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19/08/2004
Ambulance call-outs to be tailored to patients' need
Patients with non-urgent conditions who dial 999 will not automatically be sent an ambulance, but may instead receive treatment at home or from other healthcare professionals, under changes announced today by Health Minister Rosie Winterton.
She said: "We are now giving Strategic Health Authorities, Primary Care Trusts and local ambulance trusts the freedom to work together so they can decide how best to care for patients with non-urgent healthcare needs."
The Minister added: "Primary care trusts and ambulance trusts will now be able to work with other local health organisations to agree how to deliver the best possible, clinically safe response for patients and how to measure local performance. This will help to ensure patients get a fast responsive service that meets their needs and that efficient use is made of ambulance technicians, paramedics and emergency care practitioner skills.
"Thanks to the hard work of staff, ambulance trusts are reaching more patients with life-threatening conditions faster than ever before, reaching over 75 per cent of them in under eight minutes. Our NHS reforms mean that we are shifting the balance of power from the centre, to patients and frontline NHS staff, using national leverage to enhance local delivery."
Many ambulance trusts are already implementing new ways of working to provide services tailored to individual patients who have non-urgent health care needs and do not need to be taken to A&E such as patients being treated at home by a nurse, paramedic or emergency care practitioner so that they do not have to go to hospital.
Welcoming the ability to "exercise greater discretion in responding to non life-threatening calls," Ambulance Service Association President Paul Phillips, said that the Association had worked closely with the Department of Health and other services on the issue of effective 'Category C' responses.
Currently performance requirements for ambulances dealing with non-urgent 999 'Category C' calls - for minor injuries and non-life threatening conditions - are set and monitored at a national level.
Under the changes, effective from October 1, local NHS organisations will have responsibility for managing and monitoring how local services respond to these types of call.
(SP)
She said: "We are now giving Strategic Health Authorities, Primary Care Trusts and local ambulance trusts the freedom to work together so they can decide how best to care for patients with non-urgent healthcare needs."
The Minister added: "Primary care trusts and ambulance trusts will now be able to work with other local health organisations to agree how to deliver the best possible, clinically safe response for patients and how to measure local performance. This will help to ensure patients get a fast responsive service that meets their needs and that efficient use is made of ambulance technicians, paramedics and emergency care practitioner skills.
"Thanks to the hard work of staff, ambulance trusts are reaching more patients with life-threatening conditions faster than ever before, reaching over 75 per cent of them in under eight minutes. Our NHS reforms mean that we are shifting the balance of power from the centre, to patients and frontline NHS staff, using national leverage to enhance local delivery."
Many ambulance trusts are already implementing new ways of working to provide services tailored to individual patients who have non-urgent health care needs and do not need to be taken to A&E such as patients being treated at home by a nurse, paramedic or emergency care practitioner so that they do not have to go to hospital.
Welcoming the ability to "exercise greater discretion in responding to non life-threatening calls," Ambulance Service Association President Paul Phillips, said that the Association had worked closely with the Department of Health and other services on the issue of effective 'Category C' responses.
Currently performance requirements for ambulances dealing with non-urgent 999 'Category C' calls - for minor injuries and non-life threatening conditions - are set and monitored at a national level.
Under the changes, effective from October 1, local NHS organisations will have responsibility for managing and monitoring how local services respond to these types of call.
(SP)
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02 July 2004
Green light for ambulances on speeding fine problem
Ambulance drivers will no longer be issued with speeding fines when en-route to emergency 999 calls, Health Minister Rosie Winterton announced today. The Ambulance Service Association (ASA) estimates that it costs some Ambulance Trusts up to £1million a year to deal with the paperwork involved in proving that vehicles are responding to emergencies.
Green light for ambulances on speeding fine problem
Ambulance drivers will no longer be issued with speeding fines when en-route to emergency 999 calls, Health Minister Rosie Winterton announced today. The Ambulance Service Association (ASA) estimates that it costs some Ambulance Trusts up to £1million a year to deal with the paperwork involved in proving that vehicles are responding to emergencies.
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27 July 2005
Report reveals fewer hospitals receiving top rating
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