West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) is celebrating the dedicated staff who work behind the scenes to help patients across the West Midlands every day as part of International Control Room Week.
From answering a 999 call from a distressed parent whose child is seriously unwell to arranging transport for a patient attending a vital hospital appointment, WMAS’s control room colleagues play a crucial role in ensuring patients receive the care and support they need.
Working alongside frontline ambulance crews and clinicians, control room staff are often the very first point of contact for patients and members of the public seeking help.
The Trust operates two Emergency Operations Centres in Brierley Hill and Stafford. Last year, WMAS received 1,592,831 emergency 999 calls.
Jeremy Brown, Emergency Operations Centre and Operational Planning Director, said: “It is a huge responsibility being the voice at the other end of the phone when someone calls 999 for help. Quite often, it will be one of the most difficult moments in that person’s life.
“Our call assessors are trained to stay calm under pressure, gather vital information and make sure patients get the right help as quickly as possible.
“What many people don’t see is the teamwork taking place behind the scenes. While a call assessor is speaking to a caller, dispatchers, controllers and clinicians are already working together to coordinate the most appropriate response. I am incredibly proud of our teams who continue to put patients at the heart of everything they do, no matter how busy it gets.”
Control rooms also play a vital role in supporting WMAS’s non-emergency Patient Transport Service (PTS). The Trust delivers five PTS contracts across the West Midlands and Cheshire and operates four dedicated control rooms in Stafford, Coventry, Warrington and Frankley.
Over the last year, these teams arranged 792,813 patient journeys, helping patients safely travel to and from essential hospital appointments.
Michelle Brotherton, Non-Emergency Service Operations Delivery Director, added: “Our control room staff are at the centre of everything we do. They answer calls, book journeys, support crews on the road and help patients with a wide range of needs every day.
“The service simply could not operate without them. Their professionalism, compassion and commitment make a real difference to the patients we serve.”
As part of International Control Room Week, WMAS is paying tribute to the dedicated colleagues working around the clock to provide reassurance, support and expert coordination for patients across the region. To find out more about the work of WMAS control rooms, visit www.wmas.nhs.uk.
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