A look back at 2023…
As 2024 is now upon us, we take the opportunity to reflect on the last 12 months and take a look at what #TeamECS has achieved this year.
It has been another busy year for our team with plenty of highlights to share as we delivered our mission to provide and influence excellent patient care, irrespective of injury, illness or location, through the delivery of high quality clinical operations and education.
Opening our brand new HQ
In May 2023 we opened our brand new headquarters, relocating from Chandler’s Ford to our bespoke site on the new Adanac Park in Nursling, Southampton. With facilities designed with our people in mind, this location boasts a cafe vibe crew room, state of the art education & training space and ample parking and storage for our vehicles and event equipment.
We were thrilled to welcome so many who have us on our journey to our opening ceremony, with a special mention to Spectrum Workplace and Mac Signs who delivered us this fantastic space that we now call home! Watch the fantastic opening ceremony video by Corporate Creative Productions.
Growing our delivery
This year, we have once again grown our operational delivery across our event and ambulance activity, achieving an 80% increase in hours of patient care provided.
Within our education and training team, we saw a whopping 365% increase on 2022, delivering 117 courses over the year!
This is all whilst maintaining our dedication to quality, robust governance and professionalism we so proudly represent.
Winning a ‘first of its kind’ 5 year regional contract
After 10 months of competitive tender process, we were delighted to have been awarded a 5 year regional contract for the delivery of Paramedic led emergency ambulance cover to South Central Ambulance Service across Hampshire.
This contract will see ECS mobilise to a full delivery of 12 shifts per day as the sole regional private provider in the region. This five year contract provides stability within a previously volatile sector, and the opportunity to work collectively with SCAS and the wider healthcare services to support the care patients receive.
Recruitment launches on the 15th January and we will soon be opening a brand new Portsmouth Ambulance Station in Q1 2024.
Paramedic Apprenticeship Goes Live
As an organisation passionate about developing our people, we were keen to ensure we had a pathway for ECAs to become Paramedics within ECS, on the back of our trainee ECA roles that were launched in 2022. Excitingly, October saw our first full time student Paramedic start with us on their fully funded apprenticeship, undertaking their learning through the University of Cumbria and their placement shifts with ECS. 2024 will see us expand our student Paramedic cohorts, offering a real development pathway for internal and external candidates.
Welcomed our new COO!
We were thrilled to welcome our new Chief Operating Officer, Craig Harman, in November. Take a look at our news here!
New Fleet Replacement
In 2023 we welcomed our 6th generation ambulance design, with all the tweaks and design changes following crew feedback and with our patient cohorts in mind. Our fleet is one of the youngest out there with no ambulance older than a 20 plate and soon to be replaced with more brand new vehicles in Q4! We also began our roll out of Zoll X Series and excellent personalised PAX cases.
Advanced Paediatric Life Support (ALSG) Accredited Centre
In addition to our Resuscitation Council (UK), NAEMT, Difficult Airway Site and Qualsafe course centre status, we added to our ALSG course offering in the form of the Advanced Paediatric Life Support Course. We have since delivered multiple courses, including our first 7th Edition course as one of the first course centres in the country to do so!
We also proudly hosted the Regional Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care conference, seeing over 60 delegates and faculty join us for a day of learning and practical workshops.
New Technology for Education
November saw the install of our brand new camera technology within our simulation rooms, allowing live feedback and streaming of practical and simulation skills. In addition we added to our simulation equipment and implemented our new training resuscitation trollies.
As part of our investment, we now welcome SimWessex courses for high fidelity immersive simulation for Doctors in training across the region. We are really excited to partner with more organisations looking for training space! Contact our education team here.
Delivered a range of events, nationwide!
Our event team continued to grow and deliver excellent care across the country and some real flagship events including Ironman UK, Forest Live, London Landmarks, Great South Run, RHS Flower Show series and Bournemouth 7s, to name just a few. We even managed some downtime in some beautiful parts of the country! Treating over 6000 patients and with a discharge on scene rate of over 98%, our event teams are some of the most proficient in the country.
We have already been confirmed for as much activity in 2024, so our event operations team are looking forward to another busy year!
Finished the year with Christmas Decorations and a fabulous Christmas Party and Awards evening
This year we added a Christmas Decoration party, as we made our new HQ look festive, with a side of mince pies and mulled wine. Soon after, as with each year, we celebrated everyone’s achievements with our renowned Christmas Party and Awards evening. A huge well done to all those who received awards, and to all the nominees, you really do make #TeamECS!
“I am thriled to look back on such a positive year for ECS. As with any business, it really takes a team to make it all happen and I am forever in awe of the team I have the privilege of working with. Here’s to 2024!”
Coming soon…what 2024 looks like!
