Alternative method in staffing ambulances

Posted: July 8, 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence 

Kent and Sussex are piloting a new method to more effectively staff ambulances. As of today, Monday 8 July, Kent and Sussex emergency services are staffing their ambulances with support workers instead of paramedics to help move patients to hospital. The NHS Trust believes that this will help free up paramedics to deal with emergencies.

Emergency-care support workers will now staff the vehicles that were previously used as ambulances. These Intermediate Tier Vehicles (ITVs) will not be used in Surrey due to a “different demand” – says South East Coast Ambulance Service. 24 ITVs, however, will be used across Kent and Sussex. 

Free up further emergency response vehicles

Head of emergency operations centres Sue Skelton said: “By undertaking transport to hospital for suitable patients where a clinician feels that it is appropriate, the ITVs should free up further emergency response vehicles to respond promptly to patients who may potentially be in a life-threatening condition.”

The ITVs will always have two emergency care support workers who will transport patients to hospital if deemed necessary by a clinician. The ambulance service said that they will be in operation from 10:00 to midnight every day, and will be able to carry out requests from GPs, nurses and paramedics. Not only this, but if an ITV is the closest vehicle to a serious emergency – known as a Red 1 or Red 2 call – they will also be able to assist if backed by an ambulance crew. 

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