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'It's like they have a crystal ball' | 'It's like they have a crystal ball' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Emma Wilkinson Health reporter, BBC News Ambulances in the North-East are freed up to quickly deal with emergencies | Emma Wilkinson Health reporter, BBC News Ambulances in the North-East are freed up to quickly deal with emergencies |
A health watchdog has raised serious concerns about the state of emergency care in England. | A health watchdog has raised serious concerns about the state of emergency care in England. |
But there is much variation and services in the North-East have been singled out by the Healthcare Commission for consistently high quality of care. | |
A pilot scheme to better direct ambulance services to those who really need them has substantially contributed to these glowing reports. | A pilot scheme to better direct ambulance services to those who really need them has substantially contributed to these glowing reports. |
Operators at the ambulance control centre use specialist computer systems called Pathway to determine who needs an ambulance and who could be treated nearer to home, for example in a walk-in centre. | Operators at the ambulance control centre use specialist computer systems called Pathway to determine who needs an ambulance and who could be treated nearer to home, for example in a walk-in centre. |
Paul Benstead, aged 39, has worked as a paramedic since 1992 and is currently a one-man rapid response unit with a high speed car, based in South Shields. | Paul Benstead, aged 39, has worked as a paramedic since 1992 and is currently a one-man rapid response unit with a high speed car, based in South Shields. |
The control centre place him and his colleagues at "hot spots" around the North-East so they can quickly get to the scene of a traffic accident or heart attack. If you think back to the 1980s you would have fleets of ambulances outside casualty because they didn't have enough beds - you could be waiting 20 minutes to half an hour before you could even deliver your patient Paul Benstead, rapid response paramedic | The control centre place him and his colleagues at "hot spots" around the North-East so they can quickly get to the scene of a traffic accident or heart attack. If you think back to the 1980s you would have fleets of ambulances outside casualty because they didn't have enough beds - you could be waiting 20 minutes to half an hour before you could even deliver your patient Paul Benstead, rapid response paramedic |
"It's like they've got a crystal ball sometimes - we're never more than a couple of minutes away," he says. | "It's like they've got a crystal ball sometimes - we're never more than a couple of minutes away," he says. |
Because the control centre can direct the non-life-threatening cases to other parts of the health service, the ambulances are free to attend the emergencies they are designed for. | Because the control centre can direct the non-life-threatening cases to other parts of the health service, the ambulances are free to attend the emergencies they are designed for. |
"If you think back to the 1980s you would have fleets of ambulances outside casualty because they didn't have enough beds - you could be waiting 20 minutes to half an hour before you could even deliver your patient." | "If you think back to the 1980s you would have fleets of ambulances outside casualty because they didn't have enough beds - you could be waiting 20 minutes to half an hour before you could even deliver your patient." |
He added he had heard of other ambulance trusts which were really struggling to meet response times simply because the system was "clogged up". | He added he had heard of other ambulance trusts which were really struggling to meet response times simply because the system was "clogged up". |
"If the NHS is to have a viable future, things like this are essential - we can't be stuck in the old days of working." | "If the NHS is to have a viable future, things like this are essential - we can't be stuck in the old days of working." |
Increasing demand | Increasing demand |
Calls to the ambulance service in the North East have doubled in recent years and are set to increase further. | Calls to the ambulance service in the North East have doubled in recent years and are set to increase further. |
Those managing the service say they had two choices - either provide more ambulances or use existing services more efficiently. | Those managing the service say they had two choices - either provide more ambulances or use existing services more efficiently. |
Paul Liversidge, director of ambulance operations said only 65% of people calling 999 are now transported by ambulance to hospital. | Paul Liversidge, director of ambulance operations said only 65% of people calling 999 are now transported by ambulance to hospital. |
The others are dealt with by walk-in centres, GPs, mental health teams, or even home visits from nurses. | The others are dealt with by walk-in centres, GPs, mental health teams, or even home visits from nurses. |
We're not sending ambulances in 35% of cases and that's of benefit to the ambulances and the whole healthcare community as well as the patients Paul Liversidge, director of operations | We're not sending ambulances in 35% of cases and that's of benefit to the ambulances and the whole healthcare community as well as the patients Paul Liversidge, director of operations |
"We can identify the life-threatening calls immediately and then as the questions progress we can determine whether there's an alternative." | "We can identify the life-threatening calls immediately and then as the questions progress we can determine whether there's an alternative." |
Detailed analysis of the Pathway pilot will be done before it is rolled out to any other services. | Detailed analysis of the Pathway pilot will be done before it is rolled out to any other services. |
"There will be an evaluation process to make sure that clinically there's no weaknesses. | "There will be an evaluation process to make sure that clinically there's no weaknesses. |
"We can look at particular questions, change the wording if necessary. | "We can look at particular questions, change the wording if necessary. |
"We're not sending ambulances in 35% of cases and that's of benefit to the ambulances and the whole healthcare community as well as the patients." | "We're not sending ambulances in 35% of cases and that's of benefit to the ambulances and the whole healthcare community as well as the patients." |
Members of the public were initially reticent about the scheme because the culture had always been to bring everyone who called 999 into hospital. | Members of the public were initially reticent about the scheme because the culture had always been to bring everyone who called 999 into hospital. |
But staff report once people get used to the system they are often happy they do not have to go to casualty. | But staff report once people get used to the system they are often happy they do not have to go to casualty. |
"The walk-in centres have been a big hit," adds Paul, one paramedic who is "100%" behind the new system. | "The walk-in centres have been a big hit," adds Paul, one paramedic who is "100%" behind the new system. |
"They're oversubscribed so they actually need more of them." | "They're oversubscribed so they actually need more of them." |
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