Technology
Our Network
At the operational heart of Medical Services is an advance technology MPLS (multi-protocol label switching) network, the first of its kind to be developed by an independent ambulance company.
Designed and built by the company’s IT department in collaboration with BT the network brings together software developed by Cleric Computer Services, the UK leading developer in patient transport and emergency services despatch systems:
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APTS (Advanced Passenger Transport Services)
It has been deployed to embrace the whole of our operation from using the eligibility tool, online booking, of patient journeys (by 3,000 NHS staff members), planning journeys for 450 vehicles a day, to driver submitted vehicle daily inspection reports (VDI) , on the day planning, vehicle tracking, journey charging and reporting.
A management system which helps engineers in our vehicle workshops to maximise efficiency and minimise costs by, for example, planning individual maintenance programmes for our fleet, and by providing extensive performance reports which are continuously analysed. We upload our fuel invoice and compare fuel usage to mileage reports.
The MPLS network is also securely connected to o2’s mobile data network supporting:
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Mobile Data Collection System
Our ambulance crews use mobile data devices to record the start and finish time of every patient journey for instant analysis.
N3 Network
Medical Services has access to N3, the private and secure network which enables NHS customers to make online PTS bookings. It is the same type of IP networking used on the Internet and has a total of 57 points in England where hospital staff can access it.