Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust - NHS Direct Wales

31 Pages·2009·1.75 MB·English

Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
Annual Report 2008-09
VISION CONTENTS
We will improve the health of our Values  Beliefs 2 VISION
patients by working in partnership
3 CONTENTS
Our beliefs underpin everything we do. We
to deliver a range of effective and Cooperative
believe that the following shape and guide 4 FOREWORD
appropriate healthcare services.
We work together in partnerships, everything we seek to achieve:
5 ABOUT US
The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust involving staff, patients, volunteers, the
has a mandate to improve healthcare NHS and other partners to design and ● Patients come first 6 STORY OF THE YEAR
outside hospital in the context of Welsh deliver our services ● Partnerships are critical 8 TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Assembly Government strategies including,
Accountable ● People are valued 10 FEEDBACK
principally, Designed for Life and Delivering
Emergency Care Services.  We are accountable to our communities ● Public accountability is essential 14 EMERGENCY MEDICAl SERVICES
and one another for the effective and 16 PATIENT CARE SERVICES
Our vision recognises that we can only do
efficient delivery of our services
so successfully if we work in partnership 18 NHS DIRECT WAlES
with other NHS organisations, local Responsive 20 VOlUNTEER FIRST RESPONDERS
government and other bodies, including
We are responsive in developing our 22 AIR AMBUlANCE
the Wales Air Ambulance Charitable Trust,
services according to the needs of our
community health councils and citizens’ 24 1,000 lIVES
communities and partners
groups.  26 EDUCATION AND DEVElOPMENT
Ethical
Our vision also informs the priorities set out 28 STAFF SURVEY
in this plan, requiring us to deliver effective We do the right things, behaving with
29 EQUAlITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
services (e.g., clinically effective emergency dignity and respect and treating others
30 CONSUlTATION
care and reliable non emergency as we would wish to be treated ourselves
transportation) and to do so appropriately 32 HEAlTH AND SAFETY
Supportive
(e.g., improving our 999 call categorisation
33 ENVIRONMENTAl MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABIlITY
and NHS Direct Wales triage). We support one another, ensuring our
34 FINANCIAl PERFORMANCE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2009
patients benefit from an effective and
appropriate level of service 50 THE BOARD 2008/09
52 MAKING THE CONNECTIONS - RECURRING AND NON-RECURRING SAVINGS
56 SAlARY AND PENSION ENTITlEMENTS
58 DIRECTORS’ STATEMENT
59 APPENDICES
PAGE 2 PAGE 3
FOREWORD ABOUT US
We would like to take this opportunity to thank We were determined to address the issue as a in their own homes rather than having to take The Trust In 2008-09 the service dealt with 315,057 Accountability
the staff of the Welsh Ambulance Service for the matter of urgency so we brought in the NHS them to hospital. emergency incidents, 52,128 urgent journeys Everything done by those who work in the Trust
The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust,
skill and unflagging dedication they have shown Centre for Equality and Human Rights to take an and transported incidents, 9,759 non- must be able to stand the test of Government
This will enable us to ensure that patients established in 1998, serves a population of 2.9
throughout a difficult year in the organisation’s objective view of the situation. emergency patients to over 200 treatment scrutiny and public judgements on propriety
receive appropriate care when they dial 999. For million, across 20,640 kilometres. From April
history. centres throughout England and Wales. and satisfy the requirements of professional
Among the improvements we have introduced patients who do not need to go to hospital, it 2007 NHS Direct Wales became an integral part
codes of conduct.
Once again the Trust was given fantastic support is ensuring that each member of staff now has may be better to treat them at home, refer them of the Trust. The fleet includes 227 frontline emergency
by an army of volunteers, including Community a named line manager – so that they know who to their GP, Social Services or Community Health ambulances, 94 Rapid Response Vehicles, 26 Probity
The Trust:
First Responders and the Ambulance Car Service they need to see if they ever need help or advice. Services or give them advice for self-care. High Dependency vehicles, 248 Patient Care
The Board, its managers and staff, are
while in Central and West Wales, staff from the Managers now also make sure they meet all ● is managed by a Board of Executive and Services vehicles and 61 Health Courier Service
Although it was an extremely tough year, it committed to maintaining absolute standards
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service members of staff regularly. Non-Executive Directors that meets vehicles.
ended with us achieving the higher performance of honesty and integrity.
acted as co-responders making a valuable regularly at various locations across Wales.
