Third more patients receiving critical care support thanks to air ambulance collaboration.

East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) has strengthened its relationships with three nationally renowned air ambulance charities, which has helped deliver exceptional specialist care to patients.

EEAST has collaborated with Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, East Anglian Air Ambulance and Magpas Air Ambulance, to refresh a joint working agreement to benefit patients.

This innovative 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 our 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 20 June, which has provided the opportunity to strengthen relationships and explore developments only made possible by collaboration.

Watch the Channel 202 campaign video produced for EEAST’s road crews featuring EHAAT’s celebrity ambassador Ray Winstone.