LANCASHIRE Ambulance Service has been awarded a second prestigious charter mark for its service.

The award is for excellence in public service and also covers the local NHS Direct service, the Government's telephone advice line for health matters, which is staffed by trained nurses.

David Hill, chief executive of the Lancashire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, thanked his staff for their efforts and said: "It is a significant achievement for us to have been awarded this second charter mark, which recognises the year on year improvements in services. We are one of the very few NHS trusts who have won the award on an organisation-wide basis."