Ambulance trust overview

Key targets

The key targets, including details of why the indicator is included, data source, the period of time assessed by the indicator, and technical specification (construction), are available via the indicator links on the left side of this page.

The key targets are:

• category A calls meeting 14/19 minute target
• category A calls meeting 8 minute target
• financial management
• Improving Working Lives

Balanced scorecard indicators

These indicators have been chosen to provide a balance across a broad range of areas.

The balanced scorecard indicators, including details of the rationale, the data source and the data period and technical specification (construction), are available via the indicator links on the left side of this page.

The balanced scorecard indicators are:

Clinical focus

• child protection
• clinical governance composite indicator
• clinical negligence
• participation in selected audits
• percentage of frontline ambulances with 12-lead ECG equipment

Patient focus

• ambulance patient survey: access and waiting
• ambulance patient survey: better information, more choice
• ambulance patient survey: building closer relationships
• ambulance patient survey: clean, comfortable, friendly place to be
• ambulance patient survey: safe, high-quality, co-ordinated care
• call answering time
• category B/C calls meeting national 14/19 minute target
• GP urgent calls meeting national 15 minute target
• patient complaints

Capacity and capability focus

• data quality of computer aided dispatch (CAD) data
• staff opinion survey: health, safety and incidents
• staff opinion survey: human resource management
• staff opinion survey: staff attitudes
• transport management

Clinical governance reviews

For the first year, information from the Healthcare Commission's reviews has been used in determining poorly performing (zero star) and high performing (three star) ambulance trusts.

Clinical governance review (CGR) assessment levels and subsequent progress made against action plans for ambulance trusts have been used in the 2004 star ratings, in accordance with the Healthcare Commission's Finsbury rules.

Ambulance trusts whose reports were published before 25/7/2003 have had their progress assessed unless they already had at least one level III assessment and no level I assessment (ie they were already eligible for three star status under the Finsbury rules).

Ambulance trusts whose reports were published on or after 25/7/2003, up to and including those trusts whose CGR visit week commenced 15/3/2004, have had the assessment levels in their reports taken into account for their star ratings.

There are two exceptions to the above. First, ambulance trusts who participated in 'pilot' reviews did not have levels of attainment assessed and their clinical governance review have therefore not been used in performance ratings. Second, assessments made of NHS Direct services have not been considered when rating the host trust.

Combined trusts

Combined trusts, those that provide ambulance services as well as acute and mental health, need to refer to the indicator lists for the relevant trust types and have been rated in each of these sectors (ambulance, acute and mental health).