SAVOY VENTURES DRIVES SECTOR-LEADING PATIENT TRANSFER EFFICIENCIES.

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

September 16, 2011.

SAVOY VENTURES DRIVES SECTOR-LEADING PATIENT TRANSFER EFFICIENCIES.

Greenhithe-based Patient Transport Service provider Savoy Ventures Limited has extended its week-day ambulance technician controller resource.

Savoy conducts two levels of transfer – one for patients requiring car or minibus transfer, the other for patients requiring a higher level of care and the support of ambulance technicians which can include emergency “blue light” transfers.

Savoy is handling an increasing number of ambulance technician-conducted patient transfers between South London NHS Healthcare Trust hospitals which has meant it is enhancing controller resource during the busiest periods - 7am and 10pm – as part of its wider 24/7 control and dispatch operation.

But while the efficiencies will be enhanced, they are actually already amongst the highest standard in the region because of the calibre of controllers and dispatchers already in place.

“The key point is that the Savoy staff who dispatch and control ambulance technician crews and vehicles – which can be used for specialist and blue light transfers - are current ambulance technicians,” said Caroline Adams, one of Savoy’s senior controllers.

“This means that we speak the same language as the ambulance crews and hospital staff so can quickly determine the precise type of ambulance and crew required for each patient transport journey, and, traffic- or incident-permitting, get it right first time every time.”

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 240,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

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Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com

SAVOY VENTURES AMBULANCE STAFF TO GET FIRST-IN-REGION EMERGENCY CARE TRAINING

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

September 2, 2011.

SAVOY VENTURES AMBULANCE STAFF TO GET FIRST-IN-REGION EMERGENCY CARE TRAINING.

Staff at Greenhithe-based Patient Transport Service provider Savoy Ventures Limited are to undergo training which will qualify them to a standard unique in the region.

Care assistants and drivers providing patient transport for people being transferred to and from South London Healthcare Trust hospitals are to undergo an Emergency Care Assistance course operated by the renowned Chesterfield College, a leader in sector training.

“What this means to patients being transferred by Savoy staff is that, for instance, drivers who have First Aid certificates will undergo training and development which will qualify them to work as frontline ambulance crew alongside paramedics – we have already signed up 48 staff to the course,” said Jonathan Smith, Savoy Training Manager.

“We believe Savoy staff will be the first in the region to undergo such training, which will also raise their qualifications to an equal footing to that of NHS staff.”

The training involves 400 hours of online components, lectures and field internship, and also involves students third-manning in ambulances with paramedics and ambulance technicians, with successful students gaining an L2 Intermediate Level Apprenticeship in Health (Emergency Care Assistance).

As well as providing strong and highly qualified resource for patient transport services, Emergency Care Assistants (ECAs) are qualified to get involved in responding to emergency calls to provide care to patients, driving ambulances, assisting paramedics, using medical and life support equipment.

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 240,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

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Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com

AMBULANCE RACE AGAINST TIME SAVES MAN’S LIFE.

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

July 1, 2011.

AMBULANCE RACE AGAINST TIME SAVES MAN’S LIFE.

Two ambulance technicians are in line for employee of the month awards after making the dash of the year to make the difference of a lifetime.

Greenhithe-based father and son ambulance crew Richard and Paul Cross were told they had just 30 minutes to get a critically ill man from his bed at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich to the operating theatre in King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill.

“The nurses did an amazing job to get the patient from his bed to our ambulance in just 10 minutes, but that left us just 20 minutes to cover a route the satnav says takes 23 minutes, but anybody in the area knows can take 45 minutes if the traffic’s against you,” said Paul Cross, an ambulance technician with patient transport provider Savoy Ventures Limited. http://www.savoyventures.co.uk/

“Amazingly, we covered it in 15 minutes with my father – Richard – driving the ambulance on blue lights and sirens, but we knew it was tight when the King’s College team were waiting at the door and started working on the patient even as we had him on the trolley out of the ambulance.”

