West Midlands Ambulance chairman steps down after more than 13 years
The region's ambulance service chairman has stepped down after more than 13 years in the job.
Sir Graham Meldrum thanked members of the West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) ruling trust for their hard work, and said the trust would “go from strength to strength” under the leadership of Prof Ian Cumming and CEO Anthony Marsh.
Sir Graham has chaired the board since since February 2007, but his successor, Professor Cumming, took over on Wednesday.
Prior to taking up the chairmanship of the West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust for an initial period of three years, Prof Cumming had been chief executive of Health Education England since 2012.
Sir Graham said the ambulance station reconfiguration project, known as “Make Ready”, was “the most ambitious project that we or any other ambulance service ever carried out”, and formed the bedrock for future performance and financial stability.
Sir Graham was appointed chairman following a 42-year fire service career which saw him spend eight years as the West Midlands Fire Service Chief Fire Officer and nine as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Fire Services for England and Wales.
In his last report to the trust board, Sir Graham wrote: “May I take this opportunity to wish you all well for the future. The trust is in a strong position under the leadership of a successful CEO and, under his leadership, I know it will go from strength to strength.
Contribution
“I would wish to thank all the members of the board, past and present, for their contribution. The level of commitment by the board members has been excellent and very much appreciated.
“The board has carried out its role to a high standard and has carried out appropriate challenge and scrutiny, but has never stood in the way of progress.
“I will always rate the Community Ambulance Service (Make Ready) as the most ambitious project that we or any other Ambulance Service ever carried out.”
Under that project, WMAS reviewed its estate of traditional ambulance stations. Some were put up for sale and replaced by community ambulance stations which were leased rather than owned by the service.
“Our continued success in performance and finance stems from that work,” Sir Graham added.
In the meeting, held by conference call due to the coronavirus outbreak, board members paid tribute to Sir Graham and the achievements under his stewardship.
Deputy chairman Tony Yeaman highlighted the merger of the Coventry and Warwickshire, Hereford and Worcester, Shropshire, Staffordshire and former West Midlands ambulance trusts to form the present-day organisation and the takeover of the NHS 111 service as examples of “hugely successful” changes.
