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The latest in a string of new ambulances has been handed over to the Island’s top-performing ambulance service. They are the only ambulance service in the country to consistently meet and exceed Government targets including the challenging eight minute response time from the time callers are put through to a controller to a vehicle arriving at the scene in at least three quarters of all cases. As a result, they were given a £600,000 boost from the Government in 2007/08 to refurbish the fleet and buy a number of replacement vehicles. The first of those, two all-wheel drive rapid response vehicles (RRV), were delivered in February 2008. A further RRV has since been delivered along with four front-line emergency ambulances and two high dependency vehicles fitted with special bariatric equipment for patients that exceed the capacity of standard equipment. As well as buying these nine replacement vehicles, the service has also been able to refurbish five of its older ambulances. All the ambulances except the RRVs are based on Vauxhall chassis and supplied through Island Vauxhall main dealer Hartwell’s. Chris Smith, Performance and Resources Manager for the Island’s ambulance service said: “We are the only ambulance service in the country to get this level of incentive funding from the Government which is a tremendous boost for us. “It is a very tangible demonstration to staff and patients alike of the benefits that come from excellent performance and hitting response time targets. Staff throughout the service have been working very hard and are very committed and dedicated to patient care. This reflects tremendous credit on them as they are the reason we have been able to invest in what amounts to virtually a new fleet. “As well as being the country’s best performing ambulance service, we are also using the very latest techniques and equipment. These new vehicles will help to ensure we deliver the best possible service to patients and local people and remain at the forefront of ambulance performance nationwide.”
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