The East Anglian Ambulance Service says fuel contingency plans are in place amid rising global prices
It's as airlines and transport operators across parts of the world are monitoring supply pressures and rising costs.
The ambulance service covering Suffolk and Norfolk says it is prepared for any potential disruption to fuel supplies as global oil prices continue to fluctuate amid ongoing instability in the Middle East.
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust said it is not currently concerned about fuel shortages affecting frontline services, but confirmed contingency planning is already in place to protect emergency response capability if supplies become limited.
The comments come after continued concern over fuel markets following conflict involving Iran and Israel, with airlines and transport operators across parts of the world monitoring supply pressures and rising costs.
Chief Executive Neill Moloney said emergency services would be prioritised under national plans if disruption were to escalate.
He said: “At the moment, we're not concerned about the fuel supply, but you can imagine that we have contingency plans that should that occur.
“We know that certainly blue light and emergency services will be prioritised for any fuel that is available.”
The service covers six counties across the East of England, including large rural areas of Suffolk and Norfolk where ambulances often travel significant distances to reach patients.
Working with partners
Mr Moloney said the trust regularly works with NHS partners and government agencies to prepare for potential emergencies.
He said: “Contingency planning is certainly something that we do very well in the ambulance sector because we're an emergency service.
“Our interaction with not only the rest of the NHS, but also with government, I think is absolutely essential if we're going to ensure that we continue to deliver the service that we are delivering at the moment.”
Practical steps to save fuel
The trust also said crews are taking smaller practical steps to reduce fuel usage without impacting patient care or response times.
Mr Moloney said: “When we pull up outside of a hospital, for example, we're turning off the vehicles.
“We are also preserving the fuel and using electricity where we can to ensure that any of the equipment on the back of ambulances is utilising the battery cells that we have on the back of vans.”
Despite wider concerns around global fuel supplies, the ambulance service stressed it does not currently anticipate shortages affecting operations.
Mr Moloney added: “I don't believe that there is a supply issue at the moment and I'm not anticipating that that will be an issue in the future, given the contingency planning that we have.”