BASICS Devon volunteers have developed an on-line clinical governance dashboard, which captures data for every incident that the charity attends.
The dashboard aimed to create a system to log non-identifiable incident details to support the charity with its data capture, education, clinical governance, and asset (equipment) tracking. To date, 10 other BASICS (British Association for Immediate Care) schemes across the UK use the dashboard to log their emergency call out activity.
In 2020, BASICS Devon started development on an incident dashboard. A large success and with an obvious role within the charity, the dashboard was expanded to other BASICS South West schemes with continual development and enhanced features. In 2021, BASICS schemes across the UK were invited to use the dashboard to assist their own charities with their objectives.
As a charity, they want to support other schemes to ensure BASICS responders and their schemes have strong clinical governance and quick access to simple reporting. With thanks to a scheme grant of £5,000 from the British Association for Immediate Care, enabled by the HELP Appeal, the only charity in the county dedicated to funding NHS hospital helipads, BASICS Devon can now maintain and further develop the clinical governance dashboard for existing and additional lifesaving schemes.
The volunteers record callout data on the dashboard including, incident date, times and location, if they were first on scene, incident description and any procedures carried out and additional benefit offered to patients.
The dashboard benefits schemes by having this, real time captured data, it enables schemes to monitor volunteer activity, incident management, highlight kit checks, car details as well as clinical governance.
They can review cases, which enables advanced and detailed education and training sessions as the clinical team undertake regular clinical case reviews managed through the dashboard. All cases involving enhanced medical care (such as sedation or a surgical procedure) are subject to review either on a one to-one basis or at clinical governance meetings. This further improves the immediate medical care that the volunteer responders deliver on scene in an emergency to their local communities.
Any learning from individual cases can be shared with BASICS schemes across the South West.
The Dashboard is a vital resource for the charity as it helps demonstrate the impact the BASICS scheme has in their communities.
BASICS Devon is a Charity that provides specially trained Doctors to incidents in support of South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust. Delivering enhanced care to patients at the scene of accidents and medical emergencies. With the Ambulance demand under increased pressures, BASICS Devon aims to support the South Western Ambulance Service in the care for critically injured patients. Year on year the charity callout figures have grown approximately 10%.
BASICS Devon help reduce response times and, for many emergencies are able to stand down the ambulance response. Being on the ground, in our local communities, BASICS Devon can be fast to the scene in all weather conditions and at night, and likely to arrive first.
As a team of specialist voluntary doctors, there is no equivalent in Devon. The doctors are senior decision makers and carry enhanced pain relief, sedative drugs and specialist equipment. They are also trained to undertake a number of specialist lifesaving surgical procedures.
Since January BASICS Devon doctors have attended 216 callouts, 68 of which were at night, and they arrived first on the scene at 31% of them.
With help such as this BASICS Devon will be able to continue their mission to provide specialist prehospital medical care, especially reaching those that are vulnerable and isolated and supporting the local ambulance service when they need them most, in one of the most rural counties in the country, to support the doctors or get involved visit www.basics-devon.org.uk.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
Photos available
About the County Air Ambulance HELP Appeal
The HELP Appeal aims to significantly increase the number of onsite hospital helipads at major trauma centres and A&E hospitals through its grant scheme which offers non-repayable grants to hospitals to help fund new helipads or upgrade existing helipads.
Overall it has funded 45 helipads across the country, which have seen over 24,000 landings.
The HELP Appeal relies solely on charitable donations and does not receive any government funding or money from the National Lottery.
You can follow the HELP Appeal on Twitter: @helipadHELP, Facebook or LinkedIn or visit the website: www.helpappeal.org.uk
For further information about the HELP Appeal, please contact Corienne Kilgannon, communications director, on 07470 226063 or by emailing corienne@helpappeal.org.uk
About British Association for Immediate Care (BASICS)
The British Association for Immediate Care is a charitable company limited by guarantee registered with the Charity Commission and with Companies House.
Members are drawn from a number of the health care professions, particularly medicine, nursing and paramedicine, as well as others who work or volunteer within pre-hospital care.
The Association provides a focus for those interested in developing their pre-hospital practice and supports this through its annual conference and a range of internationally recognised courses.
For Further information visit https://www.basics.org.uk/
About BASICS Devon
BASICS Devon is a network of 14 emergency volunteer doctors providing immediate access to specialist medical care at the scene of an accident or illness. Making themselves available around the clock throughout the year, responding to incidents at the request of the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust. The charity relies solely on donations.
BASICS Devon doctors aim to provide a fast response to incidents in rural areas and use their extensive skills to support patient care. For further information, to donate or get involved please visit: www.basics-devon.org.uk
For further information please contact Amie Bull, Fundraising Manager amie.bull@basics-devon.org.uk T: 01752 936299 or visit: www.basics-devon.org.uk
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