ࡱ>  Root Entry@MatOSTMMMN0S'NDP0~ "S'%%&%&%&%A.>F&%S'%TBritish Ambulance Services (Foresight) Panel C/o 19-21 Bassenhally Road, Whittlesey, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. PE7 1RN Chairmans Report BASP is about to enter its forth year of existence and many may ask what has it achieved. When we first commenced creating a Foresight knowledge pool a number of sectors chose to ignore the excellent concept which was instigated and backed by the Department of Trade and Industry, and I remind you all of that concept in case it has been forgotten, and I issue a re-invitation to those that had any doubts at the beginning to firstly join the web-panel, and be active in Panel debate. BASP is about anticipating the future, identifying potential needs, threats and opportunities, and about taking action NOW to ensure that people and Organisations in the UK are better placed to respond effectively through identified BASP objectives and actions. BASP is about networking people drawn from all sectors, who may not normally see any reason to interact, but who could be working together for mutual advantage and about breaking down barriers to collaboration across all sectors by removal of The them and us attitude. BASP is a panel of expertise and knowledge drawn from a wide selection of Organisations, including individuals with a common interest, views and opinions, concerning the provision of Ambulance transportation within the United Kingdom During the past 3 years the panel of six have been expanded, to include individual web-site panel members who now number some 200 drawn from all sectors of our Industry, these individuals include those engaged in :- National Health Trust Ambulance Operations, Military Health, NHS Hospital Trusts, General Practice Doctors, NHS Health Councils, Private Hospitals, Doctors in Private practice, and Private and Public Nursing homes, Private Ambulance Services, Regulated and un-regulated, Voluntary Ambulance Services, Welfare Organisations, Nursing, Midwifery, Insurance Repatriation Companies and individuals interested in Ambulance Operations. What have BASP questioned and looked at during the last three years. State Registration of Paramedics alone and public protection This is being reviewed by the Organisations concerned, and BASP have placed proposals in the Public domain for the Registration of all Ambulance Technicians, including a working document based on the Alberta Regulations. We await further progress; it has taken so far 2 years to reach a stage of proposal to form an independent Ambulance/Paramedic body. The panel hope that they will be kept informed on this subject by those involved The formation of the Criminal Records Bureau and changes in the law will assist all Ambulance Operators in protecting the Public. This should be operational by November 2001 Public Sector involvement in income generation Through BASP and others representations to the Audit Commission and the DTI ongoing reviews are now the order of the day and costs now have to be justified. It has not stopped Income generation, but it has highlighted that any schemes involving Public Ambulance services must now have a justified base, and must not be undertaken unless it can provide a sustained profit that will benefit the service. Co-operation between Public and Private Ambulance Sector Services. The Government last year entered into a policy of Public - Private Sector Accord in Health Services, where this will be of benefit to the patient and provides added quality and value for money. Many Private Ambulance services in the Regulated Sector are now working with NHS Ambulance Trusts in providing professional Ambulance transportation services that benefit both sectors of the service, and a number of other items of closer co-operation between sectors are under review. Regionalisation of NHS Ambulance Services. BASP have recently undertaken a extensive Consultation into such re-organisation in the South East of England and published a report, that it is not working. We await the NHS Executives decision that should be published before the end of 2001. The Public Concept of an Ambulance Service. This subject has recently been reviewed and was again included in the review of Regionalisation of Services in South East England, we again await developments. Ambulance Law an insight and review. BASP have published an insight of Ambulance Law documented by PAS Ambulance Consultants, and together with others have made representations on this subject to many authorities. BASP opinion is that the existing law covers all aspects required and that a review is not currently necessary, other than in possible changes in VAT law, that at present place all Ambulance Operators in the position of being the final consumer. Considerable savings for all services including NHS Services could be made if the rate was changed to Zero Rated instead of the present European Exempt rate. In other aspects through ignorance many NHS Trusts and other Services are still not complying with existing law, and it requires Executive intervention to ensure that all services undertake compliance, rather than turning the blind eye. First Responder Schemes, the short and long term costs. This subject is still on the table and examples are being collect from many districts. BASP have advocated that First Responders are not best practice and that we all have a lot to learn from other Continental Countries who have different approaches to the subject. One such scheme being the education of all School children, in CPR, and First Aid that is in operation in the Scandinavian sector. We are Pleased to announce that the Mayor and NHS London Regional Office have called for proposals into an initiative to train members of the Public with the skills and ability needed to save lives of individuals suffering myocardial infarctions. BASP view is that it cost some 5,000 to provide a defibrillator and more to train an individual to use it, and whilst it is recognised that in a few cases it may save a life it is not economic to provide these machines in thousands of public places. It is far more economic to fund every Secondary School pupil in his last year of education for a full First Aid Certificated CPR course (4 days), The average cost 100 or even less = 500 students per defibrillator cost) which will provide him or her with the essential manual skills required before Ambulance arrival, together with additional skills to save other lives in an emergency, and equip him/her with a now considered essential vocational qualification that can be used in every office, factory, and industry within the UK to good effect. Funded by Educational and Health Service education funds, this will provide hundreds of thousands of First Responders Nation-wide. All of whom will normally be present in numbers in the Community, Leisure and working environments of Cities, towns and villages to render humanitarian assistance Other subjects from the original BASP list have been partly covered by some the main items covered above. BASP have also covered many other subjects giving advice and information, including Ministry Advice at times of National Crisis such as the petrol Crisis, and the more recent Foot and Mouth Crisis where it affects Ambulance Services. We also expect to be busy during the coming weeks. BASP have also been critical of many NHS Ambulance service operations and have co-ordinated repeated requests for a call to review and reform such services. BASP are pleased to see that The Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) are to review Two key areas of continued concern, Primary Care and Ambulance Trusts & NHS Direct in early 2002. As the Chairman of the Panel, known to present, at times, long winded explanations in detail. I have been requested to keep this report to two pages. I could write many more, on how you, and the permanent panel members have influenced, and will continue to influence Government policy, and the policy of others through debate and opinion (sometimes radical) The panel would like to see the web-site membership increased. Remember you can invite colleagues with an interest in Ambulance Services, our target is 1,000 members of expertise or experience. Through this membership, surveys as percentages mean more, and will have a far greater influence on future Government policy. Peter A. Littledyke ~^  5 ysymygygygysysysysy0 @Az |8 '!!" "ysmsmsmsysysgsy0 0 .W~|~  oaaa[[ :u :u  \ ^ R T   5 @ O?AyyyyyyyAz  OQ|68!!!"""" "y "EF A "GHITimes New RomanTimes New Roman CETimes New Roman CyrTimes New Roman GreekTimes New Roman TurTimes New Roman (Hebrew)Times New Roman (Arabic)Times New Roman BalticTimes New Roman (Vietnamese) ~