Sadiq Khan opens new ambulance training centre

The Mayor of London has unveiled a new hi-tech training centre which will help enable London Ambulance Service to train more emergency call handlers.

The new training centre in Barking will help London Ambulance Service build greater capacity to take potentially life-saving calls as well as enhancing the NHS 111 service for east London.

By the end of 2020, 155 emergency call handlers will have trained at the new interactive 999 training centre and be ready to take emergency calls from the public. An additional 150 ambulances have also been added to the capital’s streets to help the service deal with the expected rise in demand in the months ahead.

Sadiq Khan said: “On behalf of all Londoners, I want to thank the paramedics, the emergency call handlers, the volunteers and all the staff at London Ambulance Service for their incredible service to our city throughout the biggest public health crisis we have seen in our lifetime. It has been one of the busiest periods in the service’s history and they have risen to the unprecedented challenge, putting the needs of Londoners ahead of their own so they could be there on the frontline when we needed them. We will never forget that.

“This new training centre will help boost the number of emergency call handlers in the months ahead, making it easier for Londoners to access urgent and emergency care. Our health services are planning for a busy winter but Londoners can play their part to ensure those who need it most get the right help. Anyone faced with a life-threatening emergency should of course continue to call 999 but if you are looking for reassurance or advice, please visit 111 online or book an appointment online with your GP. The only we can only control this virus if we work together.”

Garrett Emmerson, London Ambulance Service chief executive, said: “This new centre is a great illustration of how we have scaled up operations to meet the pressure created by the coronavirus pandemic while continuing to plan for the future and ensure we remain a world-class ambulance service.

“These safe, Covid-19 compliant facilities will hugely enhance our training for 999 and 111 call handlers and will also help staff meet the challenges of the winter months and any potential surges in Covid-19. We couldn’t have achieved any of this without personal sacrifices of our incredible staff and volunteers, as well as the generous collaboration of many of our partner organisations and I would like to thank them for their dedication.”