Ambulance tech trial shown to speed up patient handovers at A&E

The trial was part of a £1 million NHS England scheme to identify ways to improve data transfer between ambulances and hospitals. It involved EEAST installing new equipment at four hospitals in the region to help boost connectivity.

Poor mobile signal and unreliable Wi-Fi connections can cause delays in transferring patient data and loss of access to key patient information when crews are waiting to handover patients. The trial provided £50,000 for EEAST to install four boxes from Excelerate Technology outside A&E departments at Harlow, Peterborough, Luton and Colchester.

Once connected to the boxes through their iPads, ambulance crews were able to re-connect automatically every time they were in the vicinity.

A recent review of the trial, which began in December 2023, found that benefits of better connectivity and improved data speeds included: • Improved patient care: Enhanced connectivity ensured accurate, real-time updates to care records, reducing clinical risks and improving outcomes. • Faster handovers: Reliable connections shortened delays, enabling ambulances to return to service quickly. • Increased staff satisfaction: Reduced frustrations with connectivity allowed clinicians to focus on care, boosting morale. • Operational efficiency: Faster patient handovers alleviate pressure on hospitals and reduce NHS costs. The report by NHS England said the trial’s success has prompted plans for additional deployments across sites in the EEAST region where Wi-Fi connectivity is an issue. Other ambulance trusts had expressed interest in adopting similar solutions.

Chief Digital Information Officer (Interim) for EEAST, Neil Godfrey said:
“When our crews lose their connection outside hospitals, their clinical apps stop being able to pull information from our Computer Aided Dispatch system which prevents them uploading information to our key partners. “Thanks to the new trial at these four hospitals, we have been able to consistently access the Summary Care Records and National Record Locator. "This means our crews can view patients’ end of life and mental health plans, giving them access to crucial information.
“We remain committed to refining and developing the system to deliver robust connectivity to help crews make the right clinical decisions for our patients, reduce hospital handover times and allow them to get back on the road to tend to other patients.”

See the whole NHS England report here: Improving ambulance and A&E department connectivity - NHS England Digital