Core objectives and mission at NHS Resilience Emergency Capabilities Unit

Achieving our mission by embedding the following principles into what we do.

• Casualty focused

  The casualty will be placed at the centre of our work and we will ensure our deliverables remain clinically focused to ensure the best outcome for casualties during complex or major incidents.

• Collaboration

  We will fully engage the NHS Ambulance sector in the work that we do nationally.  Our deliverables and work streams will be steered through advisory groups comprising Ambulance Sector clinical practitioners and capability specialists.  All key decisions relating to capability developments or changes will be managed through a national group comprising representation from all English Ambulance Trusts.

  The service will also work in close collaboration with national stakeholder groups, including those representing emergency service responders, military responders and voluntary responder groups.  We will ensure our approach and deliverables align to JESIP (Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles).

• Learning

  Developing, delivering and supporting learning though our education functions is at the core of what we do.  We will support productive learning and personal development for responders in relation to casualty management to improve clinical outcomes.

  We will ensure our key deliverables are continually informed by the learning from incidents and exercises.  This will include specific recommendations arising from public inquires and inquests that are aimed at improving casualty care.

  Our service outputs will be subject to a continual review process.

• Expert analysis

  We will work with experts and stakeholders to explore innovative ways to develop and improve the service.

  The ECU’s key deliverables will be informed by national subject matter expertise.  This will include employing subject matter experts and practitioners to coordinate the national capability portfolios and it will include regular consultation with external national subject matter experts to ensure our work is directly informed by expert analysis.

  The service will support research and forge close links with research networks, academic institutions and professional bodies to ensure changes and developments to the specified emergency capabilities are informed by the latest analysis and findings.

• Governance

  We will ensure that our work and activities are delivered in accordance with the requirements of the ECU service contract, set by NHS England, and within the governance provisions of our host Trust, London Ambulance Service.

• Values

  As a commissioned NHS service operating at the national level, the ECU delivers its work and manages its activities in alignment with the core values of the NHS:

  • Working together for patients
  • Respect and dignity
  • Commitment to quality of care
  • Improving lives
  • Everyone counts

  The ECU also adopts and embraces the core values of our host organisation, London Ambulance Service, across all of our work and professional interactions:

  • Caring
  • Respect
  • Teamwork