Improved emissions and road safety with Lightfoot

E-zec is delighted to have invested in a pioneering telematics system that will help us to significantly reduce our carbon footprint and allow us to continuously improve the way that we operate our vehicles. 

Lightfoot has been installed in each and every one of our 500 ambulances across the UK, which measures live data from the engine, allowing us to clearly identify areas where we can improve fuel efficiency and drive even more safely.

The system aims to achieve a 10% reduction in CO2 emissions, which is equivalent to introducing 52 new EV vehicles into the business. It also aims to reduce road risk by increasing awareness of driving performance and behaviours, which has already seen a reduction of Road Traffic Accidents by a huge 20%. 

Ryan, one of our Ambulance Care Assistants, said: “I can definitely see an improvement in the way that I drive through the Lightfoot system. I’m not idling as much, I’m pulling away from junctions and switching gears more smoothly, and it provides me with a daily score for how economically I’ve driven. It’s become a bit of a friendly competition internally too!” 

To find out more and to hear what our ambulance crews have to say, watch the video here.

Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week

To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, we’re shining a light on the benefits that apprentices are bringing to E-zec.

We’ve partnered with Basegreen Academy, an approved apprenticeship training provider in pre-hospital care, to provide colleagues with an opportunity to learn and train while also receiving on-the-job experience. 

Jack Alexander, Contract and Compliance Manager at E-zec, is currently overseeing three apprentices at E-zec’s Hereford operations. He said: “Our apprentices started in January 2023 – despite being only a few weeks in, we anticipate that this will bring huge value to the business, including in-house progression routes and staff retention.

“Successful completion of the 12-month apprenticeship will see individuals achieve a QA Level 3 Diploma in Ambulance Emergency and Urgent Care Support (RQF). The course consists of online working, practical learning, and fortnightly two-hour review meetings.”

The 6th to 12th February 2023 is National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), which focuses on how national collaborations between businesses and apprentices positively impact individuals, companies, communities and the wider economy.

Simon Pill, Head of Learning and Development at E-zec, added: “This year’s theme of NAW is Skills for Life, and that’s exactly what we’re endeavouring to provide. We recognise that the future of E-zec, and the industry, is the next generation, and so we want to support individuals however possible to provide a truly overarching insight into the industry, and a clear and supportive career path. E-zec currently has 71 live learners on the apprenticeship programme, the vast majority of these being ACAs.”

Pictured below: Sarah Young and Marvin Benjamin – both apprentices at E-zec’s Hereford Operations.

E-zec merges with ERS Medical

E-zec has merged with ERS Transition Ltd (t/a ERS Medical), creating the UK’s largest provider of specialist transport services to the NHS and local authorities. Together, we will be best placed to partner with more than 50 commissioning bodies with the support of over 2,500 colleagues across 55 operational sites nationwide.

ERS Medical provides patient transport, medical courier and GP out of hours services to over 40 NHS and healthcare customers across the UK. In 2022, it completed approximately 700,000 patient journeys and transported over 10 million pathology samples. E-zec provides patient transport, mental health and specialist transport services to local authorities and in 2022, delivered over 720,000 patient journeys. 

This partnership is strategically important to both companies and given the breadth of service expertise, is highly complementary. It delivers considerable geographical expansion, with near national coverage, and creates the unequivocal industry leader. This offers a unique opportunity to drive innovation and future growth. By combining operational best practice, expertise and high standards, the enlarged business will deliver further opportunities for employees, customers and most importantly, better support for those in its communities who need it the most.

Andrew Pooley, ERS Medical’s owner and Chief Executive leaves the business to pursue other interests. Jeroen van Os, remains with the business and is appointed as Group Chief Commercial Officer, working with Craig Smith, Group Chief Executive Officer and the wider executive team to support the two businesses and realise the growth potential that this partnership offers.

Jeroen van Os said, “The team at ERS Medical set out to be the leading healthcare transport provider in the UK and have achieved significant growth over the last 5 years. To help unlock our future potential, we have taken the decision to partner with E-zec. Both businesses are specialists in non-emergency transport services and share a commitment to deliver high quality, people-oriented services. This naturally creates the foundations for a strong partnership, enabling the delivery of best-in-class services to our customers, patients and provides further opportunities for all colleagues. I look forward joining the executive team and delivering our next phase of growth.”

Craig Smith, E-zec’s Chief Executive Officer added, “We are delighted to welcome ERS to our family. The health and social care sectors are undergoing rapid change and our partnership will truly help us to better support those in our communities who need us the most.  We have much in common with a shared ethos and culture of care.  This is an obvious partnership that strengthens our offering to our employees, customers and patients, while also giving us a platform for further growth.  We have much to learn from each other and are excited about the next phase of our growth.”

Media queries: comms@e-zec.co.uk

Off-Duty E-zec ACAs on Hand to Help

Two off-duty ambulance care assistants (ACAs) acted selflessly upon coming across a three-car collision, and were quickly on hand to assist.

