IAA joins FTA Accreditation Scheme

The Independent Ambulance Association is to partner with Van Excellence, the Freight Transport Association’s national accreditation scheme for van operators, it was announced on 10 July 2013.

Since the scheme was launched in 2010 in order to promote high standards of van operation and driving by accrediting operators against a code of good practice, it has attracted the support of a variety of large commercial operators.

It is now being introduced to the healthcare sector and early supporters include South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, United Lincolnshire Hospital NHS Trust and the NHS National Blood Service; the IAA, the leading trade association for independent ambulance services, is the first private ambulance organisation to recognise the importance of the scheme for its growing membership of more than 50 companies.

IAA member companies, which are all regulated by the Care Quality Commission, operate a combined fleet of more than 2,500 vehicles from more than 100 locations across the UK. They work 24/7 for the NHS providing patient transport services as well as A&E support during times of high peak such as winter flu epidemics and snow.

“We will be encouraging our members to undertake the Van Excellence programme because it represents a measurable and credible benchmark against which their transport operations can be independently measured” said David Davis, IAA Director.

Mark Cartwright, FTA Head of Vans and Commercial Vehicles said: “Van Excellence is establishing itself as the operating standard for light fleet operators across all sectors. We’re delighted to be working with IAA in supporting their members in this demanding and vital sphere of operation.”