To consider performance in meeting targets for response times.

The Committee considered the Trust’s performance in meeting targets for response times. 

At the Committee’s request additional information had been provided showing response times by postal code area.  Mr Nick Harris, Divisional Commander – Worcestershire, and Mr Lee Hutchinson (Group Station Manager – Hereford), attended to present the report and answer questions.

Mr Harris reported that since 1 April 2008 a new standardised performance reporting system (Call Connect) had been introduced across the ambulance service.  Response times were now calculated from the time the call was received rather than from the time the message was passed to the control room.  Previously time had been allowed to collect details from the caller.  The effect of this was that in the context of an 8 Minute response, on average some 90 seconds had now been lost requiring a quite significant improvement in performance if the target was to be met.

He added that the Trust had to be selective in deploying its resources.  These were concentrated where assistance could be provided to the larger centres of population.  The Community First Responders Scheme was used to provide an initial response in the more outlying areas with additional support being provided as soon as practicable.

In response to the Call Connects initiative extra funding had been provided by the Primary Care Trusts to increase provision in control rooms, buy additional vehicles and recruit additional operational staff.

In the ensuing discussion the following principal points were made:

·         NH confirmed that if a Community First Responder attended an incident with a defibrilator and Oxygen this would qualify as a response against the target.

·         Attention was drawn to response times in HR8 and HR9 which respectively included the Towns of Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye and their surrounds.  NH confirmed that it would be possible to provide a further breakdown of the data to examine response times to incidents in the Towns themselves where the Ambulance Stations were, compared with the surrounding areas.  However, the key point was that, for example with one ambulance only in Ross, if that vehicle was on call transporting a patient to Hereford hospital and another call was received this clearly presented a challenge.  The Trust did seek to deploy its vehicles strategically to provide cover in Ross as elsewhere.

·         It was observed that performance in the Market Towns as a whole against the 8 Minute target was not good and it was asked at what point the Trust decided that additional resources were needed.

NH replied that demand analysis was ongoing and there were quarterly reviews to allow trends in demand to be identified.  Resources were finite and with six staff required to man a car for 24 days a week, 7 days a year and 11 staff for an ambulance the Service had to provide evidence to justify further investment.

A performance review plan was required to be produced to demonstrate that local need was being met.  There were also areas targeted for the number of Community First Responders to be recruited, trained and deployed.

RESOLVED:  That a monthly breakdown of performance be provided for circulation to Members of the Committee and a formal report requested if any issues of concern were identified either by Members or by the Trust.