E-zec’s Graham Lawrence and Stephen Harding, based at the company’s Dorset operations, were driving back towards Weymouth from Sherborne after finishing their shift, and came across a three-car collision with only a fire engine in attendance. With their knowledge and expertise, they decided to stop and support those involved, while waiting for the ambulance crew to arrive. 

Graham said: “When we approached Charlton Down, we came across the incident which had not long happened – there were two damaged cars in the road and one that had lost control and flew through the hedge and into the neighbouring field. The driver of this car was trapped in his seat, and the fire crew were assessing how to remove him safely. 

“In the meantime, an off-duty LAS Paramedic also arrived on scene, and together we got an IV into the driver, took his stats, and gave him some oxygen. He had sustained a head injury due to the impact and was experiencing some memory loss, so we talked to him, providing comfort and reassurance. And while the fire crew cut the roof off of the car, we held a sheet over him to protect him from the debris.” 

“Once the roof was removed and the ambulance crew present, we helped the gentleman onto the stretcher and proceeded to encase him with a VAC mat, which was used to immobilise him as we suspected he had broken his right clavicle,” added Steve.  

Kerena O’Connell, National Safeguarding Lead and Operations Manager at E-zec Dorset, explained: “We’re so incredibly proud of Graham and Steve, and are grateful for their selfless quick-thinking to support the fire crew in what must have been a difficult and distressing situation. They’re a real asset to the team, and encompass all that E-zec promotes – supporting our local communities, and making them a better, and safer, place to be. 

“We were contacted by David Foxwell, Crew Manager at Dorchester Fire Service, who passed on his thanks and gratitude for their voluntary assistance – priding them for their professionalism and duty of care.”

Salisbury Recruitment Open Day

Fancy finding out more about a career in the ambulance service? Learn about our world-class Apprenticeship Programme, starting with the ACA Academy. Chat to the people from Basegreen – our preferred training partner… Don’t miss our Recruitment Open Day in Salisbury on the 2nd of February, from 9am til 4pm. Unit 19, Harnham Trading Estate, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 8NW.

E-zec becomes a Dementia Friends’ ambassador

E-zec is enhancing its customer care in local communities by partnering with an Alzheimer’s initiative.

E-zec is a registered Dementia Friend and is supporting all of its Ambulance Care Assistants (ACAs) within the firm with additional training and education about dementia to allow them to spot the signs and symptoms, and ultimately ensure they can effectively support their communities.

Simon Pill, Head of Learning and Development at E-zec said, “We’re proud to be a recognised Dementia Friend – an organisation which aims to raise nationwide awareness and understanding of the syndrome.

“With our ACAs working in close proximity with the local community, we believe it’s an extremely valuable addition to our enhanced learning and development programme. Not only will it allow our team to be armed with all the support and information necessary to care most appropriately with dementia-related illnesses, but also boost the overall experience for our service users.”

Dementia Friends is a nationwide Alzheimer’s Society initiative, and is available for any individual who wants to help people with dementia in their community. 

“Each of our ACAs will be encouraged to register with Dementia Friends, providing them the most up-to-date information, as well as a library of resources for ongoing learning,” Simon continued. “Plus, they’ll be awarded with a Badge and Action card, which we will be wearing with pride.”

Justine Vaughan, Chief People Officer at E-zec, added: “As part of our dedication to our people, we’re always seeking new and innovative ways to enhance the learning opportunities available for our teams, all whilst ensuring we provide the very best possible care for our service users.

And, we’re excited to share the introduction of our Dementia Friends partnership with our ACAs, providing them with valuable resources and additional support in understanding dementia-related diseases. Plus, it allows them to offer more inclusive care for those within our local communities.”

For more information about Dementia Friends, or how you can get involved in your own community, visit: www.dementiafriends.org.uk.

E-zec Apprenticeships: On the road with Basegreen

So… 2023! It’s a new year – is it time for a fresh start? Do you fancy a career in the ambulance service? Would you like to be supported through a world-class apprenticeship programme? Like the thought of our all-new ACA Academy? Come along to one of our interesting, information and engaging open day road shows with Basegreen and find out more about one of the most rewarding careers out there.

Sign up for one of the roadshows in Bristol, Swindon and Gloucester today: forms.office.com/e/3bZRqynX3A

E-zec adopts new patient safety reporting processes

E-zec is embracing change by implementing new procedures to ensure its service to NHS contracts is seamless and meets overarching objectives within the organisation.

With the NHS rolling out new reporting frameworks across the board, including Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) and Learning from Patient Safety Events (LFPSE), secondary care providers and trusted system partners, E-zec is adopting new processes in line with these developments and is using it as a toolkit to further enhance its own learning, quality improvement and development opportunities.

Anna Prowse, Head of Quality and Compliance at E-zec, said: “It’s an incredibly bold decision by the NHS in changing the reporting framework, but it’s exactly how reporting should be. PSIRF will dictate how as a provider we respond to an incident with LFPSE as a national and centralised system for recording and analysing patient events.

“As a secondary care provider, both are now mandatory at E-zec. PSIRF is due to be in place and embedded business-wide by September 2023 and LFPSE implementation being extended to September. The NHS have recognised that the existing framework was no longer fit for purpose, and didn’t actively work to enhance the culture of the industry – or the businesses working in partnership with it.

