Forty New Ambulances Set to Boost Ambulance Service Covering Rutland
Major investment aims to relieve NHS pressure and cut reliance on private crews in the East Midlands
Rutland is set to benefit as up to forty new ambulances take to roads across the East Midlands over the next three years, following a significant injection of funding to the local NHS service.
The move comes as East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) works to reduce its dependence on costly private ambulances, which has soared as hospitals across the region face long delays handing over patients.
Recent figures reveal that EMAS has spent millions in recent years bringing in private ambulance crews to help tackle demand and keep services running smoothly, particularly during busy winter periods.
In February, the trust was using over fifty private crews a day, and spending on these services has risen by over forty percent in just three years.
The new ambulances, including double-crewed vehicles and extra frontline staff, will be phased in across Rutland and neighbouring areas. NHS bosses say the investment will help EMAS respond to emergencies faster and improve care for patients locally, while efforts continue to reduce delays in hospital handovers.
Union leaders welcome the new vehicles as “much needed” but warn that more funding is required across all parts of the service to protect staff wellbeing and stop burnout.
East Midlands Ambulance Service says recruitment, training, and building ambulances will take time, and private crews may still be needed until the new resources are fully in place.