Joint Enhanced and Critical Care Strategy

Joint Enhanced and Critical Care Strategy

Joint Enhanced and Critical Care Strategy A Shared Vision for the South West Version: 1.0 Approved by: CEO and Medical Director, South Western Ambulance Service Chairman, BASICS South West CEO, Cornwall Air Ambulance CEO, Devon Air Ambulance CEO, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance CEO, Great Western Air Ambulance CEO, Wiltshire Air Ambulance Date approved: Joint Air Ambulance Group - 18/05/2015 Directors Group - 02/06/2015 Name of responsible task group: Air Ambulance Clinical Group Date issued: 12/06/2015 Page 0 of 22 Index Foreword 2 Contributors 3 Introduction 4 Aims 6 Scope and Context 7 SWOT Analysis 9 Enhanced/Critical Care Models of Delivery 10 Development of Specialist Paramedics 13 Clinical and Corporate Governance 17 Clinical Supervision 19 HEMS Dispatch 20 Conclusion 20 Appendix A - Line Management of Air Ambulances 21 Page 1 of 22 Foreword The care provided by Paramedics within the South Western Ambulance Service has increased beyond recognition over the past decade. At one end of the spectrum, much focus has been placed on ensuring that Paramedics can manage patients safely and appropriately within their own homes, without the need for conveyance to an Emergency Department. At the other, a wealth of additional clinical skills have been introduced including intra-osseous access devices, major haemorrhage control and tranexamic acid. Following the launch of the major trauma networks in 2012, ambulance clinicians received additional education to enable patients to be conveyed directly to Major Trauma Centres, in a similar manner to bypass arrangements for stroke and angioplasty. It is now time to take the response to patients who are in the most life-threatening condition to the next level. The care of critically ill or injured patients often requires a coordinated response from a number of organisations including the ambulance service, air ambulances and the British Association for Immediate Care (South West). It is only by working together that we can ensure that patients who require enhanced or critical care across the South West receive it, wherever and whenever the need arises. This strategy represents six months of joint work between the ambulance service, air ambulances and BASICS, to develop a joint model for the South West. A model which our patient’s deserve, and one which we can all be proud to ultimately deliver. Dr Andy Smith Adrian South Executive Medical Director Deputy Clinical Director Page 2 of 22 Contributors The development of the strategy would not have been possible without the tireless support of the following dedicated individuals listed in alphabetic order Dr David Ashton-Cleary (Airbase Doctor, Cornwall Air Ambulance and BASICS Cornwall) Nikki Bolt (HEMS Desk Supervisor, SWAST) Chris Chambers (Head of EPRR, SWAST) John Christensen (CEO, Great Western Air Ambulance) Dr Phil Cowburn (Acute Care Medical Director, SWAST) Helen Dance (PA to the Deputy Clinical Director, SWAST) Stephen Garvey (CSO, Cornwall Air Ambulance) Dr Jonathan Glover (BASICS SWIFT Medics) Darren Goodwin (CSO, Devon Air Ambulance) Nigel Hare (Operations Director and CSO, Devon Air Ambulance) Dr James Hickman (Chairman, BASICS South West and SAVES) Heléna Holt (CEO, Devon Air Ambulance) Dr Phil Hyde (Medical Lead, Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance) Dr Mark Jadav (Clinical Director, Peninsula Trauma Network) Neil Le Chevalier (Director of Operations, SWAST) Neil Lentern (Clinical Training Manager West, SWAST) Paula Martin (CEO, Cornwall Air Ambulance) Richard Miller (CSO, Wiltshire Air Ambulance) Dr Tim Nutbeam (Airbase Doctor, Devon Air Ambulance) Sue Oakley, (Pharmaceutical Advisor/Accountable Officer, SWAST) Paul Owen (CSO, Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance) Jim Petter (Head of Education, SWAST) David Philpott (CEO, Wiltshire Air Ambulance) Dr Simon Scott-Hayward (Primary Care Medical Director, SWAST) Dr Andy Simpson (BASICS Gloucestershire) Bill Sivewright (CEO, Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance) Dr Matt Thomas (Airbase Doctor, Great Western Air Ambulance) Dr Ed Valentine (Airbase Doctor, Wiltshire Air Ambulance) Dr Lauren Weekes (BASICS Devon) Ken Wenman (CEO, SWAST) Jenny Winslade (Executive Director of Nursing and Governance, SWAST) John Wood (CSO, Great Western Air Ambulance) Page 3 of 22 Joint Enhanced and Critical Care Strategy: A Shared Vision for the South West 1 Introduction 1.1 South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (the Trust) is committed to providing the highest quality care to all of its patients; care that is safe, clinically effective, cost effective, evidence based and accessible to all. The Paramedic profession has moved to a degree level role, with a significant widening of their scope of practice. The career structure includes Specialist Paramedics with an enhanced skill set in specific areas such as urgent or critical care. 1.2 The vast majority (estimated at 95.5%) of patients managed by SWAST as a whole, can be managed safely and effectively within the Paramedic skill set. A further smaller group (estimated 4%) require the enhanced skills of specialist clinicians such as Critical Care Paramedics or Doctors trained in pre-hospital care. The final small group (estimated <0.5%) with the highest level of clinical need require pre- hospital anesthesia/rapid sequence induction which can only safely be provided by a critical care team. It is accepted that this distribution may be more focused at the enhanced care level for air ambulances. It is recognised that further work is required to develop the estimates stated, using robust audit of actual incidents; this work is already scheduled during early 2015-16. The three levels of care are detailed in Figure 1. 