“PSIRF will provide immense learning opportunities for us and our Ambulance Care Assistants (ACAs) out on the road. It will provide us valuable insight and support our pillars of quality: complaints, incidents, health and safety, infection prevention and control, medicine management, and safeguarding. It will capture all feedback from service users (and colleagues) – both positive and constructive – and enable us to understand areas that need additional support, how we can prevent incidents reoccurring, or replicate great service for users in the future. All-in-all, it will enhance the service we provide, and ensure an even higher standard of care is achieved.

“But, alongside this, it promotes a just culture, which we entirely endorse at E-zec. It supports a culture of fairness, openness and learning, and allows staff to feel empowered and confident to speak up when things go wrong, rather than fearing blame. Supporting our team to be open about mistakes allows valuable lessons to be learnt so that the same errors can be prevented from being repeated. We value honestly, integrity, and the yearning to continually improve and make a difference.”

To find out more, Anna discusses this further here:

Anna Prowse on the adoption of PSIRF

Snow limits for E-zec’s PTLOs

A final Christmas wish has been granted, thanks to two Patient Transport Liaison Officers (PTLOs).

Emily Barlett and Johnathan Webb, PTLOs at E-zec Gloucester, arranged for a 40-year-old patient receiving end-of-life care to spend his final Christmas at home with his family.

Despite careful preparation, however, sudden snowfall meant that the ambulance was unable to access the gentleman’s home, and plans would have to be abandoned. But in true Christmas spirit, neighbours helped to clear the road to ensure this family could spend the festive period together.

Emily and Johnathan explained: “The day before we were due to be taking this patient home, we checked the accessibility after some heavy snowfall. Unfortunately, we found that the ambulance would be unable to travel down the road, meaning that we could no longer safely and appropriately escort this gentleman to his property. Without the snow quickly clearing, we’d have no other option than to delay bringing him home – a scenario that no one wanted.  

“We spoke to a neighbour while assessing the road conditions. They promised that they’d do all they could to get this gentleman home. And they did.

“The whole neighbourhood rallied round, with shovels in hand. Together, they cleared the road and ensured it was safe for us to drive the ambulance down his road, so that we could bring him home to his family for Christmas.”

Christopher Fox, Central Operations Support Manager at E-zec, added: “We’re extremely proud of Emily and Johnathan for their professionalism in providing the patient with dignity, care and compassion during a very stressful and upsetting time. And we’re extremely proud of their determination in ensuring this gentleman was home for Christmas.

“It’s so incredibly heart-warming to learn about the neighbourhood’s involvement. E-zec prides itself on being a service for its community, and this is a true example of this. What a fantastic achievement from all involved, that has allowed a family to spend valuable time together this Christmas.”

After the road was cleared for E-zec’s crew

Committed to Care: Mental Health Support

At E-zec, we’re true advocates of taking care of our mental health and aim to promote positive and effective ways to cater for our team’s holistic wellbeing. But we know that this time of year can be especially difficult – it’s cold, it’s dark, and Christmas can be an incredibly stressful and emotional time of year. Plus, the current cost-of-living crisis brings additional pressures and anxieties. But please know you’re never alone – no matter what, there’s always plenty of people you can turn to.

Justine Vaughan, Chief People Officer at E-zec said, “Despite being a nationwide business, we pride ourselves on being an organisation dedicated to our people. Our colleagues and teams are at the very heart of E-zec, and in order to provide the highest standard of care to our patients, they need to be well – both physically and mentally.

“Because of this, we’re making a business-wide commitment to support all and any team members who may be facing some challenges. The Comms team is contactable via email: comms@e-zec.co.uk, and will provide confidential (where possible) and discreet support. We’re always on hand for assistance, to provide a listening ear, or signpost to the appropriate help and support – whether it’s work-related or personal. We don’t want any of our team to suffer in silence.

“However, we understand that it can be difficult to open up, and to make the first step in reaching out for help. So, if you feel you’re not quite ready to disclose your feelings, thoughts, or worries to HR, your line manager or any of your colleagues, then please know there’s places you can seek anonymous support.”

  • Samaritans

Call Samaritans on 116 123 for free to speak to someone – available 24/7

Email: jo@samaritans.org and someone will respond to you within 24 hours

  • NHS

Call 111 for medical advice and guidance

Call 999 immediately if you, or someone else, is in danger or at risk

Or, find your local urgent mental health helpline

  • Shout Crisis Text Line

Text SHOUT to 85258 for a confidential, free text chat at anytime

(If you’re under 19, text YM to 85258)

  • SANEline

Call SANEline on 0300 304 7000 (between 4.30pm – 10.30pm)

  • National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK

Call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 0800 689 5652 (6pm – 3.30am every day)

  • Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)

Call CALM on 0800 585858 (5pm – midnight every day)

Or, access their webchat service

  • Childline

If you’re under 19, you can call Childline on 0800 1111 (and it won’t appear on your phone bill).

For more support and information on helplines and organisations that can support with your mental health, check out the Mind website: www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/crisis-services/helplines-listening-services/

And please remember, you are not alone.