References
Baby on the way: Was an ambulance in the plan?
Abstract
Objectives
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (the trust) sought the views of patients it attended who were imminently about to give birth at the time of the 999 call to the trust. This was a patient group who had previously never been specifically targeted by the trust as part of its on-going patient feedback activity to inform service development.
Methods
All imminent birth patients during a four consecutive month period from August to November 2008 were sent a questionnaire asking them about their contact and satisfaction with the ambulance service at the time of the birth.
Results
Results of this survey have shown that almost a fifth (19.4 %) of patients who had intended to give birth in hospital had planned to use the ambulance service for their transport. Perceived complications, severe pain, labour not progressing, or the advice of a midwife were the main reasons given for unplanned use of the service. In this sample, a greater percentage of patients who planned to give birth at a hospital or maternity centre actually gave birth at home (25.5 %), than was achieved by patients who had planned a home birth (16.7 %).
Conclusions
Further investigation is needed to inform developments in partnership working between ambulance and maternity services to better serve this patient group.
In 2007 the UK Health Care Commission (HCC) undertook a survey of patients using maternity services as part of the national patient survey programme (HCC, 2007; Pickers Institute Europe, 2007) This survey focused on the care patients received from hospital maternity services and did not cover the role of the ambulance service.
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAS), hereafter referred to as ‘the trust’ covers the region which incorporates the six counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. The trust has historically and routinely used patient survey activity to inform its service developments, and such activity is carried out in accordance with trust policy.
Approximately 150 patients a month contacted the trust using the 999 emergency number because they were about to give birth. This group of patients had not previously been selected specifically for a feedback survey. As such it was an area of care where very little was known of the patient use of, and satisfaction with the ambulance service, therefore obtaining feedback from this target group was prioritised.
Subscribe to get full access to the Journal of Paramedic Practice
Thank you for visiting the Journal of Paramedic Practice and reading our archive of expert clinical content. If you would like to read more from the only journal dedicated to those working in emergency care, you can start your subscription today for just £48.
What's included
-
CPD Focus
-
Develop your career
-
Stay informed