SPECIALIST safety teams will be deployed across hospitals to help cut delays and keep ambulances on the road.

East of England Ambulance Service will use its new Patient Safety Intervention Teams at emergency departments across the area.

Their aim is to reduce patient waiting times and maximise the availability of ambulances in the east of England, which grows increasingly challenging during the winter period.

The teams will be deployed where handover delays are continuing past 45 minutes, where no immediate resolution is apparent and patients are waiting for an ambulance response in the community.

They will work alongside emergency department staff to maintain the safety of patients and ensuring staff are aware of 999 patients waiting for a response.

Matt Broad, interim deputy director of strategy and transformation, said: “These teams are only deployed in certain circumstances, however, have already proven their effectiveness.

“We deployed a team meaning six crews could immediately hand over care of their patients, to restock and be back out on the road. It should mean crews can get back on the road to help patients more quickly.”