The patient had suffered a serious cranial bleed and needed immediate life-saving surgery which could only be provided at King’s College Hospital, but, amazingly, was sitting up in bed and talking to relatives within 48 hours.

“That was an incredibly satisfying and rewarding result,” said Paul. Video interview.

Richard Cross, who was driving the ambulance, said that a great deal of the good fortune in traffic was down to drivers being alert and decisive.

“Sometimes they panic, sometimes they don’t – and they coolly and calmly do exactly what we need, which is to make space for us without panicking or putting themselves in danger,” said Richard.

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 240,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

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Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com

GREENHITHE PARAMEDIC AND TRAINER – FROM AIRBORNE EMERGENCIES IN ARIZONA, TO GETTING THE BEST OUT OF AMBULANCE CREWS IN SOUTH LONDON

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

April 19, 2011.

GREENHITHE PARAMEDIC AND TRAINER – FROM AIRBORNE EMERGENCIES IN ARIZONA, TO GETTING THE BEST OUT OF AMBULANCE CREWS IN SOUTH LONDON. 

Video – career.

Video – Indian reservations and shootings in Atlanta.

When Greenhithe-based Paramedic and Training Manager Jonathan Smith says he’s seen more than most, he’s not exaggerating.

Jonathan, (age), stepped into the training role at patient transport service provider Savoy Ventures Limited after returning from the USA where he spent more than 20 years as an emergency medical technician and paramedic.

His career took him to Atlanta – one of the most dangerous cities in the world – where he dealt with up to four gunshot injuries on each shift, but also to the Native American Indian reservations, more often than not arriving by helicopter or light aircraft to tackle and treat victims of accident, illness or assault.

Jonathan now helps train and develop Savoy’s growing team of ambulance technicians.

But his induction to the profession was very different. After becoming a technician in 1990, he moved on to paramedic status in 1992, and in 1996 joined the airborne medical ranks, then in 2003 gained his critical care flight paramedic certification – his number is 61 in the whole world.

“I started flying in Georgia, mainly around Atlanta, then went over to the Native American Indian reservations in Arizona, flying with the likes of the Navajo and Apaches – an amazing experience, because we first-responded in helicopters,” said Jonathan.

“Because of the distances out there, ground transport meant an ambulance could be out of its region for 12 or 16 hours, so even on helicopters we’d have our patients with us for an hour and a half. One of our helicopters working the reservations could make 125 flights a month.”

Jonathan explains more about his work in the USA in videos here:

Video – career.

Video – Indian reservations and shootings in Atlanta.

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 240,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

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Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com

PATIENT TRANSPORT PROVIDER SAVOY MORE THAN DOUBLES TECHNICIAN TRANSFER JOURNEY LEVEL.

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

March 16, 2011.

PATIENT TRANSPORT PROVIDER SAVOY MORE THAN DOUBLES TECHNICIAN TRANSFER JOURNEY LEVEL.

Video: Increase in technical transfers.

Video: What do technician transfers entail?

Patient transport service provider Savoy Ventures has more than doubled the number of technician transfers carried out for South London Healthcare Trust since December 2010.

Technician transfers involve movement of patients who are extremely unwell, who may be attached to life-saving or life-maintaining equipment, and who require highly-qualified ambulance technicians to ensure their wellbeing, or, on occasion, to carry out resuscitation.

“Technician transfers are critical and highly-specialised procedures which can involve the safe transport of people between specialist hospitals or hospital departments – this can include Special Care Baby Unit transfers through to the movement of unconscious, high-dependency adult patients, and are categorised as emergency or blue-light transfers,” said Jonathan Smith, Paramedic and Training Manager with Greenhithe-based Savoy Ventures Limited.

“The ambulances are fully equipped with life-saving aids, and the ambulance technicians – 20 of whom we have added to our team since December – have all undergone crucial upgraded training to ensure patients are in the best possible hands.”

Savoy carried out 60 technician transfers in December 2010, 84 in January 2011 and 153 in February 2011. On average, Savoy carries out up to 900 patient transfers each day.

