The ASA Comments Off
We are a fansite for the Ambulance Service Association (ASA), formed in 1994 following revisions to the constitution of the former Association of Chief Ambulance Officers (est. 1948). These changes were considered necessary to recognise the corporate nature of NHS ambulance service trusts and the need to move from individual membership for Chief Ambulance Officers to Corporate membership for ambulance trusts and all their employees.
The aim of the ASA is “to be universally recognised as the authoritative corporate voice of the UK NHS Ambulance Services”.
The principle constitutional objectives of the Association are to promote effective and efficient ambulance services; to encourage mutual help between member services; to encourage an interchange of ideas nationally and internationally, and to represent the views of member services to Government.
HOW THE ASA FUNCTIONS
The ASA has a National Council responsible for policy and strategic direction and a smaller Executive Group responsible for ongoing and urgent matters, as well as progressing business and financial plans. The National Council is led by the ASA Chairman, and the Executive Group by the ASA President. Membership of the National Council comprises of the Executive Group, the National Treasurer and a Chief Executive and a Chairman representing each of the ASA’s regions.
Each Regional Council has a responsibility to ensure that individual member services and their staff are able to contribute to the work of the Association nationally and, in turn, to inform members of plans and progress. The ASA also has a number of committees and working groups, each tasked with responsibilities identified within the Business Plan. Such groups and committees include Human Resources, Operations, and the AMBEX Organising Committee. The ASA Chief Executive is supported by a small full-time administrative team. There are no other employees. Everyone else who contributes to the work of the Association is either an employee or a non-executive of a member service.
The ASA maintains regular contacts with health ministers, the Department of Health Ambulance Advisor, the NHS Executive and other government departments. Through the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee, there is a close working relationship with the Royal Medical Colleges; there is an increasing and developing relationship with Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers Association (CACFOA) – representing Chief Police and Fire Officers respectively; and there is contact with other groups dealing with emergency planning, communication developments and with public safety issues.