Kent's ambulance service has united with trusts in the West Midlands and the south west in a bid to "improve efficiency and benefit patient care".

South East Coast Ambulance Service has announced an plans to form an alliance with South Western Ambulance Service and West Midlands Ambulance Service.

Altogether the three services handle more than 2.5million 999 calls each year.

Secamb have started the trusts are working together "to deliver efficiency savings to invest in front line services."

The ambulance trust's chair, David Astley said: "I am confident that, by working closely in partnership with our colleagues from SWAST and WMAS, we will all be able to benefit from sharing best practice and making efficiencies through joint procurement to drive real improvements for our staff and our patients."

The partnership expects to deliver savings by buying supplies, including equipment and fuel, together.

A Secamb spokesperson said: "In addition, the three will work collaboratively to share best practice for the benefit of patients and staff. They will also work on improving resilience between the organisations for planned events and major incidents."

There are no plans to merge services or restructure existing operations.

Outgoing Secamb chief executive Daren Mochrie said: "This is the right thing to do for our patients and our staff. By forming this partnership, we will be able to bring together the knowledge and experience of three Trusts to explore ways to reduce variation in some areas and develop new joint initiatives that will untimely enhance the quality of care for our patients.”

The decision was agreed by all three trusts' chief executives on Tuesday, based on recommendations given by Lord Carter to the Department of Health.

Mr Mochrie intends to leave Secamb in the spring, joining North West Ambulance Service.