Association of Ambulance Chief Executives
NHS / Health Body
Action Planned
The Association of Ambulance Chief Executives is reviewing the JRCALC clinical practice guidelines in relation to recognition of life extinct (ROLE). They will amend the wording to clarify what to do when access to the patient is not possible and to clarify the need to work with other agencies. (AI summary)
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Dear Mrs Connor
REGULATION 28 REPORT: ACTION TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS: ASTON NEIL MCLEAN
We are writing further to your Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths which you issued following the inquest into the death of Aston Neil McLean, and sent by e mail to JRCALC on 21st January 2020.
Firstly, may we clarify the roles of the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC), the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) and the National Ambulance Services Medical Directors group (NASMeD). JRCALC is a group of medical specialty experts and its role is to provide robust expert clinical advice on the instruction of AACE and its advisors, NASMeD. AACE is a formally constituted private company wholly owned by the English Ambulance NHS Trusts which are all full voting members. It exists to provide ambulance services with a central organisation that supports, coordinates and implements nationally agreed policy. Its primary focus is the ongoing development of the English ambulance services and the improvement of patient care. It is a company owned by NHS organisations and it wholly owns the intellectual property rights of the JRCALC UK ambulance service clinical practice guidelines.
The responsibility for standards of clinical care within Ambulance Trusts rests with the Chief Executives and Medical Directors of each ambulance service. On behalf of AACE, NASMeD provides clinical assurance and leads the development of future versions of the clinical guidelines.
With regards to your matters of concern, we are reviewing the current JRCALC clinical practice guidelines in relation to recognition of life extinct (ROLE). We will be amending and adding wording to clarify what to do in circumstances where access to the patient is not possible, such as when trapped under a vehicle or in an inaccessible position. We will be clarifying the need to work with other agencies such as the fire and police services, to support the decisions made with regard to rescue and considering factors such as the safety and risks to the rescue teams. Once these changes have been approved, we will issue them onto the JRCALC App. This is the platform for ambulance clinicians to access the latest and most up to date clinical guidelines.
Chairman: Professor Anthony C Marsh QAM SBStJ DSci (Hon) MBA MSc MA FASI Managing Director: Martin Flaherty OBE
I hope that you will agree that we have responded to the concerns that you have raised. We can assure you that we are absolutely committed to learning from all adverse events and doing everything within our power to prevent them happening again in the future.
If we may be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We would like to extend our sincere condolences to Aston’s family.
REGULATION 28 REPORT: ACTION TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS: ASTON NEIL MCLEAN
We are writing further to your Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths which you issued following the inquest into the death of Aston Neil McLean, and sent by e mail to JRCALC on 21st January 2020.
Firstly, may we clarify the roles of the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC), the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) and the National Ambulance Services Medical Directors group (NASMeD). JRCALC is a group of medical specialty experts and its role is to provide robust expert clinical advice on the instruction of AACE and its advisors, NASMeD. AACE is a formally constituted private company wholly owned by the English Ambulance NHS Trusts which are all full voting members. It exists to provide ambulance services with a central organisation that supports, coordinates and implements nationally agreed policy. Its primary focus is the ongoing development of the English ambulance services and the improvement of patient care. It is a company owned by NHS organisations and it wholly owns the intellectual property rights of the JRCALC UK ambulance service clinical practice guidelines.
The responsibility for standards of clinical care within Ambulance Trusts rests with the Chief Executives and Medical Directors of each ambulance service. On behalf of AACE, NASMeD provides clinical assurance and leads the development of future versions of the clinical guidelines.
With regards to your matters of concern, we are reviewing the current JRCALC clinical practice guidelines in relation to recognition of life extinct (ROLE). We will be amending and adding wording to clarify what to do in circumstances where access to the patient is not possible, such as when trapped under a vehicle or in an inaccessible position. We will be clarifying the need to work with other agencies such as the fire and police services, to support the decisions made with regard to rescue and considering factors such as the safety and risks to the rescue teams. Once these changes have been approved, we will issue them onto the JRCALC App. This is the platform for ambulance clinicians to access the latest and most up to date clinical guidelines.
Chairman: Professor Anthony C Marsh QAM SBStJ DSci (Hon) MBA MSc MA FASI Managing Director: Martin Flaherty OBE
I hope that you will agree that we have responded to the concerns that you have raised. We can assure you that we are absolutely committed to learning from all adverse events and doing everything within our power to prevent them happening again in the future.
If we may be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We would like to extend our sincere condolences to Aston’s family.