Ambulance chief doubles up

8:10pm Wednesday 3rd September 2008

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THE chief executive of West Midlands Ambulance Service, which covers Wyre Forest, has been asked to provide interim leadership for another ambulance trust.

Anthony Marsh will be combining his current role with a part-time position as Interim chief executive with the Great Western Ambulance Service (GWAS), which covers Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

The appointment is intended to ensure strong leadership is maintained in Great Western while that trust recruits a new chief executive. The current post holder, Tim Lynch, is to take up a new appointment working at a hospital in Chester.

Mr Marsh said: “I am delighted to be given this opportunity to assist Great Western Ambulance Service. The fact that I have been asked to take on this new role is a sign of the high regard that the West Midlands Ambulance Service is held in nationally.

“This is a tremendously positive reflection on all of the staff who work here and the fantastic work that they do providing ambulance services to the people of the region.

“I am committed to my role as chief executive in the West Midlands but look forward to helping colleagues in Great Western over the next few months.

“However, it is important to stress that I will continue to be actively involved in the management of WMAS and will only be away for part of each week.

“I would not have considered this offer if I did not have complete confidence that the structure and strength of West Midlands was not sufficient to allow me to do so. The strength of our team is excellent.

“When West Midlands Ambulance Service was formed we found best practice in each of the four former trusts and I have no doubt that I will find methods of working in the Great Western trust that I will want to bring back to the West Midlands.

“The Great Western trust has made tremendous strides over the last few months and I am hopeful that I can help continue that progress and ensure that patients in the three counties get an even better service.

“I would like to help the local management team take their trust to the next level.

“I am looking forward to meeting the staff and managers across the trust and learning what more can be done to improve patient care.”