There are PICU retrieval teams in operation on a daily basis - There are
significant issues re doing these transfers - I did this for about 6 years
whilst doing my research at St Mary's London and in about 275 retrievals (by
road and air) I was involved in 2 road traffic accidents, fortuanately
neither of which severe (albeit that the one in which the ambulance was hit
at speed by a truck when going through red lights causing the intubated
child to be thrown off the trolley, which was concerning at the time.
Owing to these sort of events each member of the team had a separate
insurance policy paid for by the department which provided cover for up to
£500 000.
THe clinical governance for retrieving ill children to PICU centres for
treatment are in overwhelming favour of such teams. There is evidence that
experienced and properly trained teams produce a lower morbidity.
References - Britto et al BMJ 1995
Also work by Peter Barry
-----Original Message-----
From: Dunn Matthew Dr. (RJC) ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY - SwarkHosp-TR
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: 24/01/2002 11:11
Subject: Re: Mobile team Insurance
Does a trust have to provide this or just ensure it is provided? If the
latter, should we not be pushing our trusts to provide this at regional
level (in the West Mids, major incident medical officer already is)? In
these days of jaws of life and paramedic skills (I know, another debate
on
which I have certain views) there's not many cases where a medical team
is
needed at scene, and even fewer where a team without surgical and
anaesthetic training and training of all members in prehospital care is
of
any use. Some (? many ? most) ambulance services tend to call BASICS
instead
of hospitals in any case. At least a team at regional (? subregional ?
superregional) level could have better training, transport and equipment
more cost effectively.
Have you considered the clinical governance implications of agreeing to
provide a team at all? Can it be justified on the basis of skills,
qualifications, training (previous and ongoing) and experience of its
members? It would seem that clinical governance issues will be much more
costly than insurance in most cases.
Matt Dunn
-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 23 January 2002 23:12
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Mobile team Insurance
We are having a problem persuading our Trust that we need extra
insurance to
go out as a medical team to the site of an accident or major incident.
They
argue that the usual hospital cover is enough and that if we want extra
cover we should sort it out on an individual basis and pay for it
ourselves.
I understand that as part of any hospitals contract with its
commisioners
the Trust undertakes to send a team out if needed.
I would be interested in other peoples experiences.
Louise Roberts
Tunbridge Wells
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