PFD report

Andrew Stephen Finlay · Prevention of Future Deaths report

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Issued 26 Jan 2018•Sunderland

Report record

Published report and response evidence

This page connects the concerns raised in this report with statements found in recipients’ published responses. A link shows a clear evidence connection; it does not assign responsibility.

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Concerns
2

Raised in this report

Recipients
1

Named on the report

Responses found
1

Of 1 recipient

Stated actions
10

Described in responses

Recipients and published responses

Source document

Full report text

This is the full text from the original published report.

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Concerns and recipient responses

Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

Concerns raised2

  1. Failure to ensure timely dispatch and arrival of ambulance crews in response to 999 calls
    Part of recurring concern: Delays in ambulance attendance
  2. Unfilled paramedic vacancies
Responses linked to these concerns

Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.

Actions described in response An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.10

  1. Action

    Work with acute hospitals to reduce handover delays.

    Stated by North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 26 January 2018.
  2. Action

    Complete a recruitment campaign to reduce paramedic vacancies and reach the workforce-plan establishment.

    Stated by North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 26 January 2018.
  3. Action

    Discuss additional resource requirements with the Lead Commissioner and submit a formal contract variation.

    Stated by North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 26 January 2018.

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Failure to ensure timely dispatch and arrival of ambulance crews in response to 999 calls

Wider context from the report

“However, it is the 2nd such Report in recent months that I have written about the timely despatch and arrival of an ambulance crew in response to a 999 call. I heard evidence about the reviews of procedures undertaken since Andrew’s death, but I still have concerns. Although the plans for the recruitment and retention of personnel and the purchase of additional vehicles were encouraging to hear evidence about, I was told there were still 32 paramedic vacancies to be filled a year after Andrew’s death. For Andrew the delay made no difference, but for someone else it might. Accordingly it is my duty to write this Report to you, particularly as it may add impetus to the improvement plan. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

Yes — Delays in ambulance attendance.

Open source report

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Unfilled paramedic vacancies

Wider context from the report

“However, it is the 2nd such Report in recent months that I have written about the timely despatch and arrival of an ambulance crew in response to a 999 call. I heard evidence about the reviews of procedures undertaken since Andrew’s death, but I still have concerns. Although the plans for the recruitment and retention of personnel and the purchase of additional vehicles were encouraging to hear evidence about, I was told there were still 32 paramedic vacancies to be filled a year after Andrew’s death. For Andrew the delay made no difference, but for someone else it might. Accordingly it is my duty to write this Report to you, particularly as it may add impetus to the improvement plan. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

No recurring-concern membership is currently published.

Open source report

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Work with acute hospitals to reduce handover delays.

Verbatim wording from the response

“Notwithstanding the above, we accept that we can contribute to improved performance by addressing inefficiencies and have already started to tackle handover to clear time at hospitals, reducing sickness absence, abstraction and working with acute hospitals to reduce handover delays. A good example is the progress we have made in reducing handover to clear delays which have already reduced by nearly 20%. We are hampered in making further progress without having the management capacity to address the issue on site across the Emergency Departments. This is a concrete example of where we need additional resources to help us fully realise the efficiencies.”

Source location

Andrew-finlay-Response
Page 2 · response
Published 26 January 2018

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Complete a recruitment campaign to reduce paramedic vacancies and reach the workforce-plan establishment.

Verbatim wording from the response

“Through the completion of a robust recruitment campaign, the Trust reduced the 20% vacancy rate and reached full establishment against its 16/17 workforce plan in March 2017.”

Source location

Andrew-finlay-Response
Page 2 · response
Published 26 January 2018

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Discuss additional resource requirements with the Lead Commissioner and submit a formal contract variation.

Verbatim wording from the response

“As a result, the Trust and Lead Commissioner jointly commissioned a demand and capacity review which was published in January 2018. The review identified further resource, 79 paramedics and associated equipment, vehicles and support staff, is still required over and above the previously agreed 42 paramedics in order to meet the new Ambulance Response Programme targets. The Trust is therefore now in discussions with their Lead Commissioner on how to progress this and a formal contract variation has been submitted.”

Source location

Andrew-finlay-Response
Page 2 · response
Published 26 January 2018

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Reduce sickness absence and staff abstraction.

