MEDIA OPP: Volunteer thanks event

**************MEDIA OPPORTUNITY**************

*Not for publication

WHAT:           More than 60 volunteers will be thanked for their support at an event held by North East Ambulance Service (NEAS).

The event will celebrate the long service of between five and 20 years of a number of volunteers, as well as the exceptional conduct of a further 12 for going the extra mile for their patients

Volunteer porters, ambulance car service drivers and community first responders invest thousands of hours in their communities every year by supporting the Trust’s patients.

WHO:             NEAS Chief Executive, Yvonne Ormston

62 NEAS volunteers

WHEN:          Wednesday 7 June, 5.30pm

WHERE:        Choppington Welfare Centre, Fernlea Drive, Choppington, Stakeford, 

NE62 5SR


Notes to editors

Please confirm your attendance by calling the NEAS press office on 0191 430 2099 or email publicrelations@neas.nhs.uk

About North East Ambulance Service

North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (NEAS) covers 3,200 square miles across the North East region.  It employs more than 2,600 staff and serves a population of 2.7 million people by handling all NHS 111 and 999 calls for the region, operating patient transport and ambulance response services, delivering training for communities and commercial audiences and providing medical support cover at events.

In 2016/17 the service answered over 1 million emergency 999 and NHS 111 calls, responded to almost 300,00 incidents that resulted in a patient being taken to hospital, treated and discharged 24,000 patients with telephone advice and treated and discharged 92,141 patients at home. In the same year, emergency care crews responded to 126,673 Red incidents within national target of 8 minutes and completed 717,315 patient transport journeys.