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
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
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
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
The southeast branch of Health Education for England (HEE) has just launched a campaign to support paramedics, who may have taken a career break, back to practice. So if you are a former paramedic or you know someone who may be interested in returning to practice, the HEE may be able to help them back into the service. In a collaboration between HEE, the University of Cumbria along with o
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
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
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
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
Throughout December SECAmb ran its Christmas Stars initiative – where staff and volunteers nominate colleagues to feature as a star each day of Advent. Christmas Stars takes provides colleagues with an opportunity spread a little bit of Christmas cheer and celebrate the little things they do for each other. More than 100 nominations were received, and we were pleased, with the support from loc