Implementing A Framework for Maternity ... - Scottish Government

Transport in Acute Maternity
Services
1. Ambulance transport in Scotland is currently provided by eight Operational Control Centres
serving the relevant NHS Board Areas, although the number will reduce to three Regional
Centres over the next two years. There is also a national Air Ambulance desk, located in
Aberdeen.
2. Ambulances can be accessed in three main ways: the 999 emergency system, direct telephone
numbers used by GPs and hospital-based clinicians, and by pre-book forms sent by mail or
fax to the appropriate control centre.
3. Although maternity-related calls account for only a small amount of total ambulance service
workload, any change to the organisation and delivery of maternity services will impact on
ambulance provision and paramedical support. The implications of providing different levels
of maternity care on a regional basis must be fully explored with the ambulance service, and
staff should be equipped with the necessary confidence, education, skills and competencies
to participate effectively to services for pregnant women and their babies.
Principles
6.1 Paramedic staff must be trained and skilled to provide effective emergency care to
women before, during and after childbirth. Training should include early recognition,
and management, of obstetric and neonatal emergencies.
6.2 Paramedic staff should have access to multi-professional maternity care training.
6.3 Training should be practical in focus, and should include ‘hands-on’ experience under
the supervision of an experienced clinician in the hospital setting, such as a midwife
or obstetrician.
6.4 Paramedical staff should receive ongoing training and refresher courses to maintain
and enhance skills and competencies. Whenever possible, these activities should be
multi-professional.
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