AACE provide a comprehensive range of bespoke support services for operational delivery across the ambulance sector – for both public and private sector organisations – including:

Benchmarking reviews / assurance reviews / critical friend reviews

AACE is able to conduct comprehensive benchmarking reviews of all aspects of operational delivery, comparing organisations with their peers both across the UK and, where applicable, internationally.

In doing so AACE brings to bear its in-depth knowledge of the ambulance sector and through use of its own internal benchmarking data coupled with the organisations data is able to identify areas of good practice and areas which could be improved.

As always, the aim is to share best practice across the sector and assist organisations to get the very best from their existing resources.

AACE is also often asked to provide independent assurance reviews on many aspects of operational and clinical delivery and approaches this as an experienced ‘critical friend’ providing detailed and confidential assessments for ambulance service executive teams or boards.

Reviewing operational performance improvement plans

Ambulance services are always trying to improve response time performance and patient outcomes in a challenging and often resource constrained environment.

As such most services will have a performance improvement plan (PIP) in place for much of the time. AACE is able to review these plans with the organisation to ensure that they are evidence-based and are addressing the most effective areas for potential improvement.

AACE brings an additional set of experienced independent input which can be invaluable in designing an effective PIP, and can also advise on and support the actions required to achieve the desired improvements.

Reviewing operational structures and delivery models

In doing so it once again brings its unique knowledge of the ambulance sector, together with input from experienced SMEs who will have designed and implemented clinical operating models and operational management structures across multiple organisations.

This additional input and expertise can be invaluable in ensuring that the changes that are made represent value for money, are effective and based on best practice.

The expertise AACE is able to bring helps prevent design errors which we know have been problematical in other organisations and allows us to work with services to design structures and models which be truly beneficial to both patients and staff.

Reviewing control centre structures and processes

Ambulance services are reliant primarily on sophisticated, efficient control centres which are supported by the best technology and extensive clinical input to maximise hear and treat and see and treat levels.

AACE is able to bring extensive experience and expertise in the control environment to bear in reviewing existing control arrangements and advising on areas for improvement.

This includes detailed reviews of control centre data and technology together with operating procedures actively looking for areas which can be improved.

We can also offer advice and expertise in terms of clinical triage and signposting using senior experienced clinicians to optimise hear and treat and see and treat rates.

We are also able to review management and supervisory structures and advise on areas for improvement.

Finally, AACE can provide detailed modelling of the control environment if required in partnership with ORH to allow call taking and dispatch functions to be optimised against current and future workload.

Supporting business intelligence functions

AACE is able to review and support business intelligence functions within ambulance trusts with both data analysis and technical assistance.

We are also able to work closely with existing ambulance service data to develop data driven improvement ‘storyboards’ which can then be used to drive improvement cycles. This has proved very effective at focusing improvement cycles on those operational areas that can deliver the biggest improvements and understanding the precise impact of each improvement initiative.

AACE also has a wealth of benchmarking data drawn from all the English ambulance trusts which it can make available in a basic form, or which can be enhanced specifically for individual organisations as part of our support package.

Specialist technical and digital support

AACE has SMEs available who can provide specialist technical support and advice to ambulance service digital teams on a range of different areas. These could include CAD system implementation and optimisation, optimising network architecture, system resilience and disaster recovery, telephony systems and many more.

AACE can also assist in the design of digital strategies for the future once again bringing to bear extensive knowledge of the developing digital landscape across multiple services.

Specialist project management support

AACE is able to provide specialist project management support to assist services with complex estate moves particularly where they involve control centre relocations or the commissioning of new control centres.

We can also provide experienced project management support to complex technical upgrades within the control environment.

Fleet support

AACE has an experienced fleet manager available to support services with fleet reviews of all types. We can also assist with developing long term fleet maintenance and procurement strategies and advise on fleet monitoring technology and asset management.