Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) is placing culture at the heart of its transformation journey. Under the leadership of its Interim Chief Executive, Maxine Paterson, NIAS has launched a trust-wide programme to build a healthier, more respectful and more connected workplace, one that supports staff and strengthens patient care.
This programme is supported by the King’s Fund, the Belfast-based HSC Leadership Centre and AACE-led sexual safety expertise, and to date has included:
- Staff-led listening sessions across the service, creating space for honest conversations about civility, psychological safety, and lived experience.
- Co-production of a formal People Plan, with a focus on leadership development, meaningful appraisal, and fairer resolution processes.
- Engagement with external partners, including the HCPC, to ensure best practice in key areas.
Florence Milliken, Professional Liaison Consultant (Northern Ireland) from the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) says:
I have enjoyed NIAS’s curiosity, openness and frank conversations as we’ve discussed topics like sexual safety, civility, and listening to concerns. I look forward to expanding on this work together and ensuring NIAS is safe for all.
Interim Chief Executive of NIAS Maxine Paterson added:
As Chief Executive, I am committed to leading the NIAS Culture Programme, which is not a set of policies but a shared commitment to how we treat each other with respect, compassion and fairness.
This is about listening to the experiences of our staff and working together to create a workplace where our people feel safe, connected, and valued – a culture that reflects our values in action every day.
This cultural work is happening alongside broader system reform whereby NIAS is:
- Expanding paramedic science, with 15 additional university training places to grow clinical capacity.
- Developing care pathways in partnership with other trusts, reducing unnecessary conveyance and improving patient outcomes.
- Strengthening its Integrated Clinical Hub, ensuring patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
By embracing cultural transformation and clinical innovation, the service is shaping a future where every voice matters and every action reflects compassion, respect, and professional excellence.
