Digitising the frontline in the Midlands

Digitising an ambulance service

West Midlands Ambulance Service has used digital technology to ensure its crews provide the best care for patients.

The Trust has been able to provide crews at the scene of incidents with access to records from past cases whilst with the patient so that they can see pervious medical history. In addition, through a combination of integrations with multiple platforms clinicians now have access to systems from other providers which allow a more holistic approach to be taken to the care of the patient. By growing the access available to clinicians as more systems are brought online, by 2020-21 almost 60% of clinicians were accessing records when attending a patient.

Beyond access to records, West Midlands Ambulance Service has also digitised the ‘Make Ready’ processes, where Vehicle Preparation Operatives (VPOs) get vehicles ready for their next shift at the Trust’s 15 operational hubs. This has seen staff move from working off whiteboard and paper sheets to a rolling digital screen. VPOs now refer to the screen which contains the information they need to identify their vehicle. This benefit extends beyond the garage, as management teams have easy access to vehicle availability and can update crew information remotely.

Other improvements include:

• 111 First was implemented to allow patients to be booked into appointments in emergency departments.
• After the initial requirements during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to work from home, the majority of corporate staff now work using a hybrid model splitting their time between the office and home. This ensures a better work / life balance that aids retention. This significant switch required a rapid deployment of remote access solutions for staff.
• Non-emergency vehicles were allocated to support 999 operations. These vehicles were equipped with a new mobile data solution, which ensured compatibility with existing platforms while also allowing new technology to be trialled in live operation.

Head of IM&T at WMAS, Phil Collins, said: “Traditionally we have focussed on delivering IT equipment, but Digital draws more attention to how technology is used and the impact on patients and staff, and this change of perspective helps deliver more benefit to our community.”