Exploring the wellbeing of ambulance staff using the ‘public value’ perspective: opportunities and challenges for research

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates the problematic nature of ambulance paramedics’ wellbeing and applies the conceptualizations and theoretical perspective of public value (PV) to understand and potentially improve their experience. It synthesizes previous discourse from public accounting and public management and applies it to NHS ambulance services which have been prominent in the response to the Covid-19 pandemic but are currently under-researched in public management literature. The authors suggest a future interdisciplinary research agenda.

IMPACT

This paper explores how a public service policy and delivery system based on the notions of public value could be developed and implemented for emergency services staff. The authors focus on the wellbeing of NHS ambulance personnel; demonstrating that the wellbeing of the provider, as well as the public service recipient, should be considered in the evaluation of public services. During the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a surge of support for frontline healthcare staff, including ambulance workers. For example, in the UK, there were regular public ‘claps for carers’, celebrating healthcare ‘heroes’. However, this may shift attention from more pressing issues, such as budget cuts and working conditions. It also puts more stress on staff to perform ‘heroically’: risking their own health and wellbeing.

KEYWORDS:

• Accounting
• ambulance services
• heroes
• NHS
• public value
• resilience
• wellbeing

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).