Communication upgrades are to be installed in up to 5,000 ambulances across the country.
Telent has been awarded a major contract to upgrade the mobile communications devices in all 11 NHS Ambulance Trusts across England. The contract, which is managed by the NHS Ambulance Radio Programme (ARP), will allow for a more effective and reliable mobilisation communications platform, improving the ability to meet challenging response times for frontline ambulance clinicians during emergencies.
Replacing the existing hardware solution with new and improved future proofed solutions, Telent and the ARP will deliver the Mobile Data Vehicle Solution (MDVS) programme. This will involve the installation and maintenance of advanced radio and data services in an estimated 5,000 ambulances across England, with the option to include Wales. The contract includes ongoing support for the installed hardware solution for an initial period of five years, with the option to extend for a further two years.
Telent’s Operations and Services Director Barry Zielinski said: “Telent is extremely proud to have been chosen to install and maintain advanced communications systems for this vital emergency service and aid their mobilisation times. From our years of experience in delivering large scale emergency service projects, we have the necessary expertise, flexibility, scale and levels of security clearance to work with multiple trusts in locations across England simultaneously and can adapt our approach to each of their individual needs, to ensure a smooth role out and a high level of service.”
Telent brings a wealth of experience to this project from successfully delivering major communications upgrade programmes across the UK’s critical infrastructure networks and fleets of emergency service vehicles. This includes maintaining mobile data terminals for the London Ambulance Service and multiple fire services, plus supporting the voice communications for every fire appliance in the UK through the national FireLink programme.
Telent will install and support specially programmed and ruggedized Windows tablets. In addition to a smart vehicle router, providing a new Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) solution for ambulance vehicles. This will enable the in vehicle communication and capability needed for the National Mobilisation Application (NMA), which will provide a standard platform for control rooms to communicate with Ambulances. ARP will have assured migration support during the installation programme, through Telent’s combined knowledge of MDT hardware and their pro-active approach to support, which has increased vehicle availability on similar projects for emergency service vehicle fleets.
“We are delighted to work alongside Telent as we strive to deliver mission-critical communications for NHS Ambulance Trusts across England,” said NHS Ambulance Radio Programme’s Ian Hough, ARP Programme Director. “As a trusted provider of robust, reliable communications and other centralised technology solutions for the emergency services sector, Telent’s collaborative approach and experience ensured it was ideally placed to help us effectively replace the communications equipment within all English ambulances.”
The contract award follows an 18 month procurement process run by ARP. Work to upgrade existing ambulances will begin shortly and all new ambulances will be factory fitted with the communication solution, supported under the contract. Telent’s country wide coverage and flexible resourcing model will be key to ensuring the installation work can be scheduled around the demanding operational requirements of the ambulance trusts. The proven track record of Telent in similar projects was an important consideration for ARP, complemented by membership of the Federation of Communication Services Installer Training and Accreditation Scheme (FITAS) and multiple other accreditations for quality, safety and security.