New ambulances to help cope with winter demand
NEW ambulances, additional 999 call handlers and welfare vehicles to provide hot drinks to frontline crews are just some of the steps being taken in Derbyshire to make sure East Midlands Ambulance Service is ready for winter.
The winter months are traditionally one of the busiest times of year for the NHS due to increases in flu cases and cold weather-related illnesses such as trips and falls.
For the ambulance service it can also become more challenging to reach patients in need due to adverse weather and subsequent poor road conditions.
Craig Whyles, divisional director for Derbyshire, said patients and staff would continue to be the key focus of EMAS throughout the winter months.
He said: “This winter it is more important than ever that we work with our NHS system partners to ensure we are able to provide the best care possible to the patients who really need us, as well as looking after our staff during this period of increased demand.
“This includes working with both our senior EMAS clinicians and healthcare colleagues so that only patients who genuinely need an ambulance receive one.”
Key Derbyshire-specific projects this winter include:
Provision of additional tactical commanders throughout the winter months who are available to support both staff and patients.
Additional training for ambulance crews to support patients experiencing mental health distress to help patients access the right care for them.
Continuation of the Community Paramedic for Rough Sleepers role which works to ensure homeless individuals receive their flu jabs and Covid-19 boosters, as well as signposting people to support services and helping them access housing.
Providing two welfare vehicles for staff.
Multiple steps have been taken across the organisation to prepare for winter, including:
110 new, high-specification ambulances are being rolled out across EMAS to replace older vehicles being retired from service.
Recruitment of additional 999 call handlers has continued throughout the year, with an expected workforce of 210 by Christmas (an increase of 60 call handlers).
As a result, the two EMAS control rooms continue to have the best response times in the country, with an average call pick-up rate of just 7 seconds.
From early December, staff welfare vehicles will be stationed at hospital emergency departments in the region to help ensure the wellbeing of ambulance crews. They will offer EMAS staff hot drinks and a safe place to have a quick break during their shift.
In addition, EMAS is piloting new processes to help staff finish on time to protect their wellbeing, and have a wide range of health and wellbeing services available for them to access should they need them.