North West Ambulance Service boosts resilience ahead of winter

This includes the recruitment of over 700 new staff members and by Christmas 75 paramedics and 32 emergency medical technicians will join the team, with more due to be in post by March 2024.

A further 250 call handlers will be appointed for the 999 and 111 contact centres along with 72 new recruits for the Patient Transport Service.

NWAS is also increasing the number of clinicians working within the contact centres who help to get patients the right care for their needs by providing advice over the phone or making referrals to alternate health or care services.

An additional 32 emergency ambulances will be out responding to patients by February, taking the total operating across the region to 553. NWAS will continue to work closely with local hospitals to help reduce the amount of time ambulances spend waiting to handover patients, allowing vehicles and crews to be free to respond to the next emergency.

Chief operating officer Salman Desai said: “As always, we are here for you when you need us most and we have robust plans in place to ensure that the high-quality service expected by our patients is maintained throughout the winter period.

“We know that the winter months will bring with it additional challenges in terms of more people needing our help, ongoing industrial action taking place across the healthcare system and an expected increase of seasonal illnesses, but we are as prepared as we can be for increased demands on our service.

“There are a number of ways that you can help us help you this winter including getting your flu and COVID vaccinations, stocking up your medicines cupboards, ensuring repeat prescriptions are ordered in advance, making use of local pharmacies and using 111.nhs.uk for advice on non-urgent conditions.”

For more information on the services provided by NWAS visit nwas.nhs.uk.