The Trust is committed to making things target set by the Welsh Assembly Government During the year the Trust has continued to
contribution. Openness
better for our staff and we are the only NHS to respond to 65 per cent of life-threatening ● employs 2,930 people – 67% are develop new initiatives to deal with the ever-
The results of the Ministerial Review initiated organisation in Wales that will be undertaking emergencies within eight minutes. operational – 1,337 on emergency duties, increasing number of emergency calls, these The Trust strives to demonstrate sufficient
by Health Minister Edwina Hart provided a staff survey in 2009-10. This will enable us to 623 on non emergency ambulance and include managing demand in different ways by transparency about its activities to promote
Our pledge is to continue to work hard to
a welcome opportunity to benchmark the build on the progress we have made so far. health courier services, 420 management/ developing alternative care pathways to meet confidence among the Trust and its staff,
improve the service and restore its reputation
progress we are making mid-way through our administrative support, 550 Control and the needs of patients. patients and the public.
There have been a number of major with the people of Wales – so that our staff and
five-year modernisation programme, Time to NHS Direct Wales call handlers.
developments on the clinical front during volunteers can be proud of working for the NHS Direct Wales provides a 24-hour health
Make a Difference.
the year. Our first cohort of higher education Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust. ● staff are 65 per cent male and 35 per cent advice and information service to the people
If you require this document in other languages, large
The review underlined that the foundations of entrants started at Swansea University as they female. of Wales, and in the last year dealt with over
print, or an audio format please ring 01745 532948.
the modernisation programme were sound but took their first steps towards becoming qualified 792,000 contacts. This includes 342,264
● 83% of our staff are full time with 17% part
it also flagged up serious management issues paramedics. We are proud to report that more telephone calls and 450,111 web hits. The
time
first identified in a staff survey. than half of them are women, which is also a Service has contact centres across Wales in
major step forward for equality in the workforce. ● operates from 86 ambulance stations, three Bangor, Cwmbran and Swansea.
There were accusations of “bullying” and
control centres, two NHSDW call centres,
“excessive criticism”. It is always very hard to get The graduates of the course in Swansea will be The results of a survey into the ethnic
three regional offices, six vehicle workshops.
exactly to the root of what caused the use of glad to hear that our first Consultant Paramedic, breakdown of WAST staff can be found in
those words because it can be a range of issues Andrew Jenkins, is plugging a gap in the career ● has a National Training College with Appendix One on page 59.
from actual bullying to legitimate performance opportunities for paramedics. regional training centres
management of staff who have never been
In an exciting development, we will be
performance managed.
introducing a new grade of Specialist Paramedic
with an extended scope of practice and a wider
Stuart Fletcher Alan Murray
range of skills, allowing them to manage people Chairman Chief Executive
PAGE 4 PAGE 5
STORY OF THE YEAR
This was a particularly tough year for the Health Minister Edwina Hart rightly The year has seen three important There was more good news when the
Welsh Ambulance Service. raised the bar in relation to our appointments to the Clinical Directorate, Welsh Assembly Government approved
performance. In the previous year, Andrew Jenkins as the Trust’s first £10.5 million in funding to pay for an
A number of unprecedented
we had achieved the Welsh Assembly Consultant Paramedic, Grayham Mclean automatic vehicle location system and
problems had a serious impact on our
Government target of reaching 60 per as Unscheduled Care lead and Alison satellite navigation which will help
performance but by the end of the year
cent of life threatening emergencies Kedward as Associate Nurse Director. ensure that we deploy the nearest
we were back on track.
within eight minutes. The new target and most appropriate response to any
Among the highlights of the year was
The most difficult period for the service was to respond within eight minutes to incident.
the opening of our new, state-of-the-
and, by definition a number of patients, 65 per cent of 999 calls.
art control room in South East Wales. We still have a long way to go. But in
was the end of 2008.
