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Care Opinion

Joining the 21st century

Posted By MrFraggle

"Joining the 21st century"

About: NHS Lothian Scottish Ambulance Service

(as a service user),

Usually I come here to moan about the many failings that exist within NHS Lothian but in the past 6 months I have needed the help of the Scottish Ambulance Service, in August last year when my beloved was taken seriously ill and more recently when I became very painfully ill.

On both occasions I cannot fault the paramedics for the care, professionalism, skill and patience. Really lovely people on both occasions.

My only criticism, which is in no way aimed at them, is the archaic way that important if not vital information is collated and handled. It does not automatically go to the hospital that the patient is being transported to, it goes instead to the ambulance service servers. The paramedics need to tell a staff member at the hospital about the patients condition and any treatment they have given including blood pressure, temperature oxygen levels and heart readings, this is ridiculous and a waste of these professionals valuable time.

They could be back out helping some other person in need instead of waiting to see a member of the hospital staff to give their report.

It is time that NHS Lothian and the Scottish Ambulance Service joined the 21st century, this type of information sharing is so basic.

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Responses

Response from Jeannette Morrison, Head of Patient Experience, NHS Lothian 5 years ago
Jeannette Morrison
Head of Patient Experience,
NHS Lothian

Submitted on 17/01/2019 at 16:42
Published on Care Opinion on 18/01/2019 at 10:34

Dear MrFraggle

Thank you very much for sharing your feedback with us. I was really pleased to read how the paramedics cared for you and I am sure that my colleague from the Scottish Ambulance Service will respond to you directly.

I have shared your feedback with my colleagues in eHealth as they are more familiar with the IT systems that we use. The handover between the ambulance crews and the staff in the Emergency Dept is an important part of our communication and patient care

I do hope that you are feeling better and that your pain has settled down.

Thank you again for your feedback.

Kind regards

Jeannette

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Update posted by MrFraggle (a service user)

Obviously it is important but if the staff in the hospital had the information prior to patient arrival it would speed up hand over and not delay the para medics from their next call.

Response from Alan Martin, Patient Experience Manager, Corporate Affairs and Engagement, Scottish Ambulance Service 5 years ago
Alan Martin
Patient Experience Manager, Corporate Affairs and Engagement,
Scottish Ambulance Service

Submitted on 18/01/2019 at 11:40
Published on Care Opinion at 12:17

picture of Alan Martin

Dear Mr Fraggle,

Thank you so much for taking the time to provide feedback on CareOpinion. I have forwarded this onto our IT department for consideration.

It is a valid point you make around extended turnaround times at hospital due to road staff waiting with the patient to handover. As a paramedic myself I have to deliver these handovers often during my clinical shifts. I would say there are advantages and disadvantages of both scenarios. The advantage of myself being there is if there are any questions that the nurse or doctor have it can be answered quickly. Also, for example if I have a very sick patient I do not have time to do any paperwork between leaving the scene and arriving at hospital as my full attention is on treatment so there would be nothing to transmit.

However I agree that it could be something that is, and perhaps is already being considered.

I hope you and your beloved are all on the road to a full recovery and are keeping well. I am also very pleased to read about the wonderful impression that our staff have left with you.

All the very best for 2019 and with the greatest respect I hope it is a year that you do not need to use our service again.

Kind Regards

Alan

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Response from Alan Martin, Patient Experience Manager, Corporate Affairs and Engagement, Scottish Ambulance Service 5 years ago
Alan Martin
Patient Experience Manager, Corporate Affairs and Engagement,
Scottish Ambulance Service

Submitted on 21/01/2019 at 11:35
Published on Care Opinion at 16:09

picture of Alan Martin

Dear Mr Fraggle,

I hope you are well and I just wanted to give you an update on your feedback. As I said I would do, I have communicated this feedback with the relevant senior manager within the Service. I have been told that in actual fact we have already developed the capability to pass the information to other boards and work is ongoing with the boards to discuss and agree how and when this capability should be implemented in each board.

Thank you again for your feedback and I do hope this is helpful.

Kind Regards

Alan

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Update posted by MrFraggle (a service user)

Cheers Alan, this sort of thing is long overdue though I do not blame the Ambulance service per se, as NHS Lothian has a poor record when it comes to IT, I myself experienced, some ten years ago, how problematic Trakcare was.

Unfortunately I was back to the Royal on Wednesday and yet again the two lovely ladies who transported me were as good as I have come to expect, again a credit to the service.

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