HC Deb 19 September 2003 vol 410 cc1319-20W
Helen Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to improve the performance of the Mersey Regional Ambulance Service. [130926]

Miss Melanie Johnson

[holding answer 18 September 2003]: The Mersey Regional Ambulance Service National Health Service Trust has an action plan with the central commissioning group (CCG), which represents the 15 primary care trusts across Cheshire and Merseyside.

The immediate actions agreed with the CCG include: additional resources to provide an intermediate patient transport service whereby out-patient transport staff will be provided with additional training and resources in order to assist with the response to emergency demand; introducing additional solo operated rapid response vehicles; extending the hours of the existing solo operated rapid response vehicles; and introduction of a community paramedic.

The Mersey Regional Ambulance Service NHS Trust and the CCG are assessing further action needed to ensure the Trust achieves a headline performance of 80 per cent. from April 2004. The Trust will present these plans by October 2003.