The HART teams are new, specially trained teams of ambulance staff who are being equipped and deployed to deal with some of the most challenging, dangerous and chemically hazardous major incidents, as well as urban search and rescue events.

HART teams are now able to work alongside fire and rescue police colleagues to deliver critical care to patients in the most challenging of environments such as collapsed buildings, in tunnels or at height.

The Department of Health is holding a conference and exhibition that not only showcases the work of HART teams, but also of their colleagues working together to save lives.

The North West Ambulance Service will be taking along their state of the art HART response vehicles, equipment and technology. The Merseyside HART team is due to go operational in January 2011 and staff are currently undergoing training.

Joe Barrett, HART Manager, said: “This is an ideal opportunity for us to showcase and demonstrate our hi-tech vehicles and equipment to the residents of Liverpool, prior to the launch of the HART team early next year.”

Visitors to the exhibition are welcome to attend free of charge, as long as they have pre-registered. To register, please visit www.healthcare-events.co.uk, select ‘Conferences’ and select HART - Inner Cordon 2010 - Free Exhibitions Pass ONLY and complete the on-line form.

ENDS

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For more information contact the Press Office on 0161 796 7222

or email: Sarah.Morley@nwas.nhs.uk

Notes to Editors:

§ North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust was established on 1 July 2006 with the merger of the Cumbria, Lancashire, Mersey Regional and Greater Manchester Ambulance Services, the aim being to provide the best possible ambulance and pre-hospital care service to the people of North West England.

§ The Trust works with other partners to develop new ways of delivering emergency and urgent healthcare to the patient.

§ The Trust will seek to minimise unnecessary emergency hospital admissions through the provision of suitable alternative pathways of patient care and by working with our NHS partners.

§ We will strive for patients to receive appropriate care and experience from consistently getting the right response, first time, in time and in the right place.

§ The service covers an area of over 5,400 square miles with a population of over seven million people.

§ The Trust employs around 6,000 staff.

§ Almost 1,000 emergency and non-emergency vehicles operate in the region.

§ Over one million emergency calls are received each year.