Latest News

8 August 2024

Saving Lives, Serving Our Communities – Trust launches new 5-year strategy

An increase in partnership working, and the introduction of an initial further five clinical hubs will be key to South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) delivering on its new five-year strategy. The clinically-led strategy also sets out the Trust’s commitment to embrace new technologies as it transitions from a predominantly ambulance-based response model to a more differe

6 August 2024

Cardiac arrest survivor reunites with crew

A man from Cuxton, Kent, who collapsed in cardiac arrest while at his home has been reunited with the team of ambulance service colleagues who helped to save his life. Innes Clark, 53, was at home with his wife Jakki and daughter Izzy on the morning of 12 August 2023, when he started to experience chest pain. Jakki immediately called 999, and while on the phone to Emergency Medical Adviser, Natali

5 August 2024

Automated texting keeping patients safe and saving time

The introduction of new system which sends out automated text messages to some 999 callers is helping South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) reach more patients in a timely manner and ensuring clinicians and call handler time is prioritised for the most seriously ill and injured patients. Welfare texts have previously been sent manually using the Trust’s Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system b

2 August 2024

Brighton father delighted to reunite with crew who found him unconscious

A husband and father from Brighton who survived a cardiac arrest on the evening of 21 July 2022, has been reunited with the ambulance service colleagues who found him lying unconscious close to the Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton. Cerwin Meijer, now aged 43, had been suffering with pain in his chest and arm throughout the evening of 21 July 2022. Cerwin’s wife, Marta, drove him to the Royal Suss

31 July 2024

Margate cardiac arrest survivor reunites with ambulance crew

A grandfather from Margate who spent more than four months in hospital following a cardiac arrest was delighted to meet the ambulance crew who helped to save his life. Chris Bax, now aged 72, collapsed in cardiac arrest at his home in Margate in September 2023. Chris’s wife of 50 years, Judith, was at home at the time and witnessed the collapse. First to respond on scene within two minutes of the

29 July 2024

Stay safe and support SECAmb this Brighton Pride

People are asked to take care and help the ambulance service manage its demand across the Brighton Pride weekend, which takes place in the in the city on 3-4 August 2024. South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) is asking those attending to plan ahead and stay safe across what is always a busy weekend. The Trust will once again have a strong presence in the parade on Saturd

24 July 2024

Mother’s heartfelt reunion with ambulance team

A wife and mother of two from Hassocks, Sussex was recently able to reunite with the ambulance service colleagues who helped save her life in February 2023. Sophie Turner, aged 33, was at home on the evening of Sunday, 19 February 2023 with her husband Alex, son, Freddie, and newborn daughter, Annie, who she had delivered via caesarean section just six days prior. Sophie had been suffering from im

19 July 2024

Updated statement on global IT outage

Updated SECAmb statement Please attribute to a South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) spokesperson: “The majority of our infrastructure was unaffected by the global IT outage today (19 July) and we continued to respond to patients. “We are pleased our access to the external systems affected has now been restored. “We would like to thank all our colleagues and partner orga

19 July 2024

Trust statement on global IT outage

An NHS statement is available here: NHS England » News Please attribute to a South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) spokesperson: “The majority of our infrastructure is unaffected and we are continuing to respond to patients. However, we do not have access to some external NHS services and have declared a Business Continuity Incident to manage our response. “We are experi

19 July 2024

Sign up your school to save a life

Schools, colleges and young person’s organisations across the south east are being encouraged to sign up to the annual Restart a Heart Day. The initiative, led by the Resuscitation Council UK in partnership with organisations including the British Heart Foundation and ambulance services across the country, sees thousands of young people learn CPR and how to save a life on and around 16 October ea

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