Fatal road traffic collision in Birmingham

Jamie Arrowsmith – Thursday 23rd January 2020 – 9.45am.

A man has died following a collision between a van and a pedestrian this morning.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to the junction of Ridgeway Avenue and Hagley Road West at 6.06am and sent one ambulance, a paramedic officer and a MERIT trauma doctor to the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “Crews arrived to discover a man, who was the pedestrian, with multiple serious injuries following the collision.

“Ambulance staff performed specialist trauma care and administered advanced life support at the scene.

“However, despite their best efforts, it sadly became apparent nothing could be done to save him and he was confirmed dead at the scene.

“The van driver, a man, was uninjured in the incident.”

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Serious RTC outside Royal Stoke University Hospital

Claire Brown – Tuesday 21st January 2020 – 10.30am.

A man is in a serious condition following a road traffic collision near Royal Stoke University Hospital this morning.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to reports of a collision involving a pedestrian and a lorry just outside the hospital on the A34 Newcastle Road, Stoke on Trent, at 9.11am (Tuesday). Two ambulances and a paramedic officer were sent to the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Ambulance staff arrived to find a pedestrian, a man, who had sustained serious injuries following a collision with a lorry.

“The man was given trauma care on scene before being transferred by ambulance on blue lights to the nearby hospital for further emergency care.”

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Cyclist seriously injured in Coventry

Claire Brown – 20th January 2020 – 11.30am.

A cyclist has been seriously injured in a road traffic collision in Coventry this morning.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to reports of a collision involving a car and a cyclist on Tamworth Road, Coventry at 6.28am today (Monday). Two ambulances, a paramedic officer and a Critical Care Car from the Air Ambulance Service attended the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Ambulance staff arrived on scene to find a cyclist, a man, in a critical condition. The team worked to administer advanced trauma care before he was taken by land ambulance on blue lights to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire for further emergency care. The man’s condition was described as critical upon arrival at hospital.”

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Pedestrian dies in Walsall

Claire Brown – Wednesday 15th January 2020 – 9.00am.

A pedestrian has died following a road traffic collision involving a car in Walsall last night.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to Wallows Lane, Bescott, Walsall at 6.48pm yesterday (Tuesday). Two ambulances, a paramedic officer and a critical care car from the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity attended the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Ambulance staff arrived to find a pedestrian, a man, who was in a critical condition following a collision with a car. The team administered advanced life support on scene before the man was taken by land ambulance on blue lights to hospital for further emergency care. Sadly, despite their best efforts, nothing could be done to save the man and he was confirmed dead a short time later in hospital.

“West Midlands Police is appealing for witnesses to call 101 quoting log 2110 of the 14th January.”

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Fatal RTC in Monmouth

Claire Brown – 14th January 2020 – 9.40am.

A boy has sadly died following a road traffic collision in Monmouth yesterday.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to reports of a collision on the A466 Hereford Road in Monmouth at 3.48pm yesterday afternoon (Monday). One ambulance attended along with colleagues from Welsh Ambulance Service.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Ambulance crews arrived to find a pedestrian, a boy, who had been involved in a collision with a bus. Sadly, nothing could be done to save him and he was confirmed dead on scene.”

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Driver Dies After Worcestershire RTC

Jordan Eggington – Tuesday 14th January 2020 – 8.45am.

A man has died after a serious RTC in which a car collided with a tree in Hanbury yesterday afternoon.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called by the fire service to Goosehill Lane in Broughton Green at 2:56pm yesterday (Monday).  An ambulance, paramedic officer, Basics emergency doctor from Mercia Accident Rescue Service (MARS) and a Critical Care Car attended the scene. 

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: “Crews arrived to find a single vehicle collision near Goosehill Wood, involving one patient, a man, who was the driver.  He was in a critical condition.  Staff quickly worked to administer advanced life support on scene.  But unfortunately, despite their best efforts, nothing could be done to save the man and he was confirmed dead at the scene.”

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Two seriously injured as van and pedestrians collide

Jamie Arrowsmith – Friday 10th January 2020 – 3.35pm.

