It was recently announced that the North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust and Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust will be coming together to form an alliance across the North of England (Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE), 2016). The services have said the launch of the Northern Ambulance Alliance will help to improve the efficiency of ambulance services in the areas covered by all three Trusts.
It is important to stress that it is not a merger but an attempt by all three organisations to work closer together to improve patient care. Additionally, it is felt the alliance should help identify savings through collaborative procurement and offer improved resilience. So, in effect, the boards of each of the individual Trusts will still have responsibility for their individual service, but will also consider the work and objectives of the Northern Ambulance Alliance when making decisions.
One of the key driving forces behind the inception of the alliance was the Lord Carter Review (2015) into productivity in NHS hospitals, which supports identification of efficiencies and reduction of unwarranted variances. Some of the areas already identified where the Trusts can work together include looking at ‘efficiency through joint procurement exercises, major changes to IT, assessing specialist expertise and learning from each other's achievements' (AACE, 2016).
This alliance should be commended and highlights the overall commitment from each of the Trust's to improve patient care. While demand for each service will inevitably differ due to considerations such as population and community, their strategic priorities are inextricably linked. It therefore makes sense that they should be considered together. More than anything, the alliance offers an excellent opportunity for the sharing of best practice and to tackle mutual difficulties. An example was highlighted by Rod Barnes, chief executive officer of Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, of how the Trusts could come together to deliver on a single issue: ‘This might mean the procurement of a single agreed vehicle specification for all three services, identifying savings through the standardisation of maintenance and equipment contracts, which is something that has proved elusive at a national level’ (AACE, 2016).
It has been assured that there will be no direct staff consequences as a result of the alliance. However, it may mean in the future that the three organisations consider joint appointments or shared working for new roles and replacements.
It is hoped that other services will follow and create their own alliances. Who knows, it may even be one step closer to a single national ambulance service.