New ambulance depot to cut MRSA

An £800,000 ambulance depot is due to open on the outskirts of Norwich at the end of the month.

Work on redeveloping the building at Longwater Business Park, Costessey, is almost complete and the depot is on course to begin operating on 29 July.

It is part of an upgrade which includes measures to cut the risk of patients getting an MRSA infection.

The depot includes an ambulance station, a vehicle washing and stocking area and a medical stores facility.

Paul Henry, from the East of England Ambulance Service said: "The new system will allow paramedics and emergency medical technicians to focus on medical care rather than on keeping vehicles clean and stocked.

It will make a difference to the clinical cleanliness of the vehicles and we will have less time lost because of unserviceable vehicles Paul Henry, East of England Ambulance Service

"There has been a lot of publicity about MRSA and the fact that we will have dedicated ambulance fleet assistants to keep them clean and fully prepared will greatly reduce the risk.

"It will make a difference to the clinical cleanliness of the vehicles and we will have less time lost because of unserviceable vehicles."

The new depot will replace ambulance stations at Hellesdon and Bracondale, which will continue to be served by a network of smaller response posts throughout the city.