd January 2011, 10:27AM GMT.
Ninety-nine per cent of emergency calls for ambulances in Shropshire are answered within five seconds, according to a new report. And almost all of those calls are answered within one second.
Casualties in Shropshire also benefit because ambulances from outside the county are frequently dispatched by neighbouring counties to assist local people. The county is a net recipient of ambulance services.
Vehicles from Staffordshire, the Black Country, Wolverhampton, Worcestershire and other neighbouring counties frequently provide assistance on 999 calls.
Today Murray MacGregor, communications director for West Midlands Ambulance Service, said the service’s ability to respond to emergenices had improved since 2006, when regional services were combined.
He said: “There have been significant improvements in our ability to reach casualties more quickly.
“For instance, prior to regionalisation, we may have received a call to an incident near to the county border.
The call centre would have dispatched the nearest ambulance from Shropshire.
“However, now the call centre is able to dispatch ambulances from across the border, if they are closer.
Shropshire is actually a net winner, with more ambulances coming into the county than going out of it.”
Mr MacGregor added the service’s system immediately identified the 10 ambulances closest to an incident when a 999 call was made. He said: “Virtually all 999 calls are answered within a second and 99 per cent are answered within five seconds. Quite simply, we dispatch the ambulance that is closest to the scene.
“If, for instance, there is an incident in Shropshire on the M54, then we are able to draw on resources from Staffordshire and the Black Country, in addition.”
By Andy Richardson
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