Subject: DOH:HEALTH MINISTER APPOINTS NEW NATIONAL AMBULANCE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 2004/0180 10 May 2004 HEALTH MINISTER APPOINTS NEW NATIONAL AMBULANCE ADVISOR Rosie Winterton recruits ambulance chief Peter Bradley to undertake 6-month ambulance review Health Minister, Rosie Winterton, today appointed Peter Bradley (Chief Executive of the London Ambulance Service, and Ambulance Service Association President) to a new, part-time post as National Ambulance Advisor. Over the next six months, Peter Bradley will take a leading role in driving forward a number of issues as part of a strategic review of ambulance services. The review is expected to resolve How best to clarify clock start/stop times to ensure transparent and consistent measurement of response times How best to implement the recommendations of the recent review of call categorisation to ensure that patients receive a consistent service The review will also consider how to make longer-term improvements in areas such as: How to improve integration between the ambulance service and other unscheduled care providers, particularly GP out of hours (OOH) providers. The future role of ambulance services and the implications of this for service organisation and provision. Ambulance service staff education and training requirements Developing clinical indicators and outcome measures to assure quality of care Peter Bradley said: "I am excited by this challenge and delighted that the Department of Health has given us such a wide remit to build further on the improvement in ambulance services we have seen in recent years. This will not just be a review on paper. We want to see demonstrable changes and improvements. "The ambulance services have undergone a major transformation. Twenty years ago the ambulance service was perceived as a transport organisation. Today we are recognised as a health profession with a crucial role to play in patient care. In the past, although we were part of the NHS, we stood apart, we are now moving into a more central position. "When there is impetus for change you need to grab it with both hands. Staff, managers and unions are hungry for improvement and I will be working with them and the department, to further improve and modernise our ambulance service." Health Minister, Rosie Winterton, said: "I am delighted to announce Peter Bradley's appointment to this role and look forward to working with him over the coming months. "Peter will play a vital role in co-ordinating the work of Ambulance trusts across the country. He will give the best possible support to staff and help to ensure that the ambulance service has the clarity and purpose to deliver a high quality service at the very heart of emergency care. "New working roles are being developed right across the ambulance service and we will work hard to maximise the skills of staff. This will mean a better service and experience for patients and also improve ways of working in partnership with the rest of the NHS." Notes For Editors 1. Peter Bradley was the National Advisor on ambulance services in New Zealand and introduced a number of initiatives across the country including management training and development for ambulance managers. In 1997 he was appointed Director of Operations of the London Ambulance Service and in 2000 was appointed Chief Executive. He chairs the Ambulance Service Association Operations Committee and became President of the Association in June 2003. 2. For further media enquiries only please contact Ben Lewis on 020 7210 5229. [ENDS] -------------------------------------------------------------------- GNNREF: 94611 Issued by : DOH Press Office Contact : If you have any queries relating to this press release, please forward this e-mail to the Press Office e-mail address provided above, or alternatively contact the originating Press Office by telephone. (Media queries only) Please DO NOT attempt to reply to the sender of this e-mail. The sender is involved solely as a broadcasting agent and cannot process e-mailed queries. Any attached files with a .DOC extension should be read using a word processor capable of reading Word 97 files. If you believe that the originating body is sending you Word 2000 files that you are not yet capable of reading, ask them to save future files in an earlier version.