0x08 graphic

Ref# 14519-FOI/MW23102009

19 November 2009

Dear Mr Whitley

REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

In response to your questions:

Q1.

A list of all 999 emergency calls for medical attention with times of call received, and time of arrival each call at the location of first response within Gilberdyke East Yorkshire (post code HU15 2-) for the period between 1st January 2006 to 30th September 2009. Could you please supply the categorisation alongside each of the calls under which they were responded to.

Q2.

Could you please supply brief information on the qualifications and or training given to telephone operators that categorise emergency calls?

A1.

Please see attached table, as discussed we are able to provide details from September 2007 - September 2009.

A2.

Training for telephone operators, Emergency Medical Dispatchers (EMDs), is over a minimum eight week period.

It involves two weeks' classroom training which includes:

learning the IT systems used to handle calls
Yorkshire Ambulance Service policies and procedures
a course on how to provide medical advice to callers which is certified by the International Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch. To pass these courses students must undertake basic life support training and pass a final exam. (EMDs must then undertake a recertification course every two years.)

After this two week period, trainees then spend a minimum of six weeks with an experienced mentor covering all aspects of call taking. Before any trainee is allowed to take calls on their own they are assessed to ensure they have the necessary skills and are reaching the required standard of practice.

As part of ongoing quality assurance of YAS's services, a percentage of all calls are randomly selected for audit.

Yours sincerely

Michelle Power

Information Governance Coordinator

Headquarters

Springhill 2

Brindley Way

Wakefield 41 Business Park

Wakefield

WF2 0XQ

Tel: 01924 582000