South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust was formed on July 1 2006 when the Royal Berkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, the Hampshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, the Oxfordshire Ambulance NHS Trust and Two Shires Ambulance NHS Trust joined together. Thus, the Service is the medical service provider in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire in the South East of England.
The Service is funded through the general taxation which means that it does not charge its patients directly. The services provided by the Trust can be freely enjoyed by any UK citizens.
Moreover, it is the only ambulance service in UK to have its own League of Friends. This was formed in 1982 and pioneered by the Oxfordshire Ambulance NHS Trust. The league raises funds for the enhancement of the standard of care to patients, give additional benefits for the staff, encourage the attainment of essential life-support skills among the public, and allow deployment of volunteer Community first responder.
In addition to all of these, the Service employs highly competent and friendly staff to take care of the patients. This includes paramedics, technicians, emergency care assistants, emergency care pioneers, BASICS Doctors, Community first Responders and Clinical support desk operators crewed by clinicians.