Two pedestrians have been treated for serious injuries and taken to one of the region’s major trauma centres following a collision with a van this afternoon.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to the Burnt Tree junction on Birmingham New Road, Dudley at 1.51pm and sent three ambulances, three paramedic officers, the Midlands Air Ambulance Critical Care Car and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Cosford to the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “On arrival crews discovered two pedestrians, both women, who had suffered serious injuries in the incident.

“Ambulance crews administered specialist trauma care at the scene before they were both transported to Queen Elizabeth Hospital on land ambulances. The doctor from the air ambulance and the critical care paramedic from the critical care car travelled with the patients to help continue treatment enroute to hospital. Both patients are described as being in a serious condition.

“The driver of the van, a man, was assessed and discharged at the scene.

“Motorists are advised to find alternative routes and avoid the area wherever possible.”

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Improvements to ambulance provision in Solihull

Murray MacGregor – Tuesday 7th January 2020 – 4.15pm.

West Midlands Ambulance Service is to make changes to the provision of ambulance services in Solihull in a bid to improve the care provided to patients.

Additional paramedics and ambulances will be made available to the Borough over the coming weeks.  These will be funded by money saved by closing the base at Solihull Hospital which currently hosts three ambulances.

In 2019, the Trust responded to 32,522 cases in the Solihull area, yet only 13.6% of those cases were attended by the three ambulances based in the town; the other 86.3% were ambulances based at other sites such as Erdington Hub, but also others such as Coventry, Lichfield and Hollymoor.

Trust Chief Executive, Anthony Marsh, said: “Buildings don’t save lives; ambulance staff and vehicles do.  The Trust does not get value for money from the Solihull facility as it is empty most of the time.  We will therefore invest all of the savings from closing Solihull into frontline services.  The Borough will benefit from an increased number of staff and ambulances as a result of the change.

“Where an ambulance starts or finishes it’s shift really doesn’t matter; what matters is whether we are able to respond to patients in a timely manner.  We are confident that the change will bring real benefits to patients.

“As a service we will always send the nearest available ambulance to each case.  Once the Solihull ambulances transport a patient to A&E, most commonly at Heartlands Hospital, they will be tasked to the next case, even if that is not in Solihull.  In the meantime, other ambulances will cover cases in Solihull. This explains why such a high proportion of incidents in Solihull are not attended by Solihull ambulances.

“I understand why people might initially be concerned by such a change, but ambulances have never been tied to the town.  If all three ambulances from the town are with patients and a fourth case came in, as happens regularly, people would rightly expect support from another ambulance.  This change simply ensures that that an ambulance will arrive sooner.”

Paul Jennings, Chief Executive of Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group, added: “I welcome more ambulance staff and ambulances being made available to help local people receive timely care and have better health outcomes, often at their time of greatest need.

“This change makes absolute sense and will enable West Midlands Ambulance Service to use its frontline resources more efficiently and effectively, for everyone’s benefit.”

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I believe the ambulance service is the jewel in the crown of the NHS

Murray MacGregor – Wednesday 1st January 2020 – 8.00am.

“I believe the ambulance service is the jewel in the crown of the NHS.”

These are the words of the man who is set to take over as Chairman of West Midlands Ambulance Service as the Trust moves into a new decade.

Professor Ian Cumming is due to take up his new position on 1st April 2020 when he retires from his current role of Chief Executive of Health Education England – the education and training organisation for the NHS.

His career in the health service spans 38 years; originally training as a research scientist, before spending 25 years as an NHS Chief Executive.  He has worked in hospitals, commissioning services and as Chief Executive of the NHS in the West Midlands.

Professor Cumming said: “I have had a personal interest in pre-hospital care for many years.  The ambulance service meets people at a time when they are arguably at their most vulnerable.

“West Midlands Ambulance Service already has a real focus on keeping the Trust at forefront of developing patient care and I am looking forward to helping them continue that journey.

“There is no doubt that the next decade will be one of real change for the ambulance service and the NHS with the growth of technology and integration.

“It is an exciting time and I can’t wait to join at the end of March.”

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Prof Ian Cumming