HEALTH: Hi-tech system earns praise for 999 service

STATE-of-the-art technology is being used to help speed up ambulance response times when answering 999 calls.

STATE-of-the-art technology is being used to help speed up ambulance response times when answering 999 calls.

A recent report has revealed the new equipment, which prioritises calls, is one of the factors which has enabled paramedics to reach three quarters of 999 calls within the Government's eight minute target.

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And now bosses at the East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust - which serves Peterborough have been praised by inspectors from the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI).

However, the report did raise concerns that in one in five cases an ambulance took longer than 15 minutes to arrive when urgently requested by a GP, and that some ambulances were manned by technicians - who are not as qualified as paramedics.

However, the report confirms a considerable improvement in the ambulance service, which was on the brink of collapse in 1999 when there was risk of a staff exodus and Government funding was under threat.

Paul Sutton, director of operations at the NHS trust, said today: "Given where we have come from we are doing well.

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"It is not a gold standard service yet, and there is still a fair way to go, but it is nice to get recognition that we are improving."

The inspectors highlighted the introduction of the sophisticated computer system in December as the key to the latest improvements in meeting targets.

The system prompts 999 call operators to ask specific questions to prioritise calls as they come in and it automatically stores data about response times and the nature of the emergency.

In Peterborough, where six ambulances responded to about 50,000 emergency calls last year, the information was used to reduce response times in the south of the city by basing ambulances at different locations.

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The trust has also recruited a lot of new staff in the last two years in a bid to improve its performance.

But the inspectors expressed concern that some ambulance crews included two technicians and not a fully qualified paramedic.

Mr Sutton said: "It is better we have two technicians working together, and respond quicker, than we have no response at all.

"Patient care is never compromised."

Peter Homa, chief executive of CHI, said: "The trust has shown commitment to the people of East Anglia and has actively implemented service improvements.

"It is now introducing an action plan in response to our report and services should improve further."

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