North West Ambulance Service celebrates 20 years with health plan

North West Ambulance Service is marking 20 years of serving communities across the region with the launch of a new five-year plan aimed at improving patient care, tackling inequalities and giving people a stronger voice in how services are delivered.

Formed on July 1, 2006, NWAS brought together the former ambulance services covering Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, and Cheshire and Merseyside.

It has since grown into one of the largest ambulance services in the country, serving more than 7.5 million people across Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire.

The trust covers one of the most varied patches in England, from major cities and coastal resorts to rural communities across around 5,400 square miles.

Over the past two decades, the service has changed significantly. What was once mainly a 999 emergency response service now provides a much wider range of care, including NHS 111, clinical advice over the phone, and support to help patients access the right care in the community or at home — often avoiding the need for a trip to hospital.

Each year, NWAS handles more than 1.4 million emergency calls and 1.8 million NHS 111 calls. It also takes more than one million patients to routine appointments and treats hundreds of thousands of people at home or in the community.

The work of its crews and control-room staff has also reached a national audience through BBC One’s documentary series Ambulance, with series four focusing on the North West service.

The new plan, covering 2026 to 2031, sets out how NWAS will respond to rising demand, increasingly complex patient needs and ongoing health inequalities across the North West.

Its four priorities are providing outstanding care for patients, building a safe and supportive culture for staff, working more closely with other NHS services to deliver joined-up care, and continuing to improve and modernise how care is delivered.

The plan has been shaped not only by staff and partners, but also by patients and the public. NWAS is strengthening opportunities for people to share their experiences and influence services through surveys, feedback and its patient and public panel.

Improving patient experience is a key measure of success, with a focus on listening, learning and designing services around the needs of local communities.

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.

“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.

“We are determined to strengthen the voice of our patients and communities. Through surveys, feedback and our patient and public panel, we want people to actively shape the care we provide.

“I am also personally committed to ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation, for our staff and for the communities we serve.

“Looking ahead, our ambition is clear: to deliver the right care, at the right time, in the right place; every time, and to continue helping people when they need us most.”

The plan includes greater use of digital tools, more care provided over the phone or virtually, and more patients treated closer to home where it is safe and appropriate.

Tackling health inequalities is also a major focus. Nearly one in three people in the North West live in some of the most deprived communities in England.

The trust says it will offer targeted support to those most at risk, including people in deprived areas, those needing end-of-life care, people with learning disabilities or neurodiversity, children and young people, and those experiencing homelessness.

NWAS also highlights the importance of its workforce of more than 7,500 staff and 1,200 volunteers, recognising that their wellbeing and development are essential to delivering high-quality care.

As it enters its third decade, NWAS says it is focused on improving care, strengthening its connection with communities and making sure every patient receives the right care when they need it.