About AACE
The Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) was established in 2011 to provide the UK’s statutory ambulance services with an organisation that can support them in the implementation of nationally agreed policy.
Whether for patient care, operational policy, emergency preparedness, employee wellbeing or volunteering, the Association exists to support its members and to act as an interface, where appropriate at a national level, between them and their stakeholders.
AACE’s activity can be grouped under three functional areas:
- to connect, co-ordinate and facilitate
- to produce, deliver and commission bespoke pieces of work on the UK NHS ambulance sector’s behalf, and
- to advocate, influence, engage and communicate.
The AACE Council
The Council is chaired by Jeff Worrall, Chair of East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, and consists of all the Chairs and Chief Executives of the English Ambulance Trusts, and those of the devolved nations.
It plays a vital role in setting our strategic direction, agreeing each year’s objectives and focus in terms of lobbying and influencing. The Council also receives regular updates on progress against these objectives throughout the year.
The Council has a wealth of expertise both from within the NHS and externally being made up of a mix of highly experienced CEOs and a group of Chairs who bring an additional vital skill set which is often coupled with extensive private and commercial sector experience.
AACE was established after it had become increasingly apparent that the less formal meetings of ambulance chief executives needed a central organising body with the ability to support and facilitate UK NHS ambulance services in their implementation of national strategy.
The Association helps individual ambulance services to work more closely together, to ensure greater efficiency and provide an important link with partners, particularly other emergency services.
