WATCH: New 999 call-handling system saves over 1,000 lives

Scottish Ambulance Service’s (SAS) new protocol for emergency response has been credited with saving over 40% more lives, claim studies by both University of Stirling and SAS.

The New Clinical Response Model aims to respond to patients at ‘immediate’ risk first. Those deemed to be at lower risk may be pushed back the queue in order to increase rates of survival for critically ill patients, such as those suffering cardiac arrest.

Pat O'Mara is the General Manager of the SAS' call centres.

There has been a 43% increase in the survival of the critically ill. This equates to 1,182 more lives being saved.

In October 2017, after a visit to his granddaughter, Matthew Rooney’s heart stopped twice in 13 minutes. After struggling to a neighbour’s door, an ambulance was quickly called.

A surge of pain was the last thing Matthew remembers. His heart stopped, and the defibrillator failed to restart his heart leaving paramedic Nathan no choice but to perform CPR.

He says: “He broke 3 ribs in my chest – I forgave Nathan for that one!”

Matthew recalled the second cardiac arrest, which struck whilst he was in the ambulance: “Nathan asked if I was okay – I said, ‘No, I’m gonna go. I’m ready to go. I can tell.’”

“The last thing I thought about was my granddaughter.” However, Matthew lived to see his granddaughter again after the ambulance team battled for his life.

With regards to the New Clinical Response Model, Matthew said that amazement is “an understatement”. He added that people don’t pay enough gratitude to the NHS and ambulance services.

The Scottish Ambulance Service says the previous model for emergency response has remained “virtually unchanged” since 1974.

Pat O’Meara, General Manager of SAS Control Centres, emphasised that the New Clinical Response Model is “far more appropriate” for patients. The previous system was “times based”, says O’Mara.

He continues: “We had people rushing around for patients who weren’t necessarily that unwell and that meant we couldn’t get to the really sick people really quickly.”

The new system is making a “huge difference” and is far more “patient oriented”, he adds. “We’ve never been quicker at getting to the really sick patients."