It coincided with the need to find £17 Vantage Point House, in Cwmbran, is March we achieved the new, enhanced
We saw gradual and then rapid million in efficiency savings to meet the blueprint for the future in all our standard for response to life-threatening
increases in the time that it was taking the statutory financial requirements regions. emergencies for the first time and there
to hand patients over in a number of of the Welsh Assembly Government. is cause to be optimistic about the
The new Chief Executive of the NHS in
hospitals in Wales and the situation was Unfortunately, it was not possible to future.
Wales, Paul Williams, has given fresh
especially acute in South East Wales. balance the books without affecting
impetus to improving hospital handover
frontline services. The rocketing price
There was an upsurge in the volume times and the problem is diminishing
of diesel in the early part of the year did
of emergency calls in late November in most parts of Wales as rapidly as it
not help. The savings had to be found
and early December - it was 16.5 per emerged.
in the staffing of Emergency Medical
cent higher than the same period in
Services so we found ourselves short of For example, in December we lost more
the previous year and beyond anything
approximately 60 posts – more than 30 than 1,000 hours in ambulance crew
that might have been expected or
of them in South East Wales. time just at the Royal Gwent Hospital. In
planned for. The very cold weather
March we lost just over 500 hours there.
exacerbated chronic conditions, leading
to an increase in the number of people
suffering chest pains and breathing
difficulties. All of this led to more
delays in handovers at Accident and
Emergency departments. As a result,
queuing ambulances became an all too
familiar sight across Wales and it created
major problems for hospitals. It was also
unfair to patients.
PAGE 6 PAGE 7
TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
During the course of the year, we The aim is to fully integrate all the In February, the Welsh Assembly
PRAISE FOR FLYING RESPONSE
reached the mid-way point in our elements and create a single set of call Government approved £10.5m in
comprehensive modernisation handlers for all three services. When funding to pay for an automatic vehicle
A retired RAF squadron leader has praised the flying
programme, Time to Make a Difference. appropriate a 999 ambulance will location system, mobile data terminals
response of the Welsh Ambulance Service when his wife
continue to be dispatched immediately. and satellite navigation, bringing the
When we set out the strategy, there fell at their home.
It might, however, be better to refer Welsh Ambulance Service in line with
were two main components – the first
some patients to mental health services other services in the UK. Eighty-four-year-old Wyn Evans dialled 999 after his wife
was improving the effectiveness of our
or to arrange access to a clinic where Betty, 85, the village postmistress, took a tumble at their
response to life-threatening and serious The new systems depend on Airwave,
minor injuries can be dealt with. On home in Glynarthen, near llandysul, and he was amazed at
emergencies and the other was about our new digital communications system
the other hand, callers can be referred how quickly help was at hand.
improving the appropriateness of our which will virtually eliminate radio
straight to a GP if the patient requires
response. blackspots, improving coverage from 47 First to arrive were Fire Service Co-responders from nearby
primary care, or to NHS Direct if other
per cent to 99 per cent of Wales. Newcastle Emlyn and they were quickly followed by
Vantage Point House, our new state- forms of care, advice or information for
paramedic Chris Thomas in a Rapid Response Vehicle and
of-the-art control room in Cwmbran, self-care are what the patient needs. This will enable us to pinpoint the
then by an emergency ambulance.
addresses both these issues and points More appropriate care means better nearest available ambulance to a
the way forward for the rest of Wales. care for patients. 999 call and send details of the call Mr Evans, whose wife has run the post office for the past
directly to ambulance crews, making 28 years, said: “The lads came very promptly and they were
The new approach is essential. Sixty per Time to Make a Difference is an evolving
a significant difference to the speed absolutely superb.
cent of people who ring 999 in Wales do improvement programme and we
with which we can respond to life
not need to be admitted to hospital. In are working hard to ensure that staff, Chris Thomas said: “The response from the co-responders
threatening emergencies.
fact, the last thing a lot of them need is trade unions and other NHS and local was first class and their contribution, particularly in a rural
being taken to hospital in an emergency authority partners are involved in the area, is vital.”
ambulance. process.