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 240,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

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Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com

NEW LEASES OF WORKING LIFE FOR NEW LIFESAVERS JOHN AND ALAN.

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

December 20, 2010.

NEW LEASES OF WORKING LIFE FOR NEW LIFESAVERS JOHN AND ALAN. 

Video of John. Video of Alan.

It’s all about new leases of life, and one of the South East’s leading NHS patient transport service providers is making double the contribution of most by employing retired people – and turning them into lifesavers.

Savoy Ventures Limited provides patient transport services for several South London and Kent hospitals, but as well as bringing in younger people embarking on their careers, the firm is also recruiting more and more retired folk.

“In this day and age, 60 is a very early age to retire – so we’re making a point of seeking out older people to join our team of passenger transport and care assistants, but we’re also finding a great number of them are demonstrating skills and attitude that means we’re also turning our second-life recruits into ambulance technicians – true lifesavers with occasional emergency and blue-light duties,” said Elle Dadswell of Savoy Ventures.

“Older people have fantastic life skills, which they don’t just pass on to their colleagues, but which can make a massive difference to the way patients respond and react during what can be quite traumatic times when being transferred between hospitals, for instance.”

Two such members of the team are John Hunt, 63, from Canterbury, and his crew partner Alan Butt, 61, from Dartford.

John came out of retirement after spending most of his working life as a bookseller, video, while Alan was a railway engineer, video, and now are each fully-fledged ambulance technicians working with several south London hospitals.

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 200,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

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Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com

MICHAEL GOES FROM DOLE TO LIFESAVER IN WEEKS.

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

November 11, 2010.

MICHAEL GOES FROM DOLE TO LIFESAVER IN WEEKS.

Video: link to Michael Collins interview.

Recession casualty Michael Collins was plucked from the dole queue after nearly nine months out of work - and within weeks was becoming a life-saver. 

Michael, 45, from Greenhithe, was made redundant after six years working in retail at Bluewater shopping centre in January 2009, but nearly two years on has made a massive career step and is now a fully-fledged ambulance technician working with several south London hospitals.

Michael is employed by Savoy Ventures Limited, which provides NHS patient transport and transfer services between south London hospitals. Savoy operates specialist patient transport vehicles, as well as a large fleet of emergency-support-standard ambulances crewed by ambulance technicians. 

“Never in a million years did I believe I’d be on the dole one day and training to become a life-saver the next,” said Michael.

“My skills straight from school were on the mechanical and engineering front, but I moved into retail, and six years in the recession really bit – and I was out of a job. 

“That was January 2009, and I applied for 20 or so jobs without success before I stumbled across an ad in the local Job Centre for patient transport drivers. 

“From there it was a whirlwind of progress. I got the job driving patients between their homes and various hospitals in south London, but I felt I was cut out for far more responsibility. So within a few weeks I was accepted for the ambulance technician training course, then the blue light driving course, and then I’m suddenly in  charge of an ambulance, and, far more significantly, responsible for the wellbeing and safety of children and premature babies transferring between hospitals under blue light conditions. 

“Savoy may be a private company which provides patients transport services to a number of hospitals, but the training, equipment and support are easily on par and possibly exceed the standards provided by many UK ambulance services engaged in similar NHS support roles."

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 200,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com

FORTY SEVEN NEW VEHICLES FOR PATIENT TRANSPORT PROVIDER.

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

October 21, 2010.

SAVOY VENTURES LTD. TAKES DELIVERY OF 47 NEW VEHICLES.

Savoy Ventures Limited, the NHS patient transport provider, has taken delivery of 47 new vehicles, bringing its Kent and South London-based fleet up to 152.

The new vehicles include ambulances equipped for high-dependency, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals.

The additions include 14 Fiat Scudo wheelchair accessible crossover vehicles, 15 Renault Masters and 15 Vauxhall Movano ambulances of various specifications.

“The new vehicles replace some of our older ambulances and specialist minibuses, but most are completely new additions enabling us to service new contracts,” said Ben Adams of Savoy Ventures Limited.

