1. Background Introduction The East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) NHS Trust has launched a transformation programme, which is entitled "Being the Best". As part of this programme, EMAS is now consulting on proposals on the closure of certain ambulance stations and the introduction of hubs, community ambulance posts and standby points throughout the whole region. The consultation period began on 17 September and will continue until 17 December 2012. Copies of the consultation document are enclosed for members of the Committee and are also available on the EMAS website:

www.emas.nhs.uk/get-involved/being-the-best-consultation/ Attached at Appendix A to the report is the stakeholder briefing, which provides more information on the proposals. Following the consultation, the EMAS Board will consider the consultation responses and make a decision in January 2013. The consultation document states that the proposals would be implemented between April 2013 and April 2018. Impact on Lincolnshire The EMAS Estates Strategy 2012 2022, as presented to the EMAS Board on 5 April 2012, lists a total of 20 ambulance stations in the Lincolnshire Division of EMAS, 15 of which are located in the County of Lincolnshire:

Boston Bourne Gainsborough Grantham Holbeach Horncastle Lincoln Louth Mablethorpe Market Rasen Skegness Sleaford Spilsby Spalding Stamford

Under the proposals, these ambulance stations will be replaced by five hubs and 28 Community Ambulance Posts and Standby Points in the Lincolnshire Division.

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APPENDIX A

BRIEFING Have your say on your ambulance

service ‘Being the Best’ Friday, 14 September 2012

For all stakeholders

This is a briefing for all stakeholders on the East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust ‘Being the Best’ programme. This briefing is to accompany the formal consultation document which will be distributed from Monday, 17 September. Background: We understand the need change and develop the way we deliver care and our services. We have launched a ‘Being the Best’ programme to improve the way we work as an organisation to be the best ambulance service we can be. As part of this programme, we are now consulting on the proposals which will see innovative, effective and efficient change brought into the service. We have worked with highly trained, skilled and committed clinical colleagues both internal and external to the service to develop this approach. This is a clinically-led review, focused on patient safety and quality. What are we proposing? We are looking at our systems and processes to improve. This involves an operational management restructure and a review of our current rota patterns how clinicians currently work their shifts. This will see an improvement to our working practices but will not change our approach to patient care. It will make the service more efficient and effective. We continue to work closely with staff and unions to deliver the best solution. The new proposals would see 131 Community Ambulance Posts, Standby Points and Hubs/Super Stations created. These locations would enable better joint working with the Police, Fire Service and other partners as we plan to create Community Ambulance Posts in these existing buildings. This would also save additional resources and provide more coverage of ambulances across the region. We currently have 66 ambulance stations. It is this element of the programme that we are consulting with the patients, the public and partners on. Staff will be able to have input into all elements of the programme.

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In addition, we are investing in more Emergency Care Practitioners and new Urgent Care ambulance teams. Why:

There are several key benefits for this change: Allows clinicians to respond faster to patient calls and means they can take more advantage of the treatment, care and technological advances available e.g. trauma centres, heart attacks and strokes ‘right care, right place, first time’. Allows us to spend our resources on frontline service delivery not buildings which are empty and costly to run. Means we do not need to invest 13million in bringing buildings up to modern standards and can change our locations to better suit demand, population growth and road networks. Means that areas which have not previously had ambulance cover will now benefit as the use of Standby Points and Community Ambulance Posts will increase. Allows clinical colleagues to be better supported through having support services more readily available to them, such as restocking vehicles, vehicle maintenance and training, which we propose will be provided through the Hubs/Super Stations.

Where: A mbulance Posts, Standby The review and the proposals affect all the divisions covered by EMAS: Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire. Community Ambulance Posts, Standby Points and Hubs/Super Stations will be sited according to where they are most able to respond to calls received. This is based on information across a number of systems as well as local knowledge of road networks and requirements. We expect that the new sites will be flexible and close to the existing areas. The positive is that there are more of them: 131 vs. existing Ambulance Stations with Standby Points that are not used frequently. Next steps The formal consultation period both internal and external to the organisation runs between Monday, 17 September and Monday, 17 December 2012. This ensures we are adhering to the statutory 90-day consultation required.

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