Best practice

A few examples of how patients, carers and the public are involved in contributing in delivering and shaping the care and services we provide is summarised below.

Community First Responder Scheme - Participating

These trained volunteers respond to medical emergencies in rural communities and deliver vital medical care to members of their communities until the ambulance or doctor arrives on scene.

The aim of the scheme is:

• to recruit, train and equip community based volunteers;
• to respond to any life threatening medical emergency; and
• to deliver the appropriate care until the ambulance arrives.

Each scheme has a local co-ordinator, who arranges rotas and every team member from each team is re-assessed in their skills every six months. The Scottish Ambulance Service Area Managers identify and prioritise locations that would benefit from the introduction of a First Responder Scheme, or where local interest has been noted in setting up a scheme. Following this identification, contact is made with local community groups and councils that could help in the recruitment of volunteers.

There are over 160 skilled First Responders in the Highlands and Western Isles and the number of schemes and volunteers increases on a monthly basis.

Annual National Patient Survey - Informing

The Scottish Ambulance Service commissions Market Research UK to conduct its annual national Patient Survey of both Accident and Emergency and Patient Transport Service patients. A new qualitative approach has ensured that useful information about areas for development is always gathered.

The Scottish Ambulance Service is committed to the continued development of the patient survey process and will seek ways to improve for future surveys, to ensure that the most appropriate people are involved and the questions asked are valuable.

Emergency Medical Dispatch Centre Review - Engaging

A focus group was invited to consider options for the design of the Scottish Ambulance Service’s Emergency Medical Dispatch Centres (EMDCs). Eight patient representatives attended the meeting in Inverness which gave participants the opportunity to express their views about current and possible future arrangements.

The patient representatives were asked to comment on their general experiences with, and perceptions of, the Service before discussing concerns relating to the Emergency Medical Dispatch Centres.

The most important outcome of the focus group was that they were able to identify what was most important to patients, and thus to ensure that they were able to identify what was most important to carers.

Positive Impact of Complaint Feedback - Consulting

A complaint was received at National Headquarters that a patient was not transported timeously as the vehicle came from a surrounding area. The Head of Accident and Emergency Services met with the complainant and established they were a member of the Community Council. The complainant was invited to join a consultation group looking at the options to be put forward to improve cover in the local area.