Photo from today and BHRUT statement on blue light ambulances

The Recorder could not make it so a big thank you to passer by who took this.

The BHRUT statement is as follows

Regarding your query about emergency (blue light) ambulances taking children directly to Queen’s A&E, I am happy to clarify.

London Ambulance Service (LAS) has not taken children by emergency ambulance to King George Hospital A&E since November 2010.

Patients need to be taken to the setting that will provide them with the best care and the best outcomes. This won’t always be to the nearest hospital. This principle has saved hundreds of lives in recent years for stroke and heart attack patients in London alone. 

With a dedicated ‘high dependency’ suite for children at Queen’s Hospital, improving care for those who need more intensive nursing and medical input, it was agreed that children who were acutely unwell should be taken directly to that service. This ensures that children with complex and high dependency needs receive the appropriate care as quickly as possible and prevents any delays in care from transfer between sites.

This decision taken by LAS was agreed by  the Trust and shared with the local councils’ Health Overview and Scrutiny committees and commissioners.

This arrangement has worked extremely well over the last three and a half years. ENDs

The statement raises a number of issues, I expect to write further tomorrow.