North West Ambulance Service launches new five-year strategy

Formed in 2006, NWAS now serves more than 7.5 million people across Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire.

Chief executive Salman Desai said: “As we mark 20 years of North West Ambulance Service, I feel incredibly proud to have seen first-hand how far we’ve come.

“I started my career as a paramedic in Bury, responding to patients on the frontline, and I’ve had the privilege of growing with this organisation as it has evolved over the past two decades.

“That experience continues to shape how I see our role today.

“We are there for people at some of the most critical moments of their lives.

“That responsibility has always driven us, but the way we deliver care has changed significantly, and it must continue to change to meet the needs of the future.”

Over the past two decades, the service has expanded from primarily responding to 999 emergencies to providing a broader range of care, including NHS 111, clinical advice by phone, and support to help patients access care in the community or at home.

Each year, NWAS handles more than 1.4 million emergency calls, 1.8 million NHS 111 calls, and transports over a million patients to routine appointments.

It also treats hundreds of thousands of patients at home or in community settings.

A spokesperson for the service said: “The new plan for 2026 to 2031 sets out how the service will continue to respond to rising demand, more complex patient needs and ongoing health inequalities across the North West.”

It sets out four main priorities: Delivering “outstanding” care, building a “safe and supportive” culture for staff, working “more closely” with other NHS services, and modernising care delivery.

Mr Desai said: “This plan reflects what our patients, staff and partners have told us matters most: safe, compassionate care, services that work well together, and a culture where our people feel supported to do their best.”

The strategy emphasises greater use of digital tools, virtual care, and more treatment closer to home when deemed appropriate.

It also targets support for those most at risk, including people living in deprived areas, those needing end-of-life care, individuals with learning disabilities, children and young people, and homeless people.