Patient praise for our 999 crews

Rochdale patients have helped give North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) a vote of confidence in a satisfaction survey.

Regional patients expressed great satisfaction with the service they received from NWAS in the first national Care Quality Commission (CQC) survey of category C emergency calls.

Category C calls cover a wide range of conditions, from earache or fainting to minor wounds or non-dangerous injuries.

Results of the survey showed most people had a positive experience of the way they were looked after by the emergency ambulance services and its dedicated staff.

The survey, which spoke to Category C patients treated by England’s 11 ambulance trusts during July 2008, saw NWAS in the top quarter of trusts.

The service scored consistently above the national average in a number of categories including the dignified way patients were treated, given information and the attitude of NWAS staff towards the patients.

Staff in the centres which receive 999 calls achieved particularly good results.

Chief executive John Burnside said: “It is a great achievement not only for NWAS as an organisation but also for our dedicated and caring staff.”