FOI - Ambulance Service
| Authority | Manx Care |
|---|---|
| Date received | 2021-11-17 |
| Outcome | Some information sent but not all held |
| Outcome date | 2021-12-14 |
| Case ID | 2096137 |
Summary
A request was made regarding the usage, mileage, and policies of Isle of Man Ambulance Service (IMAS) vehicles, specifically questioning personal use. Manx Care disclosed that there are 10 communal vehicles with zero personal mileage claims, but stated they do not hold a specific policy document for vehicle retention during on-call duties.
Key Facts
- There are 10 ambulance cars in total.
- Zero vehicles are used as personal cars and zero personal mileage is claimed.
- All vehicles are for communal use and can be driven by any staff member.
- Vehicles are permitted to be kept by staff during on-call or standby to ensure timely emergency response.
- The specific policy document requested is not held by Manx Care as it is being drafted by the Cabinet Office.
Data Disclosed
- 10
- 0
- 8000 miles per annum
- 3 staff
- 91 days per year
- 24/7 365 days
- 12 hour period
- 2021-11-17
- 2021-12-14
- 2096137
Exemptions Cited
- Information not held
Original Request
Please can I ask the following question with regards to the ambulance service, How many ambulance cars are there? How many of them are used as personal cars? How often are personal are these cars for personal journeys? Ie going to shops, school run and to the pub. How much business mileage do they undertake? How much personal mileage is claimed using the cars? How often do they complete on call? Do they belong to specific people or are they for communal use? How often do these cars get used for private mileage? Do they staff pay to use them as personal cars? Are these vehicles not left within Manx Care / Ambulance station property and collected when required? Please can I have a copy of the policy that allows this to happen for reference. Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you
Data Tables (1)
Data Tables (reformatted)
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. How many ambulance cars are there? | 10 |
| 2. How many of them are used as personal cars? | 0 |
| 3. How often are personal are these cars for personal journeys? Ie going to shops, school run and to the pub. | Currently when a member of the IMAS staff is providing standby or on call cover to the service they are encouraged to go about their normal business but must be able to respond to emergency calls in a timely and safe manner |
| 4. How much business mileage do they undertake? | On average each IMAS Car undertakes 8000 miles per annum |
| 5. How much personal mileage is claimed using the cars? | 0 |
| 6. How often do they complete on call? | The on call rota is covered by a Duty officer 24/7 365 days a year. There are currently 3 staff on this rota. An average of approximately 91 days per year per officer. IMAS staff provide stand by cover over a 12 hour period of on call. The service will authorise additional stand by when service demand requires i.e. bad weather or large events to add resilience to the service. Point to note that IMAS vehicles are not only used for on call or standby duties but are used to respond to emergency calls that do not require an ambulance to attend. |
| 7. Do they belong to specific people or are they for communal use? | All IMAS vehicles are for communal use and can be driven by any of the staff within the service depending on service demand |
| 8. How often do these cars get used for private mileage? Do they staff pay to use them as personal cars? | Answer as per question 3 |
| 9. Are these vehicles not left within Manx Care / Ambulance station property and collected when required? | For a duty officer or member of staff on standby to return to an ambulance station/Manx Care property would add additional time to respond to emergency calls. Therefore when in use for the purpose of on call or standby they are permitted to keep the vehicles with them. |
| 10. Please can I have a copy of the policy that allows this to happen for reference. | While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. However you may wish to re-submit your request to the Office of Human Resources, Cabinet Office who are in the early stages of drafting a policy which will be consulted on before approval and wider publication. |
Full Response Text
Manx Care Noble’s Hospital, Strang Braddan, Isle of Man IM4 4R (01624) 650 000
Our ref: 2096137 14th December 2021
Dear ###
We write further to your request which was received on 17th November 2021 and which states:
"Please can I ask the following question with regards to the ambulance service, 1. How many ambulance cars are there? 2. How many of them are used as personal cars? 3. How often are personal are these cars for personal journeys? Ie going to shops, school run and to the pub. 4. How much business mileage do they undertake? 5. How much personal mileage is claimed using the cars? 6. How often do they complete on call? 7. Do they belong to specific people or are they for communal use? 8. How often do these cars get used for private mileage? Do they staff pay to use them as personal cars? 9. Are these vehicles not left within Manx Care / Ambulance station property and collected when required? 10. Please can I have a copy of the policy that allows this to happen for reference. Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you"
Our Response 1. How many ambulance cars are there? 10 2. How many of them are used as personal cars? 0
3. How often are personal are these cars for personal journeys? Ie going to shops, school run and to the pub. Currently when a member of the IMAS staff is providing standby or on call cover to the service they are encouraged to go about their normal business but must be able to respond to emergency calls in a timely and safe manner 4. How much business mileage do they undertake? On average each IMAS Car undertakes 8000 miles per annum 5. How much personal mileage is claimed using the cars? 0 6. How often do they complete on call? The on call rota is covered by a Duty officer 24/7 365 days a year. There are currently 3 staff on this rota. An average of approximately 91 days per year per officer. IMAS staff provide stand by cover over a 12 hour period of on call. The service will authorise additional stand by when service demand requires i.e. bad weather or large events to add resilience to the service. Point to note that IMAS vehicles are not only used for on call or standby duties but are used to respond to emergency calls that do not require an ambulance to attend. 7. Do they belong to specific people or are they for communal use? All IMAS vehicles are for communal use and can be driven by any of the staff within the service depending on service demand 8. How often do these cars get used for private mileage? Do they staff pay to use them as personal cars? Answer as per question 3 9. Are these vehicles not left within Manx Care / Ambulance station property and collected when required? For a duty officer or member of staff on standby to return to an ambulance station/Manx Care property would add additional time to respond to emergency calls.
Therefore when in use for the purpose of on call or standby they are permitted to keep the vehicles with them. 10. Please can I have a copy of the policy that allows this to happen for reference. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. However you may wish to re-submit your request to the Office of Human Resources, Cabinet Office who are in the early stages of drafting a policy which will be consulted on before approval and wider publication.
Please quote the reference number 2096137 in any future communications.
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