Reading Football Club hosted the first joint SECAmb and SCAS senior leadership day under the new Interim Chief Executives, Jen Allan and Stuart Rees.
Senior leaders from both organisations came together under the new leadership arrangements on Wednesday, 29 April to begin shaping how the group will work in practice.
The event also saw both senior teams stand in solidarity on sexual safety and gender equality. A strong showing of denim reflected a shared commitment to improving sexual safety within the ambulance service and supporting initiatives such as Denim Day, recognised globally as a stand against victim-blaming.
Jen Allan said “It was fantastic to be at our first joint SCAS / SECAmb senior leadership day in sunny Reading. The energy in the room to work together across the South East was inspiring - as was the amount of denim being sported, reflecting our commitment to improving sexual safety and gender equality in the ambulance service.”
Leaders highlighted that progress in areas such as clinical models and digital is already underway, with the group model offering an opportunity to accelerate delivery and increase impact.
The day was described as inspiring, with open, honest conversations and a clear willingness to engage, challenge and learn from one another, setting the tone for future collaboration. While both Trusts operate in different contexts, this diversity was recognised as a strength, with significant opportunity to share good practice and build stronger ways of working together.
Stuart Rees said “It was a really positive and important first step in bringing our senior teams together. There is real value in creating the space to connect, challenge and learn from each other as we develop the group model. The openness in the room gives me confidence in what we can achieve together.”
Leaders emphasised that collaboration should start now, encouraging teams to connect with their counterparts at SCAS, share learning and identify opportunities for joint working going forward.