iPads given to Sussex ambulance crews in new scheme
30,000 are being handed out to trusts around England
Sussex ambulance crews will be among those receiving iPads to help patients get the right care faster.
30,000 devices are being given to trusts around in England as part of an NHS initiative, with a share of those going to the South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb).
The devices will allow ambulance crews to send photographs from the scene of an accident so stroke specialists and other clinicians on standby in emergency departments can get straight to work when the patient arrives at hospital.
Paramedics will also be able to access vital health records helping them assess patients’ injuries and decide whether they should be taken to hospital or treated at the scene.
Patient information can also be sent ahead to speed up handovers and free the ambulance up to attend another call.
NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said:
“Ambulance crews have been at the forefront of the pandemic, routinely dealing with life and death situations and often first on scene to treat and diagnose critically ill patients.
“These devices are another tool for our highly skilled paramedics and ambulance technicians as they continue to respond to the country’s most critically ill and injured patients.
“It is another example of the health service innovating and harnessing technology to improve patient care as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.”
While the ratio of iPads to staff will vary based on need, in some areas including London, every ambulance worker will have access to one.
The use of iPads has been piloted by ambulance crews in London and the South East, with early results showing how effective having access to vital information or specialist medical advice can be to emergency call outs.
SECAmb has been using the tablets to video call consultants when attending stroke patients, to provide faster and more specialised care until they reach hospital.
Paramedics treating those suspected of suffering a stroke can dial in senior doctors, who via video, can assess a patient’s condition and advise on the best course of action.
Dr Fionna Moore, Medical Director at South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“The iPads are proving invaluable in assisting our clinicians in the rapid identification of stroke patients to expedite their treatment and help identify the most appropriate clinical pathway.
“This direct link to local experts by ‘bringing them into the back of an ambulance’ via facetime, is something we are keen to explore further to see how it can be developed in other areas of care for the benefit of our patients.”
Following the success seen in London and the South East, NHSX is supporting the nationwide rollout of devices through eight English ambulance trusts.
The photographs can help emergency departments organise themselves based on the severity of the incident and how many patients they should be expecting and can be linked to the patient’s record.
Paramedics are also able to complete digital handovers on the way to hospital, making them available more quickly to attend their next call.