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Clinical Quality and Patient Safety
Information for GPs and Clinicians
Urgent Calls
When emergency ambulances are not attending life threatening calls they are tasked to transport urgent patients who have had ambulance transport requested by a healthcare professional (usually a GP). You should call the Urgent Hotline to request ‘urgent’ assistance when you wish your patient to be taken to hospital by ambulance but the need is not immediate. Patients eligible for urgent transfers are those who need transport to hospital within an allotted time.
Timeframes
An estimated time is agreed between ambulance Control and the healthcare professional which should be communicated to the patient by the healthcare professional. However, during periods of high emergency demand, delays may be experienced. You will usually be informed of any delay by ambulance Control and an appropriate alternative decided upon. You should then advise the patient.
When You Call For an Urgent Transfer by Emergency Ambulance
The control assistant will require:
- postcode or location
- authorising doctor’s name
- confirmation of caller’s identity
- patient’s name, title, gender and age
- address of patient
- address to be collected from (if different)
- patient’s home telephone number
- destination/hospital ward (if known)
- mobility and diagnosis of patient
- latest time for ambulance crew to arrive with the patient (between 1 and 3 hours)
- escort’s (medical/relative) telephone number
- does the patient require paramedic intervention (see overleaf)?
- any other detail (medication/infection status/approximate weight of patient if appropriate)
If a patient’s condition deteriorates then you should contact ambulance Control or dial 999.
The Ambulance Aid Certificate includes:
- examination and assessment of ill and injured patients
- basic life support, airway management, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation
- oxygen therapy including the administration of nebulised salbutamol
- sublingual administration of glyceryl trinitrate and aspirin
- the use of glucagons/glucagen in diabetic hypoglycaemia
- the use of entonox for pain relief
- splintage of fractures including spinal immobilisation and femoral traction splintage
- the clinical management of a large variety of conditions, including trauma, myocardial infarction, breathing difficulties, head injuries, fitting, overdose, infectious diseases, burns and emergency childbirth
- moving and handling patients, including ambulance stretcher techniques
- civil emergency, major incident procedures and chemical or hazardous material spillage
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Trust Headquarters,
Unit
3 Abbey Court,
Sowton Industrial Estate,
Exeter, EX2 7HY, Tel: 01392 261500,
Fax: 01392 261510, Email: publicrelations@swast.nhs.uk
Copyright © 2006 South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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