St John Ambulance and Rescue Service (SJARS) in Guernsey was appointed in October 2022 by the States of Alderney to take operational responsibility for the ambulance service in Alderney from the start of April 2023.
A review of the Alderney Ambulance Service by the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives Service last year found the model to be “unsafe” and that immediate action needed to be taken.
Since the review was published, SJARS said it has been working with the States of Alderney and the Committee for Health and Social Care on the new model of ambulance provisions. SJARS has also recruited four new employees from the local community in Alderney.
Until St John Ambulance & Rescue Service assumes operational responsibility for the new service in April, the Alderney ambulance service is currently staffed by agency personnel from a UK-based independent ambulance provider, commissioned by and reporting to the States of Alderney.
The four new staff members, who will be employed by St John Ambulance & Rescue Service Guernsey as Emergency Ambulance Crew, are Mike Lord, Mel Walden, Maria Collier, and Angela Etheredge. They are all Alderney residents, and some have had previous involvement with the ambulance service in Alderney.
Aimee Lihou, Head of Quality and Patient Safety, said the staff was undergoing training for the roles.
“The Alderney staff are nearing the completion of their initial training and have been gaining valuable on-the-road experience with clinicians in Guernsey, which has given them exposure to a range of medical and trauma cases. When they first become operational in Alderney they will initially be supported by a member of Guernsey staff who will be stationed temporarily in Alderney, then as part of the new model for the Alderney ambulance service, we will give ongoing support with oversight from Guernsey. The crews will have 24/7 access by phone to senior ambulance clinicians based in Guernsey, as well as access to Alderney’s Island Medical Centre.”
The Alderney ambulance service will operate as an extension of the Guernsey service, led by the St John Ambulance and Rescue Service and under its clinical governance framework.
