A hardware, cellular and satellite services package designed to deliver “fast, resilient connectivity” for ambulance crews has been installed at The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) along with hospitals in Peterborough, Luton and Colchester, following a trial at East of England Ambulance Service as part of NHS England’s Future Connectivity Wireless Innovation programme.
With internet connectivity outside of PAHT’s four hospital emergency departments “significantly enhanced” by the installation, expected benefits shared by the trust include improved access to patient data and information, with real-time information sharing and “faster escalation of deteriorating patients” with an aim to support patient experience and outcomes.
Speaking from East of England Ambulance Service, electronic patient care records lead (paramedic) Philip Elvidge shares frontline experience, noting the challenges staff face with weak or non-existent connection including clinical apps being unable to pull information in from other systems and difficulties uploading information to key partners. However, the new trial at four local hospitals means that ambulance teams “have been able to access the Summary Care Records and National Record Locator consistently, which gives staff access to patients’ End of Life and Mental Health Plans, giving access to key information any time of the day to help us make the right clinical decisions”.
Also from the region
Last week we reported on PAHT’s new electronic health record ‘Alex Health’, offering an integrated digital record of patient care which will draw information from “all health systems that currently store patient information/data”.
Earlier this year, we spoke with Stephen Bromhall, chief digital information officer at East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, to talk about recent digital projects and priorities and the way that digital is being used to make improvements across areas such as workforce, operations and patient engagement.
Ambulance services: the wider trend
Looking to South East Coast Ambulance Service, we explored the trust strategy for 2024 – 2029, including plans to “build a stronger SECAmb ready to face the challenges of the future” with digital tools to play a key role in offering a new service model. SECAmb also shared insight into the implementation of automated texting with the aim of supporting patient safety and saving time for staff.
Earlier this year HTN noted how the Welsh Ambulance Service, in partnership with the University of Warwick and SkyBound, explored the feasibility of delivering a defibrillator via drone following a 999 call.
And we looked into a report developed by the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives in partnership with NHS Providers and NHS Confederation, which called for the “radical re-design” of urgent and emergency care and long-term planning and highlighted the need to be “better prepared for the emerging impacts of advancing technologies”.
