Search the site
In Guernsey we provide the ambulance service through a grant from the Committee for Health and Social Care. The grant is a contribution towards the operating costs of the service, with the remaining costs being met in a variety of ways including charges and subscriptions.
In Alderney the costs of the ambulance service is covered by local taxation.
As Guernsey’s only emergency ambulance service, we have a vital role to play in addressing the challenges of increasing demands on healthcare and changing demographics, ensuring all of our patients get the right care, in the right place at the right time.
There was a 36% rise in the number of emergency and non-urgent calls between 2017 and 2022. Recently that increase has reached a plateau.
There was a 36% rise in the number of emergency and non-urgent calls between 2017 and 2022. Recently that increase has reached a plateau.
Pre-hospital care and medical treatment is delivered by four shift teams, which consist of Registered Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians and Emergency Care Assistants, all qualified to UK NHS standards.
State-of-the art equipment
Double-crewed ambulance vehicles are fitted with state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment equipment which allow clinicians to administer urgent and emergency pre-hospital care on scene at a patient’s home, or by the roadside. The vehicles are designed to give maximum comfort for patients and a practical working environment for medical crews.
999 Categories
Ambulance and Rescue, in Guernsey, responds to 999 calls and requests for immediate responses by clinicians. Ambulance vehicles are dispatched through the Joint Emergency Services Control Centre (JESCC).
The operator will ask a series of questions to determine the seriousness of the 999 call which will be categorised using a world class medical triage system. This helps ensure all calls get the most appropriate response.
For less urgent calls JESCC will identify the most appropriate care and decide on the best response. On some occasions you may be advised to visit a GP, pharmacist or other healthcare professional.If a patient’s condition worsens or deteriorates you should immediately call back on 999 and explain the changes.
Category One is for immediately life-threatening injuries and illnesses. In these cases the nearest ambulance resource is deployed, this can include our Community First Responders (LINK TO CFRs). We aim to reach these incidents within eight minutes.
Category Two calls are for all other emergencies which require a blue light response. We aim to reach these calls within 14 minutes of being alerted.
Category Three is for urgent calls these are responded to at normal road speed. We aim to reach these calls within 30 minutes.
Category Four is for less urgent cases which we aim to attend within 2 hours.
We are proud to be part of the Health and Social Care Committee’s Partnership of Purpose. In 2021 as part of the ongoing development of services, a St John paramedic was seconded to HSC to develop pathways to support frailty, through prevention and early intervention, to improve the quality of people’s lives through offering better access to assessment and care services.
The Fleet
The fleet of ambulance and vehicles, some of which are multi-functional, comprise of:-
5 Emergency ambulances
2 Rapid response cars
1 Ambulance officer car
1 4×4 Rescue response vehicle
2 Patient Transfer Service vehicles, including a bariatric capability.
We also provide a major incident response for the islands of the Bailiwick.
