News

The Communiqué - Issue No 8 - March 2010

 

New ICAT Service for London

A new Intermediate Care Ambulance Transfer Service will be launched on 6th April by Medical Services for hospitals in central London.

Additional staff has been specially trained for the new service and with a recent investment of over £3 million on new vehicles by next winter the company will have 80 ambulances and vehicles per shift to provide the 60 minute response time day & night across London for transfers.

Joe Sheehan, managing director, said that Medical Services had identified a growing demand, particularly late in the day and out of hours for a responsive ambulance service to transfer patients between hospitals, clinics and other locations for further care.

He added: “We are not providing an emergency service to the public, far from it. LAS provide Londoners with a world class ambulance service with great skill and dedication.” Read Q&A on new service.

 
 

GOSH... Crystal Clear Winners 

The Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust is the latest winner of the Medical Services Crystal Clear Policy Award.

The award, for the best use by a contracted Trust of paper free technology in PTS bookings and reporting, was presented recently to Robert Wilkins, Facilities Manager, GOSH by Joe Sheehan, managing director of Medical Services; also in the photograph left to right are: Mainul Haider, Station Manager, Angelina Cooper, Transport Manager, GOSH, Lili Gargiulo, Account Manager, Medical Services and Laura Mackinnon, Transport Coordinator, Medical Services.

Robert Wilkins said: “Our use of Medical Services’ online system has helped us transform our own internal processes and winning this award will encourage our team to maintain the improvements”.

Joe Sheehan commented: We are absolutely delighted with the commitment of the management at the Trust. At the end of November the commitment was made, by the third week in Feb 96.3% of patient journeys were being made on line. The team clearly needs to be recognised for a super job. Well done!

 

On Show at QE11

A Medical Services customised bariatric ambulance was on show outside the QE11 Conference Centre opposite the Houses of Parliament on 23 March as part of our participation in ‘Tackling Obesity 2010’; this was a major conference and exhibition which explored the latest strategies and policy developments in the UK’s fight against the rising tide of obesity.

Other exhibitions we will be showing at this year include:

o    May 25-26 The Patient Safety Congress, ICC, Birmingham (Stand C26)

o    May 28 HefmA Conference & Exhibition, Majestic Hotel, Harrogate (Stand 41)

• June 23-25 NHS Annual Conference & Exhibition, ACC Liverpool (Stand A37) 

 

From bariatric patients to new born babies

Medical Services’ long term policy on ambulance procurement is based on flexibility, efficiency and above all else, patient safety.

For example, the recently ordered 20 HDU vehicles all have stretchers capable of moving bariatric patients, mechanical stair climbers and NMI wheelchair restraints and will also be able to safely carry incubators for new born babies.

Equally our staff training programmes do not emphasise trauma or the emergency aspects of first aid but focus on safety, quality of care for patients during their ambulance journeys.

Says David Ellis, Director of Organisational Development: “In the future all our vehicles will be comfortable and safe for bariatric patients and our staff will have the necessary mechanical aids to take the risk away from manual handling.  Our intention is to lead the way in the provision of non emergency services”.

"Exemplary Service"

One of our patients who we have driven on seven early morning journeys, from his home in Norfolk to Homerton Hospital and return, has written to praise Medical Services for our ‘exemplary’ operations, and particularly mentions driver Valerie Allen.

His letter states “…the recent journeys have been in the snow and ice….drivers always prompt, smart and kind….Val has been superb….vehicles always smart, clean and luxurious”