Archives (2023)

20 February 2023

Prolific abusive caller sentenced

A prolific persistent caller who made more than 7,000 calls to Sussex Police and SECAmb from September 2020 and was continually abusive to emergency service contact officers has been sentenced to 39-months in prison. Roger Jackson, 77, from Horsham, pleaded guilty at a hearing at Lewes Crown Court on Friday, January 27. As part of the sentence Jackson will also have a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO

9 February 2023

New ambulance centre to become operational in the summer

A new multi-purpose ambulance centre is expected to become operational this summer. The South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, (SECAmb) centre, in Bredgar Road, Gillingham, will consist of a Make Ready Centre, Emergency Operations Centre, (EOC), and NHS 111 contact centre. It will be the first ambulance centre in the country to bring all three functions together under one roof. T

3 February 2023

Upcoming industrial action on Monday 6 February

In the South East Coast Ambulance Service region, the GMB Union balloted its members for industrial action last year and met the legal threshold to take action. Other unions in our region are currently re-balloting their members. To date, two days of industrial action have taken place, on 21 December 2022 and on 11 January 2023. The GMB Union recently announced four further days of industrial acti

31 January 2023

SECAmb encouraging staff to talk about their mental health

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, (SECAmb), is encouraging its staff and volunteers to spend time thinking and talking about their mental health ahead of Time to Talk Day this week (Thursday 2 February). Throughout February, the Trust will also be raising mental health awareness among staff and volunteers with a campaign – Your Mind Matters. The campaign will focus on the im

27 January 2023

SECAmb to trial new volunteer Emergency Responder role

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, (SECAmb) is to trial a new volunteer Emergency Responder role. The trial, which will cover Ashford in Kent, specifically Romney Marsh, and Tangmere, in West Sussex, focusing on the A272 corridor between Billinghurst and the Hampshire border, will last two years. The two Emergency Responder (ER) schemes will each consist of 12 community first

27 January 2023

Trust announces two new board appointments

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, (SECAmb), has announced the appointment of two new Board members. Joining the executive team as Chief Medical Officer is Dr Rachel Oaten, while Max Puller joins the Board as an Independent Non-Executive Director for an initial term of three years. Rachel will join the Trust on 1 February with Max taking up his role from 6 February. Dr Oaten

23 January 2023

Trust takes delivery of newly-configured ambulances

As we continue to develop our operational fleet, South East Coast Ambulance Service, (SECAmb), staff will have the opportunity to view a newly-configured Fiat ambulance, which has been amended using feedback from a range of clinical staff, union representatives and the Trust’s fleet department. The new vehicle, which include changes aimed at improving functionality for crews whilst also fitting th

12 January 2023

Industrial Action – update

We would like to thank the public for their continued support in using our services wisely and keeping 999 for emergencies only. Ahead of yesterday’s, (11 January), industrial action, undertaken in our region by the GMB Union, between 00:01 and 23:59, we worked closely with the union and all staff to ensure we continued to respond to our most seriously unwell or injured patients and that the impac

4 January 2023

Forthcoming industrial action

In the South East Coast Ambulance Service region, the GMB Union balloted its members for industrial action and met the legal threshold to take action. The first day of industrial action took place on 21 December 2022. The second day is due to take place on Wednesday 11 January 2023 (00:01 to 23:59). We continue to ask for the public’s support ahead of and during the planned day of industrial actio

3 January 2023

SECAmb thanks, staff, volunteers and public

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, (SECAmb), would like to thank the public for its continued support in keeping 999 for emergencies only. It would also like to thank all staff and volunteers for their commitment and hard work following a number of weeks of significant pressure and a busy Christmas and New Year Period. Pressure on both the Trust’s 999 and 111 services is expe

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