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Working with the police

North East Ambulance Service has a joint operating procedure in place with Durham Constabulary, Cleveland Police and Northumbria Police.

The aim of the procedure is to improve the standard of care provided to people who come into contact with emergency services and reduce demand on both agencies by avoiding ambulances attending incidents unnecessarily, and reducing the amount of time police officers spend at the scene of an incident.

As part of the procedure, police officers at the scene of incidents to evaluate whether any injured people require an ambulance, or whether they can be treated using other healthcare pathways.

Medical advice is also given to officers at the scene by NEAS staff via a dedicated hotline. 

NEAS chief executive Yvonne Ormston said: “Having a good working relationship with other emergency services can be critical in ensuring the safety of both members of the public and our employees and it can have a real impact on how efficiently we support each other. 

“Having a shared understanding of how we can work more closely together in this way will help us all ensure North East residents receive the best possible care, no matter which emergency service reaches them first.”

Durham Constabulary’s Assistant Chief Constable, Dave Orford, said: “This is an extremely important partnership which will ensure staff are better informed, better supported and are working effectively together for a the best outcome for patients, without wasting valuable resources.”  

Assistant Chief Constable Jason Harwin, from Cleveland Police, said: “The aim of the joint operating procedure is for us to continue to work together to provide the best service that we can to the public and ensure that emergency services resources are used in the most effective and efficient way so that people receive the help they need as quickly as possible.”

Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Ged Noble, from Northumbria Police, said:  “This initiative is another example of how emergency services, here in the North East, work closely together to ensure we continue to deliver an outstanding service to the public.”

The procedure is supported by Durham’s Police, Crime and Victim’s Commissioner, Ron Hogg, Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner, Barry Coppinger, and Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Dame Vera Baird.

Durham’s Police, Crime and Victims’ Commissioner, Ron Hogg, said: “At a time of limited resources, this partnership should improve both the effectiveness and the efficiency of our emergency services, providing a better service for patients.”

Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland, Barry Coppinger, said: “Closer collaboration is essential between all public services as demand increases and resources remain limited. I’m confident this procedure will allow responders to deliver a better and more efficient service to the public.”

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Dame Vera Baird QC, said: “We’re seeing significant demands placed upon our emergency services, but thanks to innovative local partnership projects like this we can continue to deliver a first-class service to the public.”