Archives (2023)

28 April 2023

Statement on upcoming industrial action

Planned industrial action is due to take place by members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) this bank holiday weekend. One of our other unions, Unite, has also announced its members will be participating in industrial action on Tuesday 2 May (from midday – 10pm). As with any previous days of industrial action we have worked closely with our union colleagues to minimise the impact on our

21 April 2023

SECAmb team ready to set sail in Solent challenge

A team of South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) colleagues is set to take part in a sailing challenge in the Solent next month. The team of eight, made up of both experienced sailors and novices will compete against 31 other emergency service teams from across the UK and Europe in the annual UK Firefighters Sailing Challenge between May 8-11. The team will be skippered by paramedic, Steve Do

21 April 2023

SECAmb to trial fully-electric single responder vehicles

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, (SECAmb), is to trial three fully-electric vehicles as part of its plans to reduce carbon emissions and introduce zero-emission vehicles on to its fleet. The trial, part of NHS England’s Zero Emission Electric Vehicle (ZEEV) Pathfinder project, will see SECAmb funded to take delivery of three Mercedes-Benz e-Vito vehicles after they are conv

18 April 2023

Board appointments and changes

South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) is pleased to announce the appointment of a substantive Chief Finance Officer (CFO). Saba Sadiq has held a number of senior finance roles in the NHS and will take up her new role on 3 July. Following Siobhan Melia returning to her substantive role at Sussex Community Trust last month, former interim CFO Martin Sheldon was appointed as Interim Chief Execu

6 April 2023

Surrey pregnancy advice line celebrates five years since launch

 A Surrey pregnancy advice line based at South East Coast Ambulance Service’s (SECAmb) Emergency Operations Centre in Crawley is celebrating after handling more than 200,000 calls in the five years since its launch in April 2018. The Call a Midwife Surrey Advice Line, which was established by Surrey Heartlands Health and Care Partnership as part of the national NHS Better Births plan. It available

5 April 2023

Help ambulance service manage demand this Easter Bank Holiday weekend

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, (SECAmb), is asking the public to use its services wisely across what is expected to be a busy four-day Easter Bank Holiday weekend. People are urged make use of alternative to calling 999 if they are not facing an emergency including seeking help and advice from NHS 111 online by visiting 111.nhs.uk or by calling 111. SECAmb is asking for p

31 March 2023

HART paramedics to benefit from confined-space training facility

South East Coast Ambulance Service’s (SECAmb) Hazardous Area Response Team, (HART), paramedics will benefit from a new confined-space training facility recently installed at their base in Ashford, Kent. The specialist container, previously used by and donated by West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, has been repurposed to cater for the training requirements of SECAmb’s HART. HART is made up of team

16 March 2023

Industrial action paused following pay offer

We understand industrial action planned by a number of the Trust’s unions has been paused after national talks between the government and unions resulted in a new pay offer. The offer will now be voted on by staff in the coming weeks during which time strike action will be paused. SECAmb welcomes the development and hopes the pay dispute can be resolved as soon as possible. We would like to thank

15 March 2023

Reigate man reunited with lifesavers, encourages all to learn CPR

A Reigate man has leant his voice to calls for everyone to learn CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) after being reunited with some of the ambulance team who help save his life. Michael Woolley, 80, suffered a cardiac arrest at his home on the afternoon of 14 December last year. His wife, Lynn, who joined him when he visited Banstead Make Ready Centre recently, immediately began CPR, called 999 a

13 March 2023

SECAmb celebrates a decade of 111 service

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, (SECAmb), is celebrating a decade of running the NHS 111 service across much of its region. The Trust, which now runs the service across Kent, Medway and Sussex, handled its first 111 call 10 years ago as part of a soft launch of the service in the region. The NHS 111 service took over from NHS Direct, a nationally-run service that began in

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