South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWAST) is announced as preferred partner for Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust (GWAS)

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWAST) is to work with Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust (GWAS) as its preferred partner in a decision announced today to explore the creation of a single ambulance trust providing services across the South West by October 2012.

Ken Wenman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SWAST will become the interim CEO for GWAS on 1 November 2011. Jennie Kingston, currently SWAST Deputy CEO and Director of Finance and Performance, will be appointed acting CEO at SWAST.

Ken Wenman welcomed the announcement and said:

"I am delighted to be working with GWAS staff, building on all their hard work over recent years and helping them to prepare for the future. GWAS have a great team of people who have never lost sight of the reason we are all here, this is what makes the partnership such a positive step forward. We share the same aims and values and together our strong focus on improving care for patients will result in a service that represents better value for money for our commissioners and safe, high quality care for our patients.

GWAS Chairman, Peter Carr, who has been leading the search for a partner organisation, explained:

"This partnership will bring the benefits of combined resources and will provide more capacity to improve and innovate. As one of the first ambulance trusts to become an FT, SWAST has already proven itself to be a strong and successful organisation.

Chief Executive of NHS South West, Sir Ian Carruthers, said:

"We believe this would be a positive way forward for both ambulance trusts. Combining their strengths would help drive up even further the quality of services for patients throughout the South West."