The ATACC Medical Rescue Team exists to provide expert management of patients who are victims of major trauma, at the scene of the incident and en route to hospital. In addition the team will respond to support any emergency service for any emergency call, if our input would be of benefit to the patient.
BACKGROUND
The team was formally inaugurated post 9/11 when ATACC’s unique skill mix were called upon to provide 2 medical rescue teams to cover the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
This clearly demonstrated that a Fire Service Officer could comfortably integrate and lead an advanced medical team, adopting the team approach. Since then, the team has an impressive portfolio, supporting a range of emergency services across the North West.
A regular roster of cover is offered during busy weekend and public holiday periods to Mersey Regional Ambulance Service. Whenever the team is operational, a Consultant Anaesthetist is on-call to eitherrespond to scene or provide advice.
NHS Emergency Care Award Winners 2004
Northern Region Health and Social Care Award for Outstanding Achievement in Emergency Care at a ceremony held at the Midland Hotel, Manchester.
The Health and Social Care Awards celebrate the achievements of NHS staff and are sponsored by the Department of Health. The Emergency Care Award centres on services that are providing patients with fast, safe and high quality emergency care.
The ATACC team is proud of the fact that it provides highly advanced, up to date, evidence-based emergency trauma care to the population of Cheshire and Merseyside with the aim of reducing trauma-related deaths. An application was therefore submitted outlining the background, organisation and philosophy of the medical rescue team.
All regional winners were then invited to a national final in London in July. This was held in conjunction with NHS Live, a national project founded as a result of the publication of the NHS Improvement Plan, in order to promote involvement, learning and achievement within the NHS. The national final ceremony of the Health and Social Care Awards was a prestigious affair hosted by Carol Smillie, with awards presented by the Rt Hon John Reid MP, Secretary of State for Health.
The prize awarded to the medical rescue team will support team development and allow us to fund further equipment for our vehicle. This will enable the team to continue delivering the highest quality of care to victims of trauma. By receiving this award, the ATACC team is delighted to be recognised as a leading force in the provision of emergency care in the North of England.
OPERATIONS
With the general expansion of the team, a complete review of current operations has recently been essential.
This has tied in neatly with the launch of the Rescue 1 Project, continued requests for assistance from neighbouring counties and a wide range of emergency services, the provision of A&E forward aid cover, and the international deployment of personnel during the Tsunami disaster.
ATACC now operates a call out system, which aims to ensure that the team is rapidly available around the clock to support any emergency service which requires Advanced Medical Rescue support.
This new system is being developed to allow ATACC to seamlessly increase numbers of on-scene personnel and incorporates a regional, national and even international response to major incidents.
Standard Medical Team Configuration:
- An ATACC qualified doctor, usually anaesthetist, with advanced airway/RSI skills.
- A critical care allied health professional who is an ATACC provider – usually an ODP
- A paramedic, fire-fighter or police officer with rapid response driving skills
- During routine patrols, the 4th seats in our vehicles are used for training purposes.
Standard Rescue Team Configuration:
- A Fire Service Officer who is both an ATACC provider and vehicle extrication/rescue trained.
- A doctor or critical care/allied health professional who is both an ATACC provider and vehicle extrication/rescue trained.
- 2 further personnel, both of whom are vehicle extrication/rescue trained, drawn from either the emergency services (Fire, Police, Coastguard, etc.) or another specialist rescue resources (Mountain, Sea, USAR, etc.)
ATACC believes in short pre-hospital scene times. We audit all of our trauma cases for on scene time, and aim for 10 minutes or less.
Interventions that require longer than this must be carefully considered. For patients with isolated major haemorrhage we aim to “load and go” after airway and breathing care, with other interventions commenced en route.
Given the high incidence of blunt trauma, especially resulting in isolated traumatic brain injury, early RSI and intubation is one of the teams core skills.