NEW figures show there has been a 50 per cent rise in the number of compliments West Midlands Ambulance Service from members of the public in the last two years.
In total during 2022-23, there were 2,666 letters, e-mails, web forms and social media posts complimenting staff for their actions.
This was also a 29 per cent rise on the previous year, which saw the trust receive 2,070 messages of thanks. There were 1,783 in 2020-21.
Chief executive Anthony Marsh, said: “This is quite remarkable when you consider the last two years, and particularly the last 12 months, have been the toughest faced by our Trust, ever.
“Long hospital handover delays have meant we have never had such long response times and patients taken to hospital have often had extensive delays before being admitted.
“Despite all of this, more and more members of the public are taking the time to say ‘thank you’ to the staff within West Midlands Ambulance Service.
“What is so pleasing is the compliments cover all areas of the Trust geographically, but also the many different job roles – ambulance staff, those in our control rooms, non-emergency patient transport service staff, community first responders and also staff who work behind the scenes.
“We make sure we identify the staff each time we receive a compliment and pass it on to the individuals so they can see how much of a difference the work they do is making to people’s lives.”
Senior operations manager, Nic Gunn, added: “The staff certainly don’t do the job for compliments, but we all know how much it means when someone says ‘thank you’ to us, so we really do appreciate people taking the time.
“I’ve seen it first-hand what it means to the staff when I’m able to share the compliments with staff and when they receive one highlighting the quality of the work they have been able to provide people in their hour of need.”
Thank you messages can be sent by e-mail to [email protected]
