It was a busy few days for the hard-working staff at West Midlands Ambulance Service over the festive period.
Over the three days of the Christmas Bank Holiday from the 24th to the 26th of December, the Trust took no fewer than 13,274 emergency calls. This compares to 13,606 for the same dates in 2022 and proves to have been another consistently busy few days for the staff working.
| 999 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 24th December | 4,521 | 4,339 |
| 25th December | 4,260 | 4,255 |
| 26th December | 4,825 | 4,680 |
I would like to thank the many thousands of staff who worked over the Christmas period while most people were enjoying time with their family and friends.
It is not just the staff on the road who worked so hard; I want to particularly note the work of the staff in our control rooms. These staff are at the forefront of everything that we do, finding out where we are required but also what is wrong with the patient so that our ambulance crews know what they are going into.
The task at hand for our call handlers and dispatchers is often just as difficult as that experienced by our road staff; they all work exceptionally hard.
I also want to thank the staff who support these staff, be it the vehicle preparation operatives who clean, fuel and restock the ambulances; the fleet mechanics who make sure we always have ambulances available but also the managers who look after the staff – it is a real team effort.
Anthony Marsh, Trust Chief Executive
If you fancy the challenge of joining such a fantastic team, we are currently recruiting to a range of job roles. You can find full details at NHS Jobs – positions include:
Student Paramedics – Ref no: C9217-256-23-24
The public can play their part to support the NHS this winter by coming forward for their flu and Covid vaccines and using services like NHS 111 online for non-urgent advice. Also, please do not call back to see where the ambulance is or if there is an ETA – only call back if the patient’s condition has worsened or you no longer need an ambulance.