Peter Murphy explores the world of British ambulances.

This volume provides fresh insights and management understanding of the changing role of the ambulance services against the backdrop of massive cuts in health budgets around the world and the changing context of pre-hospital care within the wider healthcare networks. The challenges of funding, training and cultural transformation are now felt globally. The need to learn and adapt from suitable models of ambulance service delivery have never been greater. The book offers critical insights into the theory and practice of strategic and operational management of ambulance services and the leadership needs for the service. One of the highlight of this volume is to bring together scholarship using experts- academics, practitioners and professionals in the field, to each of the chosen topics. The chapters are based in the practical experiences of the authors and are written in a way that is accessible and suitable for a range of audiences. We are confident that this book will cater to a wider audience to inform policy and practice, both in the UK and internationally. Paresh Wankhade is Professor of Leadership and Management at Edge Hill University, UK Kevin Mackway-Jones is the Medical Director at North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust, UK Endorsements “This unique and valuable publication, charts the history and development of the ambulance service in England over the last hundred years or so. The role of this key emergency service has always been important, and arguably never more so than today. The contributing authors have not only provided the reader with great insights into where the service has come from and the leadership challenges it has, and continues to face; it also gives examples of how the future could look as our journey of transformation continues.” Peter Bradley CBE, MBA (and author of Taking Healthcare to the Patient 2005), Chief Executive Officer. St John National Headquarters, New Zealand "With a year on year increase in demand for emergency ambulances and over 9 million calls annually, the UK Ambulance Service must change from its emergency care and transport focus model. With the increase in professionalism of paramedics and an uplift in assessment and clinical skills the modern paramedic is increasingly able to treat at home, direct patients with alternative care pathways and avoid transportation to overburdened Emergency Departments. Whilst there is some historical and cultural resistance to change there is a need for further development in clinical skills and a new perspective for the future Ambulance Service. This book brings together practitioners, managers, academics and provides a broad understanding of the major management issues in the UK Ambulance Service. It includes the history of the Ambulance Service, quality and risk management issues, commissioning, leadership, intra-operability and shape of the future ambulance service. The content will be of interest to students, practitioners and academics". Sir Keith Porter, Professor of Clinical Traumatology, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom

This title is directed primarily towards health care professionals outside of the United States. It is a unique, comprehensive text for paramedics in the UK covers all areas of knowledge that paramedics are expected to be familiar with and the wide range of situations they will face. Each chapter is written by an expert practicing in the field. The book is designed to be as accessible as possible with important points highlighted in tinted panels, lists, tables, flow charts and mnemonics. It is highly illustrated to aid comprehension. the comprehensive coverage of UK paramedic practice makes this the only book with all the core information that UK paramedics need to know the highly structured presentation (lists, tables, important points highlighted in tinted panels, flow charts, mnemonics) assists learning and revision over 350 high-quality line diagrams and photographs clearly illustrate complex procedures, relevant anatomy and give examples of equipment the text will be fully updated in line with changes to training for paramedics, paramedic protocols, technological developments etc the design and layout will be improved to make the text easier to use

The author held a unique position in the history of UK ambulance service development, commencing his career as an ambulance in 1962, rising to the top position of Chief Officer in eight years, becoming a central figure in the significant professional development of the service for another twenty-nine years, making him the UKOs longest serving Chief Officer of any of the main emergency services. He has a very personal insight into all the policy decisions affecting the service over that period and of the many trials and tribulations behind many of the decisions leading to the modern paramedical ambulance service reflected in today's modern ambulance service. A people person, the author shares his experiences right from early childhood, which he believes influenced his management style and subsequent successes in introducing new and often radical change, whilst taking his workforce with him, often against strong national and local political opposition. The book clearly defines the progress of ambulance services since the inception of the National Health Service in 1948 up until his retirement in1999. It illustrates both the technical and procedural techniques used to modernise what is and always will be a publicly sensitive and essential emergency service. As such, it provides a much needed professional historical record of the ambulance service in the last half of the twentieth century, from someone who lived the experience first hand. The author draws on his particular management style and experiences, relating them back to his formative childhood years and shares some hitherto unknown behind the scenes facts with the reader. The book succeeds in informing the health care professional about the ambulance service and its modern day role in the community and yet also provides a valuable insight for students studying for a University Management Degree, whether in Health Service management or general management. It is fascinating reading, not least because the ambulance service touches all our lives at some time or other, but also because the authors natural writing style is obviously borne out of having lived all the experiences, first hand and at a very senior level. A unique opportunity to learn about an essential life saving service and the management techniques involved in operating at CEO level in a politically charged and often controversial public environment.

Over several centuries the ambulance has evolved from horse-drawn wagons designed to remove wounded soldiers from the battlefield into high-speed emergency rooms on wheels, staffed by skilled professionals. This thorough history follows the ambulance through every phase, focusing not just on the vehicles but on their role within the developing medical systems they served, as well as the political, social and economic influences that have shaped their advancement. Topics include the critical role of police ambulances in the development of the first emergency medical services, the history of the ambulance intern, breakthroughs in ambulance design and function from the horse-drawn days to the present, notable women in ambulance development, and a fresh look at the first organized paramedic services. More than 275 photographs and other illustrations accompany the text.