A local Northfield MP visited the Trust’s newest ambulance hub in Birmingham this week.
Labour MP Richard Burden took a tour of Hollymoor Hub on Hollymoor Way in Northfield on Tuesday 1st October which has been operational since July. The site is home to a dedicated team of ambulance fleet assistants who clean, stock and prepare ambulances in readiness for clinical staff to start their shift.
During the visit, Mr Burden saw the modern and roomy rest room where staff have their breaks, the management offices and training facilities and the fleet garage where mechanics carry out servicing and repairs to front line ambulance vehicles. Mr Burden also had the opportunity to see first had the ‘Make Ready’ area of the Hub in action where ambulances are cleaned, checked and re-stocked ready for the start of a crews shift.
Hollymoor Area Manager Dax Morris met with Mr Burden and said: “We’re very pleased that Mr Burden has taken the time to visit us at our new Hub and I hope it’s given him a chance to see the inner workings of our new facility.
“Whilst Make Ready isn’t a new thing for the Trust, after many successful years in Staffordshire, it’s a new way of working for us in Birmingham and we’re already reaping the benefits.”
Mr Burden, Labour MP for Northfield, said: “I received a great welcome at Hollymoor Hub on Tuesday, which was great to see in action. I certainly see the sense in the new system for both response times and safety. It’s also good to be reassured by West Midlands Ambulance Service that even though the new hub is the main operational base, most ambulances are always out at different locations across South Birmingham to get to incidents as quickly as possible. I’m pleased that ‘Make Ready’, the project to modernise the ambulance service in the West Midlands, is moving ahead so successfully.
“I hope that it will not only save costs and provide a better environment for staff – but deliver improvements for patients too. Birmingham, like the rest of the country, continues to face an A&E crisis. The amount of time people are waiting in ambulances, and to be referred to treatment, is still too high in the city.
“New facilities like the Hollymoor Hub will be crucial for improving services. I’d like to thank all the staff there for their hard work and dedication for all the work they do, and wish them the best going forward.”
