WEST Midlands Ambulance Service and the University of Wolverhampton have joined forces to create the UK’s first university-ambulance trust.

The two organisations have formed a new partnership which will see them working together closely on collaborative projects, research, sharing clinical expertise, joint curriculum development and staff exchanges.

The ambulance service has also now changed its name to West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust - and has become the first university ambulance service in the country.

The university’s paramedic science students are already guaranteed a job with the service if they pass their course and all necessary professional tests.

But the partnership will now also see the university helping the service to develop and accredit the continuous professional development available to staff.  Another key part in the partnership will be the joint development of courses and research in the area of emergency management.

The university has recently set up its Emergency Management and Resilience Centre at its Telford Innovation Campus which looks at issues around emergency planning, disaster management, resilience and response at a local, regional, national and international level.

Anthony Marsh, chief executive of West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: “This link up with the University of Wolverhampton formally recognises the role we play both in the education of paramedics and research activities to advance paramedic science.  More and more of our staff are receiving a university education.”

Geoff Layer, vice chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton, said: “We are delighted to be working with West Midlands Ambulance Service to further strengthen the relationship and work between the two organisations.

“We are training more and more paramedics and the partnership will see this level increasing further.

“We feel it also recognises the role of paramedic as being at graduate level and a specialist position within the health service.

“As well as the graduate level opportunities it will create, we are also excited about the collaborative work we will carry out with the service to help train and upskill their existing staff and working together on research around emergency management and resilience.”