Vantage Point House is the clinical It has been designed to dovetail with
contact centre for all emergency and the overall strategy of the Welsh
non-emergency ambulance control Assembly Government, Delivering
in South East Wales. Also based there Emergency Care Strategy, which is being
are the Gwent GP Out of Hours service. rolled out across Wales. The aim is to
Simply having everybody under the work together to simplify and improve
same roof has already led to major access to emergency care so that
improvements. patients are seen and treated as quickly
as possible.
PAGE 8 PAGE 9
FEEDBACK
The Trust continues to welcome Trust ceasing to use a particular Taxi In respect of complaints investigation, A breakdown of complaints by region Reason for complaint.
complaints and compliments as an company following receipt of several the Trust’s focus has been on and department are as follows:
A breakdown of the reasons for
indicator of the quality of service we similar complaints. management training and investigating
EMS complaints is shown below. Some
are providing. During the last financial officer availability. During the reporting
Some recommendations have national complainants may have more than
year the number of complaints received period, 54 managers have undertaken C&W North SE Total
implications, such as the use of one reason for complaint, which is why
has increased. This is attributable to the a complaints investigation course, 2007-08 32 27 66 125
unsuitable wheelchairs. In such cases there are more reasons for complaints,
performance variations experienced with further training planned for the
Trust policies are revisited and all staff 2008-09 40 32 80 152 than actual complaints completed.
during the year. forthcoming year.
are informed of the complaint outcome, Difference +8 +5 +14 +27 The increase in data collection has
This year the Trust has centralised by using such things as patient safety The Trust received a total of 446 formal PCS allowed this information to be used
complaints administration, which has notices. complaints during the year. This shows when identifying trends and as part of
C&W North SE Total
hitherto been devolved to the three Independent Review an increase of 130 complaints received, the Regional Complaints and Adverse
2007-08 49 49 48 146
regional teams. The administration of when compared with the previous year. Incident group meeting, whose core
complaints is now more responsive. The The Trust has received a total of nine During the reporting year the Trust 2008-09 42 76 45 163 purpose is to review the incidents
requests for independent review. Of
data collected for lessons learned and has completed 1,730,944 journeys. Difference -7 +27 -3 +17 (serious/adverse), and complaints
these, none were referred for a full panel
trend analysis is also more robust. Once Therefore, complaints are received on Control (EMS) and claims to identify key themes
investigation, two were returned with
collected this data is fed into the Patient 0.02% of the Trust’s activity. and trends, recommending action as
C&W North SE Total
no further action needed and seven
Safety Panel, which has been introduced necessary.
this year. One of its tasks is to review were returned to the Trust for further Year C&W North SE NHSDW HQ Total 2007-08 5 4 5 14
patient safety complaints and adverse local resolution. 2008-09 21 8 80 109 2008-09 2007-08 Difference
2005-06 99 62 162 * - 323
incidents, ultimately reporting to the This highlighted to the Trust that Difference +16 +4 +75 +95 Attitude 107 35 +72
Board on their implications for the Trust. complainants were unaware that they 2006-07 96 54 152 * - 302 NHSDW HQ Clinical care 16 25 -9
have the opportunity to approach the
This is in line with the Principles of 2007-08 86 80 119 29 - 314 2007-08 29 2007-08 0 Communication 19 24 -5
Trust for further local resolution. The
Remedy and ensuring that the Trust 2008-09 21 2008-09 1 General care 33 40 -7
Trust now includes details in letters of 2008-09 103 116 205 21 1 446
learns from complaints. The Trust uses
Difference -8 Difference +1 Other 64 32 +32
resolution to the complainant, about
a variety of investigation techniques,
how to seek further resolution from the * During this reporting period, NHS Service Provision 21 17 +4
ensuring that the investigation
is proportionate to the subject Trust. Direct Wales was not part of the Welsh Standard of driving 18 12 +6
Ambulance Services NHS Trust.
of the complaint. The complaint Additionally a new training course, Time 366 195 +171
investigation can result in a number to be delivered during 2009/10 will Vehicles 6 9 -3
of recommendations. This can be emphasise to Investigating Officers the
individual action plans for members of need to work closely with complainants
staff, where training needs have been in resolving complaints, and the need to
identified, or region actions such as the investigate thoroughly.
