Frequently asked questions

What pre-hospital care experience and training do the EMRS have?   

The team is led by a Consultant from intensive care, anaesthetics or emergency medicine. All are trained and equipped to provide pre-hospital critical care.

The consultants are accompanied by a senior doctor in training or by a critical care practitioner (paramedic or nurse with advanced skills). When responding by helicopter, a HEMS paramedic also forms part of the team.

How long does the EMRS take to respond?

This is dependent on your patient’s location and the time of day. The team is co located with helimed 5 in Glasgow. When activated between the hours of 0800 -1800 we will be mobile within 5 minutes, if not otherwise tasked.

From 1800 to 0800 the EMRS team is on call. Response times are therefore more prolonged. From receiving a call from EMDC to being mobile in the team car, the response time will be 30 to 40 minutes.

 Activation at night should only be for confirmed serious trauma with a confirmed prolonged entrapment time.

How does the EMRS team travel to the scene?                                        

For jobs within a 10 mile radius of our base we will respond by car. Out with this radius we will respond with helimed 5 if they are available. When helimed 5 is not available we can still respond by blue light vehicle.

Helicopter availability is very dependent on a number of factors, including daylight and weather.  

The EMRS trauma response car is a Skoda Octavia. The vehicle has the EMRSTT livery on it so that it is easily identifiable on scene at an incident. When driven under blue lights, the car is driven by a critical care practitioner who has undertaken their full driver training course with the ambulance service. The car carries all of our equipment needed to perform life saving interventions at the roadside and if needed, the team will then travel by road with the patient to the most appropriate emergency department.

Is there anything ambulance crews can do to prepare for the team’s arrival on scene?                                                                                      

Good A,B,C management and adequate pain control are of paramount importance. As well as this, ensuring the patient has 2 large cannulae, is being monitored and having a verbal handover ready will be of great benefit.

Can crews on scene speak to the team once they have been activated for advice?                                                                                                       

 If crews on scene wish some advice from the team prior to their arrival you can request the consultant’s mobile number or the team’s ISSI number from EMDC. Please remember we are unable to use mobile phones in flight and may be involved in navigating to the incident when responding by road.

Will ambulance crews still be included in the management of the patient when the team arrives?

Yes. Crews will have been with the patient for a prolonged period and will be best placed to observe their clinical course.  Ambulance personnel will be asked to assist the team with any interventions.  If anyone is not happy at doing this then please say so. 

Carrying out pre-hospital critical care interventions requires as much skilled help as possible.  The team are very keen that ambulance crews get involved as part of the team. 

Is there any way I can learn more about the interventions performed by the team and the benefit they provide to the patient?  

Yes. The EMRS website has SOPs you can read. There are also plans for a paramedic conference in 2012.