Ambulance crews across the UK will benefit from faster turnaround times and will get back out on the road more quickly thanks to a new partnership between O2 and the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust.
To support the ambulance trust, O2 has enabled the roll out of new electronics patient record system, providing iPads to 4,000 frontline staff and an end-to-end support service to help staff get connected and online as smoothly as possible. This additional technology will help staff transfer patients and switch over crews swiftly over a secure virtual interface – eliminating the need to pass over paper records and ensuring patients only have to explain their symptoms once.
The rollout provides a fully managed device, forward and reverse logistics, and automatic enrollment, which means ambulance staff can be up and running straight away when they are provided with the device.
The partnership could see efficiencies that equate to 1,700 days of ambulance crew time saved over the course of a year, and the elimination of paper waste will also see significant environmental benefits.
Jo Bertram, Managing Director for Business, at O2 explains: “This year more than any other has highlighted the incredible work of NHS workers, who have got us through this pandemic. Ambulance staff work tirelessly in a fast-paced, high-pressured environment to bring exceptional first response care to patients. By implementing these new technologies, we hope to eliminate any inefficiencies and create seamless systems to help them focus on doing what they do best.”
Stephen Bromhall, Chief Information Officer with EEAST, adds: “We are delighted to be working with O2 on this project to embed innovation across our Trust for the benefit of the six million patients we serve. This new system will provide staff with easy-to-use, secure ways to seamlessly transfer patient notes virtually, which will help our dedicated crews get back on the road faster so they can continue to focus on delivering the best possible patient care.”
The partnership is worth £5.9 million over a five-year contract, with part-funding from NHSX.
The partnership builds on O2’s work to provide the 5G connectivity for “Smart Ambulances”, which it has developed and tested at its Millbrook Proving Ground. These state-of-the art vehicles turn ambulances into remote consultation rooms that have the potential to revolutionise patient diagnosis, transport, and treatment. The system allows paramedics to treat more people with more ailments than currently possible and ease the strain on hospital resources by reducing the number of patients taken to hospital.
