Ambulance trust's emergency operations centre in Bedford "not up to modern standards" says report

A review has begun to decide how many emergency operations centres the East of England Ambulance Service Trust requires, with a further analysis of each site expected if necessary.

A petition has been started to preserve the trust’s Bedford site, which could lead to around 150 job losses if it closes.

While the trust has stressed that no decisions have been made, Labour Bedford MP Mohammad Yasin has said he believes shutting it may just be a formality.

The trust’s site in the town holds an emergency operations centre and offices for support functions, such as information technology, explained a report to Luton Borough Council’s scrutiny health and social care review group.

“There are two other emergency operations centres in Norwich and Chelmsford run by the trust.”

The report outlines the trust’s future plans, saying: “In supporting the development of our strategy, we need to understand the optimal number of emergency operations centres we require.

“This would be to still deliver a resilient, high-quality service to our patients, meeting modern emergency operations centre standards, in a cost-effective manner.

“No decision has been made by the trust board to close or move any emergency operations centre, including the Hammond Road site, as of December 2024.

The first step is to consider the number of emergency operations centres and what would be required to bring them up to modern standards, said the report.

“On initial assessment, the centres in Bedford and Chelmsford don’t meet modern standards. Any proposal on their future will need to consider options for these sites.

“The trust board has commissioned a report outlining the number of centres required to deliver its commitments to patients, while ensuring the optimal environment for staff to undertake their duties effectively.

“The board is intent on good engagement with staff throughout this process. Focus groups have been held with staff during the last two months to build the criteria for determining the number of sites.

“An assessment of that analysis will be considered by the board and used to determine the appropriate number of these locations,” added the report. “Should there be a decision to recommend a change to the number of centres, a thorough review of each of our three current sites would be held.

“Options which meet the criteria will then be considered by the board. The trust is committed to working with all staff groups and stakeholders to find the best solutions and to fully understand the implications of these choices.

“The results of such a review would need to be submitted to the trust board for consideration. There’s currently no date set for a paper to be presented to the board.

“If a business case is presented for the closure or move of an emergency operations centre, this would be shared with the (LBC scrutiny) committee.”

Councillors are asked to note the contents of the report, ahead of considering it in detail on Thursday (January 9) evening.