Ambulance

Focus on Scottish Ambulance Service
resuscitation skills training, which is open
to any paramedic. This not only includes
technical skills practice but all non-technical
skills such as resuscitation team leadership,
communication and decision-making. Video
analysis is used to inform training and
optimise team performance.
The team communicate with regional
ambulance control dispatch at the start
of each shift to maintain awareness and
utilisation of the 3RU resource for OHCA.
The team is collaborating with Psychologists
from Edinburgh University, analysing original
999 calls in order to improve the uptake of
telephone-assisted CPR.
Having established a solid foundation in the
‘basics’ of prehospital resuscitation, the 3RU
team is now using a mechanical CPR device,
intra-arrest ultrasound and prehospital
video recording in order to provide the
highest possible care and inform future
development needs. The overall aim is to
improve outcome from OHCA, directly
saving lives.
The introduction of 3RU has made a
significant contribution to the improvement
in the number of patients now surviving
out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Edinburgh.
In 2007, the overall survival to discharge
rate from OHCA in south-east Scotland
was 0.7% and it is now consistently
over 17%. In 2013, 24% of all OHCA in
Edinburgh were discharged neurologically
intact from hospital. This extraordinary
improvement in survival rate translates into
scores of patients, who would otherwise
have died, returning home to their families.
Survival from OHCA in Edinburgh is now
consistently the highest in the country and
amongst the highest in the UK.
The Scottish Ambulance Service is now
rolling out the 3RU programme across the
country and if the success can be replicated,
this will be an important contribution to
achieving the target of saving over 300
additional lives per year.
There has also been interest in extending
the 3RU model from further afield.
Ambulance services from Wales, East
Midlands, the North East and the South-
East coast have all visited Edinburgh, with
many adopting their own resuscitation
improvement programs based on the
Edinburgh-model. The RRG and 3RU team
have attracted attention internationally,
winning a ‘best of the best’ research prize
at the European Resuscitation Council
meeting in Vienna, and Emergency Team of
the year from the British Medical Journal.
Co-reponding
We are also carrying out a national trial
for co-response to OHCA. The Scottish
Fire and Rescue Service are working
with the Scottish Ambulance Service in 7
areas of the country where firefighters in
community fire and rescue stations have
received enhanced training in life-support.
There has been a very positive response
overall with around 70 call-outs in the first
6 months and at least 2 known survivors
to discharge directly related to the coresponder
pilot.
PAD mapping
Enabling prompt access to defibrillators is
a key strand of the OHCA strategy and
the mapping of Public Access Defibrillators
is being taken forward to ensure these
are made available to the public. Work is
ongoing to map defibrillators and ensure
interoperability with existing CAD systems.
Protecting Ambulance Personnel with
Body Worn Cameras
The VideoBadge from Edesix offers protection from threats and abusive behaviour,
and has proven to be a valuable asset for facilitating training and operational debrief.
Paired with Edesix’s VideoManager software, the VideoBadge captures video and
audio footage when required, and stores the data securely for future training
purposes, or as court-ready evidence.
“VideoBadge has made it
possible to evaluate new
equipment while out in
the field.”
Resuscitation Research
Group, Edinburgh
Key Benefits:
w Evidential quality video and
audio recording
w Secure encryption and data
protection controls
w 8 – 14 hr recording time
w Full audit tracking from camera
to courtroom
Free Trial
If you’d like more information on the
Edesix range of Body Worn Cameras,
or wish to sign up for a free trial,
please contact us at:
sales@edesix.com
quoting “AMB2” or call us on
w
WiFi-streaming options
available
0131 510 0232
Ambulance-Today-Advert.indd Spring 2016 | Ambulancetoday
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