The Committee for Health & Social Care and the St John Emergency Ambulance Service (SJEAS) are delighted to announce a new contract has been signed for the ongoing delivery of the vital ambulance service.

This is a planned renewal that provides continuity of service for the public, while setting out a joint commitment for the future transformation of the emergency road ambulance service in accordance with the direction outlined in HSC’s Partnership of Purpose policy letter, which was unanimously approved by the States.

Under its contract with the States of Guernsey, which will be managed by HSC, it is expected that SJEAS will respond to more than 4,000 emergency calls each year in addition to the transfer of a similar number of patients to scheduled diagnostic and treatment appointments.

The new contract provides a 10-year commitment, however also enables either party to signal their intention to withdraw with a 12-month notice period. The States will provide a grant of £2,417,567 per year to SJEAS, and both parties have committed to working side-by-side on a programme of change that will ensure the Emergency Road Ambulance Service is equipped to best meet the changing needs of the community in the long-term.

This work forms a crucial part of the ‘Partnership of Purpose’ transformation programme currently underway within HSC. This has been acknowledged by both HSC and St John who have established a strong working relationship, not only to secure this contract, but to start work on making the necessary changes to support our population in the future. We have already commenced a review of the emergency ambulance service, ensuring that we consider its key role in the overall health and care system. Any future service will be designed to address the aging population issues and will revise clinical pathways to enable better treatment at home for patients.

Deputy Heidi Soulsby, President of the Committee for Health & Social Care, said: ‘Members of our community understandably place a lot of faith and trust in the St John Emergency Ambulance Service, so I am delighted that we have signed this contract well in advance of the current contract expiring at the end of 2018. 

‘This agreement is an excellent example of partnership working. The negotiation process has been extremely positive, which was particularly pleasing given how vitally important it is that we are collectively aligned about the need to transform services to meet the changing needs of patients.’

Alison Marquis, Chief Officer of the St John Emergency Ambulance Service, said: ‘Everyone who works for the St John Emergency Ambulance Service considers it an honour to serve and support members of our community, often in their hour of greatest need. We wanted to continue serving the community and we’re really pleased that the negotiation process has resulted in a robust contract for the ongoing delivery of our essential services for residents of the Bailiwick. I look forward to working with HSC and other States of Guernsey colleagues to focus on how we transform these services to meet the future needs of islanders.’