News Release

7th November 2008

FABRICANT VISITS AMBULANCE SERVICE

Michael Fabricant visited Lichfield Ambulance Service today (Friday 7th November) to catch up on how plans are progressing following the merger of the Staffordshire and West Midlands Ambulance Services. "I have been very anxious to ensure that standards are not allowed to fall in Staffordshire", says Michael. "But I have been reassured by what I have seen today."

Michael met Anthony Marsh, Head of the West Midlands Ambulance Service; Keith Prior, Assistant Chief Ambulance Officer and Controller of Staffordshire; Lee Washington, the Divisional Manager for Staffordshire; and Dean Jenkins, the Area Manager in charge of Lichfield.

"I have been very keen to ensure that the level of resuscitation rates are maintained" says Michael. "It's important that an ambulance arrives quickly, but if the crew aren't trained or have inadequate supplies of equipment and drugs on board, arriving swiftly is a fat lot of use. But I am pleased that the vital statistic - the rate of Return of Spontaneous Circulation - is being maintained at a high level. That means that heart attack victims still stand a better chance of recovery in Staffordshire than elsewhere in the country.

"I also understand that when the new Operations Centre opens in Stafford by summer 2009, response times should improve still further. In the meantime, new ambulances are being supplied to Lichfield next month which will also help to improve the service.

"I very much welcomed the opportunity of meeting some of the senior ambulance officers and hope to meet the paramedic crews manning the new ambulances when they begin operation" Michael adds.