Grimsby Telegraph
NOTTINGHAM, England — The Ambulance Service has launched a Winter Pressure Plan to ensure crews can deal with the effects of the winter months.
East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS), which covers North East Lincolnshire, makes plans to deal with operational issues presented by the winter season.
The service has joined forces with its partner organisations, such as the NHS North Lincolnshire, Humberside Fire And Rescue Service and Humberside Police and local Primary Care Trusts so multi-agency resources can be deployed quickly at times of increased pressure.
EMAS official Sally Thearle said: “Issues such as poor weather, making road conditions difficult and the associated increase in road traffic collisions, as well as slips and falls and other ice-related incidents, affect our ambulance response times.
“Also, there is the potential for outbreaks of influenza and other winter viruses affecting the public and staff, resulting in increased workloads and staff absence.
“Receiving hospitals have winter plans and we continuously monitor their turnaround times and the time our crews wait with a patient before they are handed over, to ensure ambulance staff are released as soon as possible, in order they get back on the road as fast as possible.
“EMAS also has service agreements with voluntary sector providers, such as St John Ambulance Service and the British Red Cross, to assist where shortfalls in provision are encountered.
“In a number of areas, 4x4 drivers’ groups have helped us by bringing staff into work in adverse weather, as well as taking paramedics to patients in remote areas.”
All EMAS staff are offered flu vaccinations to help control the spread of infections.
All ambulance stations are provided with their own grit and salt to ensure ambulances can remain mobile even in bad weather.
EMAS’s recent investment in 90 new vehicles included the provision of snow boots to keep the service on the road in severe ice and the service has also increased the fleet of 4x4 response vehicles.
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