PARAMEDICS in Lancashire have been praised for the standard of their service in a new independent survey.

Patients were asked for their views on how they were treated by staff on emergency 999 calls and the survey found all respondents rated the service good, very good or excellent.

Ambulance managers say they will now turn their attention to improving the few areas of criticism the study highlighted to improve the service.

Director of human resources for Lancashire Ambulance Trust Peter Cooney said: "It is gratifying to note that overall levels of satisfaction are very high.

"This is a great credit to all of the staff of the service.

"As always, however, the need is for continuous improvement and we need to develop ways of capturing the views of the public on how we can improve the service further, especially for "hard to reach" and minority groups."

Around 120 patients responded to the survey, carried out by an independent consultant, which involved 17 questions covering all aspects from how the ambulance staff were dressed to the time it took for the ambulance to arrive.

In 16 out of 17 cases, more than 90 per cent of patients rated the service as being good, very good or excellent.

Mr Cooney said: "As with other service user studies that have been conducted with Lancashire Ambulance, the results were pleasingly positive.

"All the staff involved should take great credit for the esteem in which they are held. Given this good performance, much of the learning needs to take place around those few individuals for whom the service was less than perfect.

"Each service user had a unique experience and their own story to tell. In order to improve any aspect of service we need to understand each individuals's particular set of circumstances."

The service has recently appointed a Patient Advice and Liaison officer to sort out ways of getting more feedback from patients including minority communities.

Ambulance managers are to pass on their congratulations to workers at every station across the county for their hard work and success.