South Western Ambulance Service achieves global accreditation of excellence
The South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) has again been recognised as an Accredited Centre of Excellence (ACE) in Emergency Medical Dispatch, by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED).
This prestigious accreditation marks SWASFT as the 318th Emergency Medical Dispatch centre worldwide to achieve ACE status, recognising the Trust's commitment to delivering the highest standards in emergency call handling and patient care.
William Lee, Deputy Director of Operations - Emergency Operations Centres at SWASFT, said: "This accreditation is a fantastic achievement for our Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) team.
"It reflects the dedication, professionalism, and compassion our Emergency Medical Dispatcher (999 Call Handler) team demonstrates every day in supporting patients in urgent and emergency situations.
"This work is supported and enabled by our EOC Quality Assurance Team and Emergency Dispatch Quality Specialists who ensure we hold ourselves to the highest standards of care, audit and quality improvement always.
"Being recognised for a further three years as a Centre of Excellence is something we are incredibly proud of, and it reinforces our ongoing commitment to delivering the very best care to the patients and communities we serve."
This re-accreditation follows SWASFT being first accredited in 2023, and each accreditation period lasts for three years.
The accreditation status promotes excellence in public safety communications, encouraging organisations to meet 20 rigorous and measurable Points of Accreditation - a set of globally recognised best practices designed to drive quality, consistency, and continuous improvement.
ACE status is reserved for high-performing services that demonstrate a sustained commitment to excellence. It recognises organisations that foster a culture of pride, teamwork, and innovation, with a clear focus on delivering the best possible outcomes for their communities.
SWASFT's ACE achievement will be recognised at the UK and Ireland NAVIGATOR Conference, taking place in Bristol on 21-22 September.