Telephony and Care Co-ordination

AmbulanceTransformational Step: 3

Develop the clinical model for Welsh Ambulance Service Trust (WAST) which fits with the LHB communication hubs and supports the principle of non-conveyance.


Intended Outcome

Patients will receive a timely, co-ordinated clinically appropriate response to their needs
 

Welsh Ambulance Service Trust Clinical Contact Centres

WAST in partnership with the National USC Programme Board, will build on its work with triage of Category C 999 requests by developing multi-professional triage of appropriate 999 requests from its clinical contact centres. This will:
  • Minimise the number of clinically unnecessary 999 journeys
  • Improve response times where 999 calls are clinically necessary and
  • Complement the development of the alternative three digit urgent care number

LHB- based Communications Hubs

The National Primary and Community Care Programme is progressing the development of health board-based communication hubs capable of dealing with non-999 urgent calls, providing several protective layers to safely maintain patients in the community, including;

  • A health board directory of services that includes access to self-care. This is being scoped on a national basis but with the intention to have local adaption and update to ensure accuracy.
  • Call handling/sign-posting which includes bed bureau/hospital access functionality in order to ‘pull’ people towards the most appropriate service.
  • Scheduling, that could potentially include secondary, community and primary care.
  • Care co-ordination of ambulatory care sensitive conditions, e.g. chronic disease exacerbation, acute social/medical care, mental health and re-admissions.