Questions invited for ambulance update going to health scrutiny

Residents across Shropshire are invited to put forward questions around the future plans and response times for Shropshire’s ambulance service, being discussed at Shropshire Council’s Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee on Monday 3rd Feb.

West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) NHS foundations Trust will be presenting an update on their ‘Make Ready’ system and response times to the committee.  The WMAS reorganised its services for Shropshire so ambulances were mainly based at two hubs in Telford and Shrewsbury. New changes to the system which come into effect in February, will now include a more geographically spread service providing more coverage for north, south, east and west Shropshire, as well as Shropshire’s two largest towns.

Councillor Gerald Dakin, Chair of the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee encourages residents to put forward questions and invites them to come along to the meeting. Cllr Dakin said;

“We know there has been areas of concern and we need to know how they have been addressed and what improvements have been made to help to safeguard the lives and wellbeing of Shropshire residents.

“We are not here to criticise Shropshire’s paramedics who do an excellent job, however we have been concerned for some time over the response times of an ambulance. We also understand that patients using this service have increased dramatically over the last 5 years.

“It’s critical that the public have their say. I encourage members of the public to either come in person to ask questions and relate any experience, good or bad you have had with the Ambulance service in the last few months or make a submission by email to martin.stevens@shropshire.gov.uk.

 “I look forward to hearing the update from WMAS and I hope these changes provide  reassurance for our residents.”

Other reports being discussed at the committee meeting include the Quality Accounts from both Shropshire’s NHS and WMAS.

Members of the public can submit questions via email to martin.stevens@shropshire.gov.uk by no later than 9am on 3rd February.

You can view the reports going to the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee here