AN NHS ambulance trust has teamed up with a supermarket in a drive to respond to 999 calls in rural areas more rapidly.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service, which has faced criticism over the amount of time it takes to reach emergencies in parts of the Yorkshire Dales, has been given a space in the car park of Richmond Co-operative to act as an official standby point for its emergency vehicles.

Standby points are strategically positioned sites used by the ambulance service to ensure their staff are best placed geographically to respond as quickly as possible in local communities.

The trust has worked with Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to review the availability of ambulances in the area and make patient-focussed improvements in efficiency.

Part of this work involved examining the locations of ambulances before receiving a 999 call, to ensure resources were best placed to reach a life-threatening emergency.

A trust spokesman said: “The Co-operative was identified as an ideal location to position emergency vehicles, allowing better access to rural areas in North Yorkshire and enabling us to reach patients more quickly.”

The new standby point joins a further four locations across the area that are available for use by all the trust’s emergency vehicles, including Hipswell Road and Harewood Medical Centre, Catterick Garrison, Bedale Medical Centre and Catterick Village Medical Centre.

CCG spokesman, Topcliffe GP Charles Parker, said: "Every minute counts when responding to emergencies, especially in rural areas.

"This new stand-by point at The Co-operative complements a range of efforts being made to improve response times, which are making a significant difference.”