South Western Ambulance Service

The South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust (SWAST) is the authority responsible for providing NHS ambulance services in the counties of Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset. The trust was created in July 2006 as a result of the merger of the Westcountry and Dorset ambulance services.

It is one of 12 Ambulance Trusts providing England with Emergency medical services, and is part of the National Health Service, receiving direct government funding for its role. Under the Patient's charter, every person in the United Kingdom has the right to the attendance of an ambulance in an emergency.There is no charge to patients for use of the service.

Divisions & Stations

The trust is split into 2 divisions:

West - Devon and Cornwall including West Divisional HQ, 999 and PTS Control at Exeter covering Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.

East - Somerset and Dorset including East Divisional HQ, 999 and PTS Control at Ringwood covering Dorset.

The Trust has 65 ambulance stations among the 4 counties it serves:

Cornwall
*Bodmin
*Bude
*Camelford
*Carbis Bay
*Falmouth
*Helston
*Isles of Scilly
*Launceston
*Liskeard
*Newquay
*Penzance
*Redruth
*Saltash
*St Austell
*Truro
*WadebridgeDevon
*Ashburton
*Axminster
*Barnstaple
*Bideford
*Brixham
*Crediton
*Cullompton
*Dartmouth
*Dawlish
*Derriford - Plymouth
*Exeter
*Exmouth
*Honiton
*Holsworthy
*Ilfracombe
*Kingsbridge
*Lynton
*Newton Abbot
*Okehampton
*Paignton
*Sidmouth
*South Molton
*Tavistock
*Tiverton
*Torpoint
*Torquay
*TotnesDorset
*Blandford
*Bournemouth
*Bridport
*Christchurch
*Dorchester
*Poole
*Shaftesbury
*Sherborne
*Swanage
*Wareham
*Weymouth
*WimborneSomerset
*Bridgwater
*Burnham on Sea
*Castle Cary
*Glastonbury
*Frome
*Ilminster
*Minehead
*Shepton Mallet
*Taunton
*Yeovil

Facts and Figures

The Trust is one of the largest of the new trusts formed in England in 2006. Within this, it covers 20,231 miles of road and 827 miles of coastline. In a year, over 250,000 Emergency and Urgent calls are received and dealt with.

The Trust provides ambulance services for the Strategic Health Authority NHS South West. In addition the Trust works with the following Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) for ambulance matters:

Primary Care Trusts

Cornwall
*Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

Devon
*Devon
*Plymouth Teaching
*Torbay Somerset
*Somerset

Dorset
*Bournemouth and Poole
*Dorset [ [http://www.swast.nhs.uk/facts/facts.htm SWAST Facts and Figures] ]

Vehicles

*A&E vehicles - 194 (not including Movano vehicles removed from service in 2007)
*PTS vehicles - 118
*RRV cars - 86
*RRV motorcycles - 7

*Pool cars - 28

*Other vehicles - 59
*Air ambulances - 4

*Air bases - 4 [ [http://www.swast.nhs.uk/facts/facts.htm SWAST Facts and Figures] ]

Air Ambulances

The South Western Ambulance Service have access to the following air ambulances.
* Cornwall Air Ambulance
* Devon Air Ambulance of which there are two helicopters.
* Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance

Fire Co-Responders

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, Cornwall County Fire Brigade and Dorset Fire and Rescue Service, all work in partnership with South Western Ambulance to provide emergency medical cover to particular areas of the Trust. These areas, often rural, have been identified as having a greater need for ambulance cover. Many of these areas do not have a local ambulance station. The aim of a co-responder teams is to preserve life until the arrival of either a Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV) or an ambulance. Co-responder vehicles are equipped with oxygen and automatic external defibrillation (AED) equipment supplied by South Western Ambulance. [ [http://www.swast.nhs.uk/services/resp_fire.htm SWAST Fire Co Responders] ]

References

ee also

* Emergency medical services in the United Kingdom

External links

* [http://www.swast.nhs.uk/ South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust]