About Us
Introduction
North East Immediate Care is a charity set up by a group of healthcare professionals with the aim of providing advanced emergency care on a voluntary basis to the people of the North East of England in support of the North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (NEAS).
North East Immediate Care covers the whole of the North East Ambulance Service area of around 3230 square miles, from Teeside to the Scotland border and from the east coast to Cumbria border. A population of more than 2.7 million people.
Background
For a number of years, the North East of England had been one of the few regions of the United Kingdom not to benefit from a BASICS (www.Basics.org.uk) affiliated immediate care scheme. In late 2020 the founding trustees of North East Immediate Care approached the North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (NEAS) with an idea to trial a volunteer immediate care scheme. They each gained individual accreditation with BASICS and signed a trial memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NEAS. This was funded by the members themselves, including fitting of warning equipment to their cars, insurance, fuel etc.
Following a successful trial period North East Immediate Care was formed and an application made to the Charity Commission for charity status, this application was significantly delayed due to a back log of applications at the charity commission following the pandemic. This delay prevented any significant development. Charity status was granted in October 2022.
Scheme activity
North East Immediate Care covers all of the North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust area, this is an area of approximately 3230 square miles with a population of over 2.7 million people.