Verbatim wording from the response

“Notwithstanding the above, we accept that we can contribute to improved performance by addressing inefficiencies and have already started to tackle handover to clear time at hospitals, reducing sickness absence, abstraction and working with acute hospitals to reduce handover delays. A good example is the progress we have made in reducing handover to clear delays which have already reduced by nearly 20%. We are hampered in making further progress without having the management capacity to address the issue on site across the Emergency Departments. This is a concrete example of where we need additional resources to help us fully realise the efficiencies.”

Source location

Andrew-finlay-Response
Page 2 · response
Published 26 January 2018

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Operate three double-crewed ambulances on daily afternoon and evening shifts in locations aligned with demand.

Verbatim wording from the response

“There are 3 new double crewed ambulances that have been running since November 2017 covering a 14:00-02:00 shift daily. This is where our demand profile has increased with our peak demand falling into early afternoon and evening. These vehicles are spread geographically across our area based on our demand profile”

Source location

Andrew-finlay-Response
Page 2 · response
Published 26 January 2018

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Secure funding for resources to recruit 84 additional staff, including 42 paramedics and 42 clinical care assistants.

Verbatim wording from the response

“However, as a result of the CQC published report, following discussions with the Trust Commissioners, the Trust were successful in securing additional funding for the contract year 2017/18 which provided resources to recruit 84 extra staff, this being 42 paramedics and 42 clinical care assistants, along with associated vehicles and equipment. This funding however was not planned for release until October 2017 and February 2018. Our current vacancy rate which reflects this new establishment mentioned above is now at 7%. Our attrition rate has also reduced to 6.98% therefore slowing the number of staff leaving the Trust.”

Source location

Andrew-finlay-Response
Page 2 · response
Published 26 January 2018

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Tackle hospital handover-to-clear delays, which have already been reduced by nearly 20%.

Verbatim wording from the response

“Notwithstanding the above, we accept that we can contribute to improved performance by addressing inefficiencies and have already started to tackle handover to clear time at hospitals, reducing sickness absence, abstraction and working with acute hospitals to reduce handover delays. A good example is the progress we have made in reducing handover to clear delays which have already reduced by nearly 20%. We are hampered in making further progress without having the management capacity to address the issue on site across the Emergency Departments. This is a concrete example of where we need additional resources to help us fully realise the efficiencies.”

Source location

Andrew-finlay-Response
Page 2 · response
Published 26 January 2018

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Run regular paramedic training courses across the financial year and schedule additional courses to meet pipeline demand.

Verbatim wording from the response

“In order to close this vacancy rate we have regular paramedic training courses planned across the financial year, with courses commencing in April, June, September, October 2018 and February 2019. The number of courses is regularly reviewed and additional courses scheduled to meet the demands of the paramedic pipeline.”

Source location

Andrew-finlay-Response
Page 2 · response
Published 26 January 2018

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Conduct regular paramedic assessment dates.

Verbatim wording from the response

“We have 41 graduates from Teesside University who will be available to commence practice from September 2018. In addition the Trust have regular paramedic assessment dates planned and are looking at a further proactive advertising campaign to include social media adverts in order to attract paramedics to the region.”

Source location

Andrew-finlay-Response
Page 2 · response
Published 26 January 2018

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Commission and complete a demand and capacity review for the Ambulance Response Programme workforce requirements.

Verbatim wording from the response

“It was acknowledged however by our commissioners, that further demand and capacity profiling would need to be carried out as a result of the introduction of the new Ambulance Response Programme (ARP) in October 2017 and that the 84 extra staff would likely not meet the overall workforce gap.”

Source location

Andrew-finlay-Response
Page 2 · response
Published 26 January 2018

Open published response

Other statements in published responses

These actions and other statements could not be clearly connected to one concern in this report.

Recipient positions A position is what a recipient says about a concern when they do not describe a specific action.1

  1. 1

    Further progress on reducing hospital handover delays is constrained by insufficient management capacity and requires additional resources.

    Stated by North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation TrustUnable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.

Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Further progress on reducing hospital handover delays is constrained by insufficient management capacity and requires additional resources.

Verbatim wording from the response

“Notwithstanding the above, we accept that we can contribute to improved performance by addressing inefficiencies and have already started to tackle handover to clear time at hospitals, reducing sickness absence, abstraction and working with acute hospitals to reduce handover delays. A good example is the progress we have made in reducing handover to clear delays which have already reduced by nearly 20%. We are hampered in making further progress without having the management capacity to address the issue on site across the Emergency Departments. This is a concrete example of where we need additional resources to help us fully realise the efficiencies.”

Source location

Andrew-finlay-Response
Page 2 · response
Published 26 January 2018

Open published response
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Information checked against the published report and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026