The county’s ambulance service has been taken out of special measures.
NHS England confirmed this week that South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) has been removed from the Recovery Support Programme, formerly known as ‘special measures.’
The development comes after the service was rated as ‘requires improvement’ in 2022 and follows a period of sustained progress, the trust says.
It had been receiving the highest level of support from NHS England to address challenges, but is no longer part of that intensive programme.
Simon Weldon, chief executive of SECAmb, which covers Kent, East and West Sussex, Brighton & Hove, Surrey and parts of North East Hampshire, welcomed the announcement and thanked staff for their hard work.
He said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank our people for their continued efforts, and everything they have done to help us reach this significant point in our improvement journey.
“The difference I see in SECAmb today, compared to when I joined two years ago, is profound.
“We have made remarkable strides, but I know we can achieve even more.
“I would once again like to extend my thanks to all of our people for their dedication and support.
“Together, we will continue to strengthen our trust and move forward with purpose and commitment to deliver on our strategy and future plans.”