PAGE 10 PAGE 11
FEEDBACK
Achievement against Key
2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09
PIGGY BACK FROM GARETH PARAMEDIC PRAISES POLICE
Performance Indicators
Resolved
in 20 A cool headed paramedic carried a badly-hurt patient to A paramedic and two police officers saved the life of a woman who had
Only 91% of complaints were
working 33% 44% 29% 25% safety in treacherous icy conditions, despite suffering an taken a heroin overdose.
acknowledged within two working days,
days injury himself during the incident.
when compared with 96% during the PCs Greg Burns (right) and Tim Barrell found the young woman
previous reporting period. This drop in Denbigh-based Gareth Williams won an award after coming unconscious and not breathing at the Megabowl on Parc Tawe, Swansea.
performance has now been addressed Compliments to the rescue of Denise Pierce who broke her ankle after Rapid Response Vehicle Paramedic Chris Collins said: “When I arrived
by the centralisation of complaints she fell on ice on the steep slopes near her home close to
the patient was in respiratory arrest and was being resuscitated by two
administration. The Trust received 579 compliments Denbigh Castle.
police officers.
during the reporting period. This
The Trust issued formal letters The paramedic himself fell, painfully chipping his elbow,
continues the year on year increase “They operated the bag and mask
of resolution in response to 336 while struggling to reach the patient who had slipped on the
in compliments received from service respirator and did brilliantly which
complaints. steps of her home.
users. allowed me to give the patient
Of these, only 25% of complaints were She said: “Gareth was brilliant. He set my ankle and gave me the injection which allowed her to
fully investigated and responded to a piggy back to where Steve Williams was with the vehicle. regain consciousness and start
within 20 work days. This is a further He’d hurt his elbow but he kept on looking after me.” breathing on her own again.”
drop in performance when compared
Gareth said: “I The two officers have received a
with previous years and is in part
gave Denise certificate of commendation from
due to the heavy involvement of our
morphine the Welsh Ambulance Service
operational managers (who also act
and reset and Chris added: “She wouldn’t
as complaints investigating officers) in
her ankle. have survived if the police
driving performance improvement.
We didn’t officers had not been there in the
have any first instance.
normal lifting
“Even after I arrived it needed all
gear with us
of us working together to make
because of the
sure the patient pulled through.
weather, so I
thought the “It was a very good outcome
best way was though and she went from not
to carry her by breathing to sitting up and talking
piggy back to and she actually walked out to
the vehicle.” the ambulance.”
PAGE 12 PAGE 13
EMERgENCY MEDICAl SERVICES
This was a year of contrasting fortunes As a result, by the end of the year, As a result of having to make £17 million
for the Emergency Medical Services and we attained the new, enhanced in efficiency savings, we found ourselves HEARTFELT THANKS
one in which we responded to a record Welsh Assembly Government target short of approximately 60 EMS posts
number of 999 calls. of reaching 65 per cent of patients with half of them in South East Wales An Anglesey man has paid tribute to a team of ambulance
suffering a life-threatening emergency but the service has made genuine men who brought him back from the brink thanks to a clot-
Wales experienced the coldest winter
in eight minutes. While the service and significant attempts to bring the busting drug.
for 10 years which resulted in a big
remained inconsistent in some parts establishment back up to the required
surge in blue light emergencies and David Jones called at llangefni ambulance station to say
of Wales, it meant that by March the level.
urgent calls. At the same time, there a big thank you to the three emergency service staff who
overall performance of the Emergency
were increased delays in handing over Each 999 call is responded to in the helped save his life after he suffered a heart attack at home
Medical Services was better than it had
patients from emergency ambulances most appropriate way and can include in Rhosneigr.
ever been in the history of the Welsh
to hospital accident and emergency a traditional emergency ambulance,
Paramedics Wayne Davies, Hefin Jones and Ieuan Wyn
Ambulance Service.
departments. This had a serious a rapid response vehicle, a high
Davies, all from llangefni, administered a clot busting
impact on performance, particularly in This was achieved by improving dependency vehicle, an air ambulance
thrombolysing drug to David, which helped him recover
December and the early part of 2009. efficiency and effectiveness of systems, or telephone advice.
