East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
The East of England Ambulance Trust (EEAST) was created on 1 July 2006 and covers the six counties which make up the East of England - Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. The Trust provides a range of services, but is best known for the 999 Emergency Service. Within the other service provision EEAST also provides; non-emergency transport for patients across the East of England, supports the helicopter Critical Care Teams coupled with overseeing their deployment to the most appropriate incidents, co-ordinates a team of community based volunteers known as Community First Responders (CFR’S) to support the delivery of care to patients in life threatening emergencies, and also provides a commercial services department that provides medical cover for sporting events and functions in line with the requirements of regulatory bodies throughout the eastern region.
- Updated:
- 16 January 2019
- Location:
- East of England
- Local Alliances:
- Ipswich Dementia Action Alliance , Braintree District Dementia Action Alliance , Bury St Edmunds Dementia Action Alliance , Chelmsford Dementia Action Alliance , Colchester Dementia Action Alliance , East Cambridgeshire Dementia Action Alliance, Epping Forest Dementia Action Alliance (EFDAA), Felixstowe Dementia Action Alliance , Hadleigh Dementia Action Alliance, Harlow Dementia Action Alliance , Hertsmere Dementia Action Alliance , Holt Dementia Action Alliance , Luton Dementia Action Alliance, Needham Market Dementia Action Alliance , Norfolk & Suffolk Dementia Alliance, North Hertfordshire District Dementia Action Alliance , Norwich City Dementia Action Alliance , Pan Essex Dementia Action Alliance , Peterborough Dementia Action Alliance, Saffron Walden Dementia Action Alliance, Southend, Castle Point and Rochford District Dementia Action Alliance , Stevenage Dementia Action Alliance , Stowmarket Dementia Action Alliance , Tendring Dementia Action Alliance , Broxbourne Dementia Action Alliance
1. Action Plan
1. The National Dementia Declaration lists seven outcomes that the DAA are seeking to achieve for people with dementia and their carers. How would you describe your organisation’s role in delivering better outcomes for people with dementia and their carers?
The actions within this plan set out the desire of EEAST to address the challenges that arise within the organisation around caring for and supporting people that are living with dementia.
Locally the plan looks to develop key strands that support all to move forward to develop further the person centred care that is needed. The patient care opportunities that EEAST staff and volunteers encounter allow this person centred approach to be adopted. This ethos supports and meets the needs of the patient living with dementia.
The areas chosen such as educational, environment, and allowing patients and carers a voice to feedback to the organisation are key elements and as such are at the heart of our vision for EEAST.
Nationally ambulance Trusts have been tasked with developing the areas highlighted within this action plan. EEAST are keen to be at the forefront of this as we move forward, the recognition of the growing need within our communities highlights the importance of these actions for all.
2. What are the challenges to delivering these outcomes from the perspective of your organisation?
The ever growing demand for EEAST services and care provision are key challenges.
Developing a responsive work force that recognises the person behind the disease combined with empowering all staff and volunteers with the ability to recognise environmental factors and/or situations that may impact on care delivery will be immense challenges. The geography of the region, provision of 24/7 working, and a remote workforce of staff and volunteers are all factors that will need to be overcome.
Member website
www.eastamb.nhs.uk2. Actions
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Dementia Awareness Training
Dementia awareness training will be offered to all EEAS staff comprising:
- Patient facing and control room staff (both clinical and non-clinical)
- Patient Transport Service
- Volunteer First Responders
- Office support and vehicle maintenance staff
- Staff working within complaints, public enquires and investigation teams.
This training meets or exceeds Tier 1 of the HEE Core Skills & Knowledge Framework for Dementia.
We will include Dementia Friends in this programme
- Status:
- Implementation
2017 - First Quarter Update
New member
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Develop dementia-friendly environments and processes that improve the experience of patients with dementia.
- Appoint a Dementia Lead to promote to our staff the ‘Standards for a Dementia Friendly Environment’ approach to ensure that reasonable adjustments can be made when required
- Include dementia-friendly assessments for all new service developments and vehicle upgrades.
For the latter the colours and contrasts within vehicle interior should comply with the latest research on the importance of design for people who have reduced sight and/or reduced cognitive function.
Seating should be of contrasting colour to that of the floor, ideally having piping around each edge of the seat to clearly define the edges and seat cushions. Steps should have a contrasting strip along the front edge. Flooring should be a matte finish and not shiny. Contrasting colours are required for grab/hand rails (usually a bright colour)
- Status:
2017 - First Quarter Update
New member
-
Provide a strong voice for people affected by dementia by seeking and acting on feedback from them to improve the quality of service we provide.
- Complete a small feasibility study for setting up Focus Groups in the three primary localities
- Set up one pilot focus group in a primary locality
- Using the results of the study and pilot sites, set up focus groups (or similar) within selected localities across EEAST.
- Status:
2017 - First Quarter Update
New member
-
Develop effective partnerships with local agencies (health, social care, and third sector) to improve care and outcomes for people affected by dementia.
The EEAST will lend its support to Dementia Action Alliances in the East of England, in order to build the community resilience that will help to retain people affected by dementia in their own communities.
It will do this through
- its own membership of those Alliances
- the implementation of this action plan
- encouraging appropriate partner and community organisations to join Alliances
(Of necessity the EEAST will not be able to attend DAA meetings as a routine action. Its membership and contact with other organisations, will support their work and the development of community led DAA’s throughout the East of England )
The implementation of this plan will provide opportunities to publicise the development of dementia friendly practice in the East of England and to link it to key events such as Dementia Awareness Week.
- Status:
2017 - First Quarter Update
New member