Third more patients receiving critical care support thanks to collaboration between East of England Ambulance Service and air ambulance charities

The region’s ambulance service has strengthened its ties with three air ambulance charities - which officials say has helped deliver “exceptional specialist care” to patients.

The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) has collaborated with Essex and Herts Air Ambulance, East Anglian Air Ambulance and Magpas Air Ambulance to refresh a joint working agreement to benefit patients.

This regional care model allows ambulance crews to immediately access emergency clinical advice from the critical care desk using channel 202 on their radios.

In the first six months of the new model, an average of a third more severely unwell or injured patients in the region received critical care support from the partner air ambulance charities, with the help of BASICS charities and EEAST’s own advanced practice critical care paramedics.

EEAST’s air operations manager Tim Daniels said: “Together with the equally valued BASICS charities, an innovative regional critical care model is being established. The intention of all involved is to support each other to deliver the highest levels of care, equitably and 24/7 across the region led via joint strategic, operational, and clinical best practice groups.

“Significant progress has already been made including the introduction of advanced paramedics in critical care and the recent integration of critical care triage and support within the core functions of the emergency control centres."

This collaboration saw the memorandum of understanding between EEAST and air ambulance charities updated on June 20, which has provided the opportunity to “strengthen relationships and explore developments only made possible by collaboration”.