How we make decisions

Being open and accountable is very important. The North East Ambulance Service has governance arrangements in place to ensure that it complies with relevant legislation, carries out its duties and manages and monitors performance. 

We undertook a full review of our committee structures in 2023 and continue to reflect on the effectiveness of our committees and groups, enabling us to make amendments to our structures on a timely basis.

Our latest governance structure can be found here.

You can find all of our Board papers and minutes here.

Board Papers and Minutes

Shared decisions on joint priorities

Now, more than ever before, health and care services need to work together to deliver the right care, at the right time and in the best place. The NHS Long Term Plan, published 7 January 2019, makes it clear that integrated care systems (ICS) are central to bringing together local organisations, to redesign care and improve health.

The ICS for the North East and North Cumbria is looking at ways of working differently for the benefit of all patients and staff. The integrated care system is bringing together health and social care organisations to agree joint priorities and decide how best to deliver efficient services where there is a common need or opportunity. By collaborating and making best use of combined resources, including technology, data, money and our workforce, we have a shared focus on improving the health and wellbeing of people in all communities.

The integrated care system also supports joint decisions and makes it easier to work ‘at scale’ on common issues which are bigger than one organisation or local authority area. Alongside the ICS, most of the work to plan and tailor care for local populations and communities will continue to be done through integrated care partnerships (ICPs) between hospital trusts, GPs, community-based health and care services and the third sector. The ICPs will also be working across local boundaries to reduce some of the costs associated with planning and delivering services, in addition to sharing what works best to improve the health of local people.

You can find out more about the ICS from this website here.