from the heart attack.
improving quality and consistency of
Overall, though, there was an For those who do not need to go to
Wayne said: “I put a heart monitor on David and saw he was
care for patients and concentrating
improvement in both the speed hospital, highly skilled Clinical NHS
having a heart attack so we carried him to the ambulance
resources on the professional
we reached patients suffering life- Direct Nurse Advisors are available and
and administered the clot busting drug before taking him to
development of the workforce.
threatening emergencies and the can refer these patients to the most
Ysbyty Gwynedd.
quality of the treatment they received. Another key factor in the improvement appropriate care pathway for their
“It is great that David is
This was despite the fact that the was the collaborative effort made individual needs.
doing well. It’s the second
number of calls rose from 302,664 to with our health care partners,
The Trust has a major incident plan in
time that all three of us
315,057 . including hospital trusts, to speed
place and regularly takes part in multi-
have been involved with
up the handover of patients at A & E
The use of Rapid Response Vehicles agency emergency planning exercises
a successful thrombolysis.
departments.
to target life-threatening Category in the three regions. These exercises
It really does make a huge
A emergencies continued to be enable the Trust to update and improve
difference to heart attack
effective, helping paramedics to reach the way we prepare for any potential
victims.”
seriously ill or injured patients more emergency or threat.
David said: “Without the
quickly. Significantly, there was also
The cumulative all Wales performance
professional action of the
an improvement too in the speed with
figures for 2008/9 are detailed in
team from the llangefni
which follow-up ambulances arrived to
Appendix Two on page 59.
base, I probably would not
provide transport for the patients.
have survived.”
PAGE 14 PAGE 15
PATIENT CARE SERVICES
Patient Care Services (PCS) could fill the Both of these functions are critical to Although they are volunteers, the ACS
Millennium Stadium nearly 20 times the development of a patient focused, drivers are given training and education Double first for crew
over with the number of patients it leaner and more cost effective Patient over a range of patient treatments to
An ambulance crew celebrated a double first after both
carries every year. Care Service. ensure they can assist patients and tend
delivered babies within a few days of each other.
to them if they become unwell during
In other words, it carries out 1.3 million The Trust’s fleet of PCS vehicles is
transport. Paramedic Sarah Vivian and technician Andrew Kiff had a
patient journeys which is equivalent to designed to cater for a broad range
combined total of 24 years in the Welsh Ambulance Service
nearly half the population of Wales. of patients and the Trust has invested The ACS increases the flexibility of the
but neither had ever brought a new baby into the world.
significantly in replacement and PCS by providing transport during times
That adds up to around 25,000 people
modernisation. when core resources are either reduced That all changed in a few dramatic days in Cardiff when first
a week in almost 250 vehicles on non-
or not normally available such as late Sarah and then Andrew had to step in to help expectant
emergency and pre-planned trips. The But it is the skill and dedication of staff,
evenings and weekends. mums with home births.
journeys have to be co-ordinated with supported by a dedicated team of
more than 300 treatment centres at volunteers, which is the Service’s most The other major arm of PCS is the Sarah, a paramedic for 10 years, said: “The first was in Ely on
hospitals and clinics not just in Wales significant asset, ensuring patients are Health Courier Service which transports August 29 and we arrived to be greeted by the father who
but in England too. given the best possible service which everything which is not a patient and said ‘The baby’s coming.’
starts with the booking arrangements in not an emergency which includes
Making that massive undertaking “He was right too. The head was showing and I delivered a
the non-emergency call centres. everything from bloods to beds,
more efficient and effective is the new little girl about four minutes later – it was a fantastic feeling.”
samples to supplies.
ClERIC booking and planning computer When patients ring up, they are taken
Andrew didn’t have long to wait for his turn because a few
system. It has been introduced in the through the eligibility criteria to In an increasingly competitive world
days later, on September 8, they had another call, this time
North and Central and West Regions, decide whether they need ambulance it is important to be able to provide
to llanedeyrn, where Andrew, a father of two girls, from
with implementation in the South East transport. Those who need transport an efficient service and HCS has
Cardiff, delivered a healthy little boy.
