Expansion of care services announced

St John Ambulance announced at a reception at the House of Lords on Wednesday, that it would be expanding its range of care services across the country.

The reception hosted by Baroness Emerton included peers, MPs and primary care trusts who all met with carers involved with the projects to hear of the impact that St John Ambulance has made on their lives.

Also present was guest speaker Phil Hope who as the Minister of State for the Department of Health, welcomed the vital role that St John Ambulance has to play in delivering health and social care.

‘As the nation’s leading first aid charity, care is at the very heart of what we do and is embodied in our community projects across the country. St John Ambulance has always been about meeting local needs and this really shines through in our community work’ said Sue Killen CEO of St John Ambulance.

‘We have a carer support programme that provides advice and first aid training to the nation’s growing number of unpaid and informal carers; day care centres that offer a fun and social atmosphere for the elderly who may otherwise be isolated and a Young carers project that supports and develops young people that care for a member of their family.

Sue continued: ‘We now want to use the commitment and enthusiasm shown to do even more. Our young carers project which has a centre of excellence in the north west will be developed in five further pilot areas. Our carers support programme, currently available in 20% of the country is now being rolled it out to over 50% and we have the expertise in place to run a pilot anywhere.’