Trust responds quicker than ever before

Wednesday 2nd January 2019 – 2.15pm – Jamie Arrowsmith.

Despite it traditionally being the busiest night of the year, 999 calls were answered and cases responded to more quickly than ever before in the West Midlands. On New Year’s Eve night, across the region calls were answered in just one second on average.

The Trust’s two control rooms, based in Brierley Hill and Stafford, saw a 3.5% increase in the number of calls received between 7pm on New Year’s Eve and 6am on New Year’s Day but thanks to months of planning and preparation, calls were answered incredibly quickly.

In total, the Trust received 2,140 calls during that timeframe, compared to 2,068 the year before. Though there was a fall in the number of calls received on New Year’s Day, down to 4,152 in 2019 compared to 4,442 12-months earlier.

With planning for the festive period having started in the summer, staffing levels were maximised for New Year’s Eve and there were more staff and ambulances out on the roads of the West Midlands than ever before in order to ensure patients continued to receive the very highest standards of care possible.

WMAS Head of Emergency Operations Centres, Jeremy Brown, said: “It is testament to my staff that calls were answered incredibly quickly despite this traditionally being our busy night of the year.

“Our staff, both in control and out on the road, have to give up a lot of time with their families at this time of year and I thank them for all of their efforts and dedication.”

West Midlands Ambulance Service Chief Executive, Anthony Marsh, said: “I am incredibly proud of the way that our control room staff were able to answer calls incredibly quickly on such a busy night, just as they do throughout the rest of the year.

“That, together with the hard work of ambulance staff who were out responding to the calls helped to ensure patients received care as quickly as possible. I would like to thank everyone involved for putting the public before themselves and their families.”

Calls received by hour on NYE 7pm-8pm 8pm-9pm 9pm-10pm 10pm-11pm 11pm-12am 12am-1am 1am-2am 2am-3am 3am-4am 4am-5am 5am-6am
2018/19 145 148 153 192 217 268 278 249 204 161 125
2017/18 210 172 167 183 168 272 237 212 202 124 121
Difference -65 -24 -14 +9 +49 -4 +41 +37 +2 +37 +4

 

Total calls received by area Birmingham Black County Arden Staffordshire Herefordshire Shropshire Worcestershire
Jan 1st 2019 1001 957 534 836 113 297 388
Jan 1st 2018 1007 1016 633 865 144 305 439
Difference (-6) (-59) (-99) (-29) (-31) (-8) (-51)

 

Ends

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