Region planned for completion by the are taken safely to and from their demonstrated that by winning major
summer of 2009. appointments, either in a PCS vehicle or contracts with Health Service partners He said: “I
in a car driven by a volunteer. across Wales including five-year deals was anxious
ClERIC speeds up the system by
with Gwent Healthcare and Cardiff and about it and
allowing direct booking of transport The volunteer Ambulance Car Service
Vale NHS Trust. it was nerve-
from GP surgeries and hospital clinics (ACS) drivers cover eight million miles
racking but
and departments, while an enhanced annually and provide transport for
the mum was
planning function will enable patients patients who have limited mobility but
very good
to be allocated transport which more are able to get in or out of a car.
and it went
closely meets their needs.
well and the
outcome was
fantastic.”
PAGE 16 PAGE 17
NHS DIRECT WAlES
NHS Direct Wales (NHSDW) – the Nurse assessment and support for non- The appointment of Alison Kedward
PINPOINT PRECISION
health service that is just a phone call emergency calls received on the 999 as WAST’s Associate Nurse Director
or a mouse click away from the people lines in ambulance controls in the South lends support in providing nurse
of Wales – got even closer and more East and Central and West Regional leadership while the Senior Nurse team A new high tech location device is being fitted to all Welsh
effective during 2008-2009. ambulance control rooms has been is a resource across a range of areas of ambulances - it’s so precise that it can pinpoint their
piloted and tested and is now being expertise. location to within metres.
NHSDW provides a national 24-hour
implemented as a mainstream service
bilingual ‘direct to nurse’ assessment, NHSDW also works in partnership The Automatic Vehicle location System (AVlS) is a
component for the Trust.
health information and advice service with other Welsh NHS Trusts and local key component of the £55 million Airwave project
that the public can reach by dialling Performance to the level of Key Health Boards to provide Out of Hours which will revolutionise the Welsh Ambulance Service’s
0845 46 47 or on-line at Performance Indicators has been call handling and clinical telephone communications systems.
www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk achieved and new indicators established triage for three GP out of hours services
The new computerised system will also mean that
to continue the drive to successfully in Swansea, Gwynedd and Anglesey,
That 24-hour helpline and the ambulance staff will be safer because the positional signal
convert calls from unscheduled to assessment and advice to all callers to
website are gateways to a menu of will give their location details to Control staff and while the
scheduled care. six major A&E departments across Wales
health services that support both the present radio system only works properly in 47 per cent of
and emergency dental helplines for 13
unscheduled care and the public health The opening of the Welsh Ambulance Wales Airwave will mean that 99 per cent of the country is
lHBs.
promotion/prevention agenda. Service’s new South East Regional covered.
Headquarters at Vantage Point House It also helps manage patients with
The setting up of Wales’s first ever Ambulance Service chairman Stuart Fletcher said: “This
in November saw NHSDW working long term conditions, including mental
integrated unscheduled healthcare should benefit both staff and patients alike, and is an
alongside ambulance control and health illness, supporting them in the
call centre at Vantage Point House, exciting advancement for Wales.
Gwent Out of Hours services in a community and avoiding hospital
Cwmbran and the accreditation of
“It will mean greater staff safety through our ability to
blueprint for the future of the service in admission in collaboration with partner
NHSDW as an Open College Network
locate staff
Wales and beyond. health service providers and community
Centre for nurse training in telephone
and vehicles,
chronic conditions teams, through
triage were just two of the major In the vital areas of Training and
more
patient care plans and practitioner
initiatives it was involved in. Education NHSDW’s attainments in the
efficient
liaison.
field of telephone triage training have
In addition NHSDW’s vital role in freeing use of our
been matched by the dual skilling of six
up emergency ambulances by quickly resources
of its callers to take ambulance calls, a
and accurately assessing 999 calls and the
Safeguarding Children training package
and where necessary allocating more allocation
has been implemented and all frontline
appropriate responses has also been a of the most
staff have been given Mental Health
success. appropriate
First Aid training.
resources to
incidents.”
PAGE 18 PAGE 19