People across Lincolnshire and the wider East Midlands are set to benefit from a major £26 million investment in ambulance services, which will see the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) expand its frontline workforce and fleet over the next three years.
The funding, which will be invested between 2026 and 2029, will permanently increase the number of ambulances and emergency crews available to respond to patients across the region.
By 2029, EMAS expects to have recruited up to 400 additional patient-facing staff and introduced around 40 extra ambulances into service, helping to meet growing demand and improve emergency response times.
Recruitment is already underway, with plans to welcome almost 200 new frontline staff by October this year, followed by a further 200 recruits during 2027.
EMAS has this week launched a recruitment drive for qualified ambulance technicians and urgent care assistants, while qualified mechanics are also being sought to maintain the expanding ambulance fleet.
Opportunities for qualified paramedics will continue to be advertised throughout the year via the EMAS website and social media channels.
The investment forms part of wider plans aimed at improving ambulance response times across the East Midlands. EMAS says it has already made significant progress in responding to Category 2 emergencies, which include serious conditions such as chest pain, strokes and suspected heart attacks.
Will Legge, Deputy Chief Executive of EMAS, said: “This investment will make a real, positive impact to the service we provide our patients.
“We now employ over 5,000 staff at EMAS. This continued growth will help us meet the challenge of growing demand for our service and create hundreds of new career opportunities.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming new passionate, caring colleagues to our EMAS team in the coming months.”
The additional funding is expected to benefit communities across Lincolnshire, including Boston, by increasing ambulance availability and helping crews reach patients more quickly when they need urgent medical assistance.
