Building Capacity Project

Following on from the extensive consultation exercise in 2002 between PHECC representatives and EMTs and EMCs nationally during the Building Capacity Project, the draft data set with definitions has been prepared. The data set incorporates much of the valuable contributions collected as we visited ambulance stations around the country. We meet with over 700 EMTs and more than 150 feedback forms were received with suggestions and design recommendations for a National PRF. During early 2003 the draft data set was reviewed by the Medical Advisory Group and Clinical Care Committee. The first edition of the paper PRF was prepared in August 2003.


PRF Project Objectives

The overall objective of the PHECC data set is to provide a framework to record accurate, robust and timely data in the continuum of care between the pre-hospital emergency care provider, the patient and the receiving health care professionals in hospitals. The principal objective of the proposed PRF pilot is to road test it as a mechanism to record patients care assessment and management as well as data for clinical and operational audit. Consultation with the participating volunteers will in addition provide evidence of the level of confidence EMTs have in the change and allow us collate suggestions and make amendments to the critical content and design of the proposed form.

Project Outline

Running from September to December, care providers from across 6 Health Boards, Dublin Fire Brigade, the Order of Malta and Medicall private ambulance participated in this pilot project. Volunteers used the pilot PRF in the course of their duty for an agreed minimum of cases and some continued to use the PRF in their service until the project end.

The North Eastern and South Eastern Health Boards are participating in the pilot project by sharing their experience with PHECC in collecting data electronically (North Eastern) and collating and reporting data (South Eastern.)

A de-identified copy of the PRF, to protect patient confidentiality, is returned to PHECC and the data is inputted into the Pre-Hospital Information Collation System (PHICS). This electronic system is designed to analyse the data and produce reports for the attention of the participating care providers and ambulance services. (Continued in next column...)
   (Continued..) In addition to the data analysis, each volunteer is providing valuable feedback on their personal experience of using the pilot form. This is being collated along with evaluation forms from clinicians in Emergency Departments to measure the performance and impact of the PRF.

Participation from Services and Individual EMTs

We are delighted to say that we were overwhelmed with offers to volunteer. Over 280 EMTs volunteered to participate and have contributed enormously to the project. All feedback is being collated and will contribute to the second draft PRF which is currently being developed. Each volunteer will receive an individual report of his/her activities during the pilot directly from PHECC. Each Ambulance Service will receive a summary report of activity.

We are indebted to the volunteer EMTs especially those who took on a co-ordinating role in their service and would like also to acknowledge management in the Health Board and DFB ambulance services who have supported this pilot project from the outset.

More information is available from our website www.phecc.ie where you can download a copy of the PRF and EMT feedback form.

All feedback both positive and negative is welcome and will be vital in measuring the impact of this pilot PRF project.

Regular bulletins will also be posted on the website for general information.

Should you have any questions or suggestions regarding this project please email info@phecc.ie or contact the office directly.




 

Sharing The Vision

To date the work of the Council has centred principally on the statutory ambulance services. The auxiliary and voluntary emergency care providers make a significant and valuable contribution to prehospital emergency care and are often overlooked and under appreciated. In keeping with our Strategic Plan the Council is now reaching out to engage and embrace this sector.

To this end a conference has been organised titled “Sharing the Vision” - Auxiliary & Voluntary Emergency Care Providers. This event will be hosted by the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council in Kilkenny in March 2004. We are particularly pleased that Ms Mary Davis, Chief Executive Officer, Special Olympics, Ireland has agreed to address the conference. The Air Corps, Civil Defence, Irish Coast Guard, Irish Heart Foundation, Irish Mountain Rescue Association, Irish Red Cross Society, Irish Society for Immediate Care, Order of Malta Ambulance Corps, Royal National Lifeboat Institute, and St. John Ambulance Brigade have been invited to attend.

The primary purpose of the conference is give a platform to the auxiliary and voluntary organisations working in pre-hospital emergency care to share a vision of their current and future roles. Secondly the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council would like to communicate directly with the organisations and raise awareness of Council’s activities since its establishment and outline current and future developments.