Update from Anthony Marsh

First and foremost, I’d like to wish you all a very merry Christmas.

As much of the nation sits down to a roast dinner and unwraps gifts today, many of us here in the ambulance service will be hard at work. In a lot of ways Christmas is just like any normal working day for us – we all know that people will call 999 and need life-saving care and treatment all year round. But it is still difficult to be the one sacrificing your time and working on Christmas Day, so I want to say a heartfelt thank you to all of you on shift who are making sure patients in the east of England are still safe and cared for.

2014 has been a busy and challenging year not just for us, but for ambulance services nationally. Call demand has increased to levels we’ve not seen before, and the NHS as a whole is the busiest it’s ever been. And yet there is much we should be proud of – hundreds of new student paramedics are on the road, new ambulances have been delivered with more to follow next year, better career pathways and opportunities have been introduced for staff and we’ve invested in enhanced equipment to help you treat patients. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many of you, and our dedicated volunteers, this year and I am exceptionally proud of all of you for your efforts in helping us get to where we are today.

Of course, 2015 is not going to be easy. We know we are going to have to treat more patients and provide higher quality care. But having seen for myself the capability of the staff working in this Trust, I believe we are well equipped to face the future and build on our successes to date.

And so it is with this thought and with every confidence for the future that I wish you all a happy and safe Christmas.

Published 25th December 2014