Case Study: London Ambulance Service
How the London Ambulance Service Used the matrix Standard to Transform Its Employability Programme
The London Ambulance Service (LAS) faced a challenge: diversifying its workforce and attracting talent from marginalised communities in London. To achieve this, LAS launched an innovative employability skills programme and sought accreditation through the matrix Standard, the Department for Education’s quality benchmark for Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG). This case study explores LAS’s motivations, journey, implementation, and the benefits of achieving the matrix Standard.
Why the London Ambulance Service Chose the matrix Standard
When LAS began developing its employability skills programme, the team recognised the importance of delivering high-quality IAG. As Simon Matin, Employability Skills Programme Manager, explained:
“The matrix Standard is seen as the benchmark of giving high quality Information, Advice and Guidance and we want to meet that, but also as part of our requirements to deliver some of the programmes that we do, because of our funding requirements are to be accredited to a standard. So it was a win-win situation for us in order to be accredited”
For LAS, accreditation was not just a compliance exercise – it was a strategic move to ensure credibility, consistency, and excellence in supporting participants through their journey into frontline roles.
The Journey to Accreditation
LAS’s employability programme was designed to attract people from marginalised communities in London to work for them, and prepare candidates for roles such as Assistant Ambulance Practitioner – the first step toward becoming a paramedic. The three-week programme includes:
- Employment skills workshops (CV writing, interview preparation)
- Confidence-building sessions
- Observation shifts in call centres and ambulance induction tours
- Heritage visits to understand LAS’s values and history
Simon highlighted the importance of balancing practical insights with non-clinical guidance:
“We need to be very careful in this space that we don’t give any clinical education. So it’s finding that fine balance between the two.”
Who was involved in the preparation?
Simon worked with programme staff at LAS in preparing for assessment:
“It was important to have a set standard to work towards… but also get them to understand what the requirements were.”
Simon emphasised the value of early engagement and continuous evidence gathering:
“Don’t leave things for the last minute… gather evidence throughout the development.”
Support from the matrix team was instrumental:
“You were very supportive… anytime I sent an email or gave you a call, you’d answer my query or guide me towards the right direction.”
The external assessor also played a key role in making the process “seamless” and constructive:
“She felt she made it comfortable. She didn’t make me feel as if I was under a magnifying glass… where she found improvement, she said that in a very professional way.”
The Assessment Experience
Despite initial nerves, Simon found the assessment process reassuring:
“I’ll be honest with you at the time, I was nervous about it. I was. What if you fail? You know, all these things creep into your mind.”
“Once you take the plunge, you come out the other end”
The feedback confirmed LAS was excelling in many areas:
“The information, advice and guidance that we were giving our participants was above and beyond what is expected… which was really refreshing to hear.”
The programme’s success was evident in outcomes: a 90%+ completion and employment rate, demonstrating the impact of high-quality IAG.
The Benefits of Achieving the matrix Standard
Accreditation brought multiple benefits:
- Accountability and Continuous Improvement
“It holds us accountable… before we were just doing things off the cuff, but now we have something to work towards.”
- Enhanced Reputation and Partnerships LAS leveraged its achievement to strengthen partnerships and win awards:
“We mentioned it to any kind of new or old partnerships… that helped us to go and nominate ourselves for other awards… We’ve gone on to win many awards, which we haven’t done previously actually.”
- Programme Expansion
“We started working with other trusts… they’ve heard about the success and want to be a part of it.”
- Staff Development Involving staff in the accreditation process improved understanding and engagement:
“It helps their kind of understanding and growth about accreditations and what it means for the service.”
Celebrating Success
LAS celebrated internally and externally, using the achievement as a springboard for recognition and growth. For Simon, the moment was energising:
“I was buzzing… it just gave me that “reigniting my fire” to go to that next level now.”
Advice for Other Organisations
Simon’s advice for those considering the matrix Standard:
- Start with a conversation:
“Make sure that you have that initial conversation… about whether you’re in a position to go ahead.”
- Engage staff early:
“Look at it as an opportunity for you to grow your area of work and also demonstrate your strengths.”
- Plan ahead:
“Gather evidence throughout the development… look at it through the assessor’s lens.”
In Summary…
The London Ambulance Service’s journey with the matrix Standard demonstrates how accreditation can drive quality, accountability, and growth. By embedding best practice in IAG, LAS not only met compliance requirements but also transformed its employability programme into a model of success, achieving outstanding outcomes for participants and setting a benchmark for other organisations.
If you want to know more about how the matrix Standard can help your organisation’s IAG processes, call our team on 01423 229665 or email us at matrixStandard@growthco.uk
Have Questions?
If you want to know more about how matrix Standard can help your organisation’s IAG processes, book in a call with a member of our team:
Book a CallDownload your FREE Social Prescribing IAG service guide
Your detailed sector guide will include an overview of what makes a high quality IAG service within your sector, the touchpoints of the accreditation process, along with tips for ensuring your organisation is demonstrating quality in each area.
Download My Guide
