Agenda item

Geoff Catling (Programme Director, Estates, SECAmb), Sue Skelton (Deputy Director of Operations, SECAmb), Chris Stamp (Senior Operations Manager (Kent), SECAmb), Janine Compton (Head of Communications, SECAmb) and Patricia Davies (Accountable Officer, NHS Swale CCG) were in attendance for this item.

(1)       The Chairman welcomed the guests to the Committee. Mr Catling introduced the item and proceeded to give a presentation which covered the following key areas:

§  The future of the Emergency Operations Centres (EOC)

§  Drivers for reconfiguration

§  Proposals for reconfiguration

§  Preferred option – Two Emergency Operations Centres

§  Initial Engagement Plan

(2)       Ms Davies explained that NHS Swale CCG was the host commissioner of ambulance services on behalf of 22 CCGs and the resident population of 4.6 million people in Kent; Medway; Surrey; East and West Sussex; Brighton and Hove; and North East Hampshire. She stated that the CCG welcomed the SECAmb review of operational arrangements and the engagement that they were undertaking.

(3)       Members of the Committee then proceeded to ask a series of questions and make a number of comments. A Member enquired about collaboration with other emergency services. Mr Catling explained that SECAmb had been working closely with Surrey County Council on a project which looked at the collaboration of emergency services. Their research had found that in Surrey, only 0.9% of SECAmb responses were attended by another emergency service and 0.16% with both Fire & Rescue and Police. SECAmb were looking at the benefits of collaboration with Kent Fire & Rescue and Kent Police.

(4)       A question was asked about the two options which were not chosen: the retention of three EOCs and the implementation of one large central EOC. Ms Compton explained that it would be expensive to retain three EOCs and they would be unable to expand due to limited space. It was stated that one EOC would not be resilient in the event of system failure. Under the proposed two EOC configuration, Mr Catling confirmed that both sites would be located on different parts of the BT Super Highway and National Grid which would make the EOCs super-resilient. Ms Skelton explained that in the event of system failure at one EOC, the other would be able to respond immediately.

(5)       In response to a specific question about establishing a Centre of Excellence, it was explained that the EOC was already a Centre of Excellence. Under the proposals, there would be one Emergency Operations Centre which would operate over two locations in state of the art buildings. Clinical outcomes for patients and training for staff would be the same at each site. It was highlighted that staff at EOCs were highly trained and the Trust wanted to retain as many skilled staff as possible. If the Trust moved to one EOC, it was stated that this could affect some highly skilled staff.

(6)       RESOLVED that guests be thanked for their attendance at the meeting, that they be requested to take note of the comments made by Members during the meeting and that they be invited to attend a meeting of the Committee in three months.