1.3 Figure 1 - Models of Care Critical Care Enhanced Care Paramedic Care 1.4 At any incident, the Trust aims to provide the appropriate level of clinician to deliver the care that the patient requires. It is important to work towards a system that ensures that enhanced levels of care are dispatched and provided in a consistent, robust and accessible (both geographical and 24/7) manner. 1.5 For the purposes of this paper, the term ‘Enhanced Care’ will be used to refer to a level of care which exceeds that of a Paramedic, but does not include RSI. The term ‘Critical Care’ will be used to refer to care which includes pre-hospital emergency anaesthesia e.g. RSI. Page 4 of 22 1.6 BASICS 1.6.1 The Trust has always worked closely with Doctors to manage the minority of patients who require enhanced care. The Trust is currently served by a cadre of 29 Doctors who respond as volunteers under the auspices of the British Association for Immediate Care (BASICS). BASICS South West (SW) has an agreed Memorandum of Understanding for its working relationship with the Trust. Between January - November 2014, BASICS Doctors (excluding Gloucestershire) arrived on-scene at 811 calls. 1.6.2 In 2010 the BASICS Doctors providing services in the region joined to form an umbrella group known as BASICS South West (BASICS SW). The schemes maintained their autonomy for charitable purposes and local continuing professional development and support, with BASICS SW taking on the role of overseeing and developing clinical governance arrangements and providing a common focus of liaison with the Trust. With the acquisition of the Great Western Ambulance Service in 2013, this left two schemes (SWIFT Medics and BASICS Gloucestershire) with Responders working with the Trust, but outside the umbrella of BASICS SW. SWIFT Medics joined BASICS South West in 2013 and BASIS Gloucestershire in January 2015. 1.7 Air Ambulances and Critical Care Teams 1.7.1 Within England, with the exception of the part funding arrangement of London HEMS, air ambulance services are provided by charitable organisations. All aspects of the service are provided through donations from the local community, as funding is not provided by the NHS. The only exceptions being the salaries of the HEMs Technical Crew members/Paramedics and Specialist Paramedics (Critical Care), medical consumables and some equipment, which are covered by the Trust. In Devon the charity also currently covers 3WTE Paramedics, with the Wiltshire charity also funding 0.5WTE. 1.7.2 The Trust is fortunate to be supported by five air ambulance charities; the largest number of charities of any UK ambulance service. We work closely with the charities to provide the management of clinical staff, the clinical governance required and the deployment and control function of the service. The Trust is keen to ensure that the relationship with all charities is supported by a consistent SLA during 2015-16. 1.7.3 Prior to the acquisition of the Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust (GWAST) in February 2013, the Trust worked with three air ambulance charities. With the exception of Dorset and Somerset where a Specialist Paramedics (Critical Care) development programme had commenced, the provision of care by HEMS Paramedics was based on that of a frontline Paramedic with a narrow range of additional skills such as surgical airway. The operational management and clinical support provided to the staff reflected this level of clinical practice. The acquisition of GWAST brought the greater opportunities of supporting a service delivering critical care through Doctors and Specialist Paramedics (Critical Care). Page 5 of 22 1.7.4 Hyde et al (2011) conducted a survey of the UK to determine the consistency and availability of critical care in 2009. The ability of the service and/or individual doctors to provide pre-hospital emergency anaesthesia was used as a surrogate marker of ‘critical care’ capability, which is defined by the Department of Health as the provision of organ support and intensive monitoring. 1.7.5 Since the publication of the study, the provision of critical care has improved across the South West. The Great Western Air Ambulance provides a Doctor staffed air ambulance with 85% daytime critical care physician cover, the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance provides 45% daytime critical care physician cover and the Wiltshire Air Ambulance provides approximately one day per week of physician cover, along with support from SWIFT Medics.

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