“The fleet is engaged in operating high-d-ependency services at Guys, Kings, St Thomas and Lewisham Hospitals, and both our ambulance and wheelchair-accessible vehicles have tracking technology allowing location detection and traffic congestion avoidance therefore minimising delays and patient inconvenience.

“We have our own vehicle maintenance facility, staffed by fully-qualified technicians, which allows constant rotation of vehicles. This facility works solely on Savoy vehicles which means we can sustain the maximum possible number of vehicles on the road at all times.

“We also operate an on-site deep-cleanse facility to support our ambulance fleet, this, of course, maintains health and safety and minimises the spread of infection.”

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 200,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com

GMB UNION DOES NOT KNOW PENSION RULES

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

September 29, 2010.

SAVOY VENTURES LTD. AND THE GMB UNION: SOUTH LONDON HEALTHCARE NHS TRUST PATIENT TRANSPORT.

The GMB Union has made statements, claims and allegations against Savoy Ventures Ltd., which provides ambulances and patient transport services for a number of South London hospitals:

http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/latest_news/gmb_demo_savoy_patient_transp.aspx

A spokesman for Savoy Ventures Ltd. said:

"It is incredibly exasperating that the GMB has chosen to ignore or distort many facts, causing unwarranted concern to staff and patients alike. Many of the GMB’s claims and allegations are quite simply wrong, and we are advised by solicitors that allegations of a personal nature against Savoy Ventures Ltd. management are quite possibly actionable. We have met all obligations under TUPE, and the transfer of staff from the LAS is fully compliant with the procurement process.

“It is very telling that we have so far seen no evidence or intent of strike action or protest amongst our workforce. To the contrary, our staff have continued to provide a very important transport service to dialysis patients even though they have had to drive through the protest action to get patients to their appointments.

“Firstly, the GMB clearly does not know the facts – and law – with regard to pension provision. The GMB has accused Savoy Ventures Ltd. of driving a ‘dramatic’ pension cut for those staff moving from the LAS to Savoy Ventures Ltd.

“This is absolute nonsense. By law, in terms of pensions, those employees who are transferring cannot be worse off. An NHS pension is simply not available to non-NHS employees, but Savoy Ventures Ltd. will provide a Government Actuary’s Department (GAD)-approved, comparable scheme, which will match each individual’s NHS pension arrangement. This pension scheme will be managed by the Prudential, and is established as an accepted and comparable health sector alternative to NHS schemes across the UK. The pension scheme was discussed and agreed at a meeting attended by representatives of Savoy Ventures Ltd., the Government Actuaries Department, LAS and the South London Hospital Trust.

“The contracts for staff include a London weighting allowance scaled in relation to the location of their base. Strictly speaking, Savoy Ventures Ltd. has no obligation to provide any degree of London weighting because the base falls outside of London weighting territory, but once transferred to Savoy Ventures Ltd., staff will be paid the fringe London weighting, regardless. In line with its legal obligations, Savoy Ventures Ltd consulted with LAS representatives on this matter back in July 2010 before the likelihood of any dispute became apparent. Staff transferring to Savoy Ventures Ltd. will otherwise see no changes to their terms and conditions of employment.

“There will be no ‘downward harmonisation’ of salaries, and we have no plans to change shift patterns – but, having said that, it is far too early to say whether shift changes will need to occur to meet the demands of the new contract as we come to understand the requirements more clearly.

“A few staff will simply not move over from the LAS because they simply have not or do not work on the contract transferring from LAS.

“The unions have not approached us for recognition. We have invited the unions in for talks, at no point have they approached the company directly with their concerns and therefore the GMB are conducting this deplorable and potentially life-threatening campaign without consultation.

“Savoy Ventures Ltd. is a solid and decent company providing nearly 200,000 patient transfers a year across London, including blue-light movements. We have a 99.5% patient satisfaction rating. We operate the very latest vehicles and equipment, with a number of staff trained to ambulance technician standard.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.savoyventures.co.uk