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The Control Decision | Page 1/2 |
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The control
centre for the Westcountry Ambulance Service is currently located
at Tiverton and is manned twenty four hours a day, everyday, throughout
the year. |
| The decision
is made by the Cornwall Controller as to whether the patient should
go by land ambulance, or be flown to hospital on the Air Ambulance
helicopter. The Duty Controller has only seconds to consider the information
the caller has given before deciding what would be the best means
of responding to the emergency. There are various factors which need to be taken into account before making the decision of whether to activate the Air Ambulance as the primary response to that particular incident. 1. The patient's condition; Does the nature of the injury or illness described by the caller suggest that the patient would derive greatest benefit from hospitalisation by the Air Ambulance? Are there any aspects of their condition which may make them unsuitable for transportation by helicopter? 2. The location of the incident; Some locations, such as beaches, hilltops and isolated farmland may be more easily accessible by air. Densely populated urban areas may be better reached by land ambulance. 3. What is the fastest means of response? The Ambulance Service is committed to respond to an emergency (999) call by the fastest means, in terms of time, available to them. If the Air Ambulance is able to reach the scene quicker than any other resource, then assuming the constraints regarding patient suitability and access by air are met, the helicopter will be dispatched to deal with the incident. 4. Provision of area cover; On occasion the Air Ambulance may be asked to convey a patient in order that a land ambulance can be left in the area to provide sufficient cover for any subsequent emergency which may arise. |