Out of hours (OOH) primary care services

Source: Department of Health

Follow this link to view full text

Year of publication: October 2009

Publication type: Letter

In a nutshell: A letter from David Colin-Thome, National Director for Primary Care, to primary care trusts in relation to the Care Quality Commission independent enquiry into provision of out-of-hours GP services. This letter reiterates that PCTs have a legal obligation to make sure out of hours services are delivered safely and to a high standard.

Length of publication: 2 pages

What’s New in Emergency Pre-hospital Care Research?

Source: Emergency Medicine Journal, 2009, 26 (10), p. 747 – 478.

Follow this link for abstract

Date of publication: October 2009

Publication type: Journal Article

In a nutshell: Posters and summaries of papers delivered at What’s New in Emergency Pre-hospital Care Research? a 2008 conference organised by 999 EMS Research Forum in collaboration with University of Sheffield and The National Ambulance Research Steering Group. Papers cover current research in areas of paramedic practice.

Length of publication: 2 pages

Some important notes: Contact your local NHS Library for the full text of the article. Follow this link to find your local NHS Library.

Swine flu clinical package

Source: Department of Health

Follow this link to view full text

Date of publication: October 2009

Publication type: Best Practice

In a nutshell: The swine flu clinical package is a set of tools for use by frontline healthcare professionals, in severe and exceptional circumstances, during a pandemic situation. The tools in the package are designed to support and empower GPs, community nurses, midwives, health visitors, ambulance crews, emergency department doctors, nurses and those working outside their usual specialty area (e.g. junior doctors or surgeons working in influenza cohort wards). The package will assist these health care professionals to assess patients, authorise antiviral medicines, refer those with severe illness or complications, and guide timely management of patients in hospital.

Length of publication: 15 pages

Some important notes: These tools and pathways are for use only when high surge demand leads to the need for strict hospital admission triage in affected areas. They should not be used when emergency departments and acute admissions units are working with their usual establishment of trained staff, and can operate their usual daily decision pathways, including providing hospital beds for every person fulfilling normal criteria for admission.

The tools are not intended for the assessment of patients routinely presenting for the diagnosis and treatment of uncomplicated influenza at an emergency department. These patients should be directed to use the National Pandemic Flu Service, or to contact a primary care surgery or clinic.

Ambulance HART – Harzardous Area Response Team

Source: Ambulance HART (Harzardous Area Response Team)

Follow this link to website

Date of publication: 2009

Publication type: Website

In a nutshell:  Hazardous Area Response Teams originated from a 2004 report on the feasibility of Paramedics working in the inner cordon or hot zone of major incidents. The website explains the roll of  HART programme and reports on the progress of creating HART teams within Ambulance Services. Areas covered included:  recruitment, training, current initiatives, a news wire and online access to the Inside HART newsletter.

New stroke and major trauma centres to improve care for Londoners

Source: Healthcare for London

Follow this link to view full text

Year of publication: July 2009

Publication type: Report

In a nutshell: Following a consultation to improve stroke and trauma services, a committee of PCTs decided to introduce four major trauma centres, eight hyper-acute stroke units and better local services across London, with the new facilities expected to open by summer 2011.
The centres will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will be staffed by consultant-led specialist teams with access to the best facilities. These centres will be linked to local units delivering high quality general and rehabilitation care. The new services are expected to save around 500 lives a year and reduce long-term disability for thousands.

Length of publication: 1 web page

Some important notes: Follow this link to view the news release

Greater Manchester Urgent Care Clinical Congress 2009

Source: Commissioning Business Service

Follow this link for further details

Year of Publication: July 2009

Publication type:  Website

In a nutshell: The Greater Manchester (GM) Urgent Care Clinical Congress took place on 10th July, 2009 and was designed to build a shared understanding of the case for change to optimise the delivery of urgent care services for local people.  The event, run by the Association of GM PCTs and the GM Urgent Care Network, had valuable support and input from the Commissioning Business Service (CBS).  Speakers included Mike Farrar, senior A&E doctors and experienced GPs.  The congress engaged a wide range of clinical, managerial and patient stakeholders to establish the current situation across GM and the priorities for action on urgent care across all services.  The GM Urgent Care Network will work to implement congress recommendations.

Length of publication: Webpage with link to pdf output report

Medical and prehospital care training in UK fire and rescue services

 Source: Emergency Medicine Journal 2009, 26 (8) p. 601-603

 Follow this link for abstract

Date of publication: August 2009

Publication type: Journal Article

In a nutshell: A survey of medical training for Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) in the UK, to understand the level of medical training given to fire fighters. Results indicate that 66% of Fire and rescue services train fire fighters beyond the minimum standards required for casualty stabilisation. However, training varies across the UK. Authors call for a national standard to define a common set of medical competencies for training to be created in partnership with Chief Fire Officers’ Association.

Length of publication: 3 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS Library for the full text of the article. Follow this link to find your local NHS Library.

Prehospital care. Sepsis: a need for prehospital intervention

Source: Emergency Medicine Journal 2009; 26: 535-538.

Follow this link for abstract

Date of publication: July 2009

Publication type: Journal Article

In a nutshell: Article aimed at pre hospital care managers, researchers and practitioners. The authors note the improving pre hospital care for patients with critical conditions (acute coronary syndrome, multiple trauma and stroke) and identify patients with sepsis as another group who would benefit from timely pre hospital care. They recommend the implementation of a screening tool and guidelines for pre hospital staff (The Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee do not currently have guidelines for server sepsis) informed by more research. Greater awareness of sever sepsis is needed in training pre hospital practitioners. Interventions in the pre hospital setting for severe sepsis can significantly improve patient outcomes.

Length of publication: 3 pages

Some important notes: An NHS Athens password is required to access the full text of this article.  Please contact your local NHS library for further details – follow this link to find your local NHS Library

Is it cost effective to introduce paramedic practitioners for older people to the ambulance service?

Source: Emergency Medicine Journal

Follow this link to view abstract

Date of publication: June 2009

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: A scheme to train paramedics to undertake a greater role in the care of older people following a call for an emergency ambulance was developed.  The objective was to assess the cost effectiveness of the paramedic practitioner (PP) scheme compared with usual emergency care. A cluster randomised controlled trial was undertaken of PP compared with usual care.  Several changes in resource use are associated with the use of PP. Given these economic results in tandem with the clinical, operational and patient-related benefits, the wider implementation and evaluation of similar schemes should be considered

Length of publication: 6 pages

Some important notes: An NHS Athens password is required to access the full text of this article. Please contact your local NHS library for further details

Emergency services review

Source: Department of Health

Follow this link for full text

Date of publication: June 2009

Publication type: Report

In a nutshell:  This review aims to provide support to local health communities to improve the effectiveness of emergency care and achieve national standards during times of high demand.  The review responds to dips in performance during the Winter of 2008/2009 and has three components: 1) Learning lessons: data analysis and developing practical advice for operational leaders to respond to increased demand – due Summer 2009; 2) Repackaging quality guidelines, toolkits and how-to guides into a coherent offering – due September 2009; 3) Practical support from a team of emergency care specialists to local health communities and organisations – starts June 2009

Length of publication: 2 Pages