THE county's ambulance service has pledged to smash government efficiency targets by next March.

The Lancashire Ambulance Service Trust says it will reach 75 per cent of all life-threatening calls within eight minutes - three years before politicians' 2001 deadline.

The challenging proposals are laid down in the trust's business plan for 1997/98. It also aims to:

introduce a system of prioritising emergency calls by October 1 this year

use a more informative computer-aided dispatch system to help our control room staff deploy ambulances to the right locations

install a new mobile radio communications system

replace 12 emergency ambulances

develop a new training and conference centre at headquarters.

One of their goals - to have the control room recognised as a centre of excellence - has already been achieved.

Chief executive David Hill said: "This year the government has introduced a new Patient's Charter Standard which allows Ambulance Services to prioritise the response to 999 calls for the first time.

"While this major change in the Accident and Emergency Service will rightly be the centrepiece of our plans for the coming year, the trust board will also take forward our commitment to the quality and cost effectiveness of our Patient Transport Service, ensuring that we emphasise a strong patient focus.

"We will also continue to invest in new vehicles and equipment."

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