London Ambulance Service
Clinical Operations
The Clinical Operations department at the London Ambulance Service (LAS) plays a crucial role in ensuring the delivery of high-quality patient care. Its responsibilities include:
- Clinical Oversight: Ensuring that ambulance crews adhere to clinical protocols and standards.
- Training and Development: Providing ongoing training and development for paramedics and other clinical staff to maintain high levels of competence.
- Quality Assurance: Monitoring and evaluating clinical performance and outcomes to improve patient care and operational efficiency.
- Clinical Support: Offering guidance and support to field staff on complex cases and clinical decision-making.
- Operational Management: Coordinating and optimizing the deployment of resources to ensure effective response to emergencies.
Overall, the department helps maintain the clinical effectiveness of the ambulance service and supports its operational activities.
London Air Ambulance (HEMS)
The London Air Ambulance Charity is a partner service with the London Ambulance Service (LAS), also referred to as HEMS. For the most severe instances, HEMS offers hospital-quality care on the scene, utilising our highly qualified and experienced critical care professionals as well as helicopters. When it comes to handling the most difficult situations in pre-hospital settings, HEMS are always prepared. In an effort to save as many lives as possible, our team is available around-the-clock to provide acute trauma care to victims with potentially fatal injuries.
Our helicopter fleet is made up of 3 aircrafts: The Mcdouglas MD902, Mcdouglas MD903 and Eurocopter MH65C. The Mcdouglas MD902 is our primary helicopter used due to its suitability in urban areas. The Mcdouglas MD903 is our second main helicopter used when the Mcdouglas MD903 is out for servicing and our Eurocopter MH65C is used for coastal, water, technical / mountainous rescue and may be used if both Mcdouglas MD902 and MD903 are out for servicing.
To join our team of highly skilled practitioners, you must be in possession of the Advanced Paramedic Practitioner - Critical Care role which you gain by applying and passing the theory examination. From here, you can apply and then once accepted, complete a theory exam and become a qualified Critical Care Paramedic within the London Air Ambulance.
Hazardous Area Response Team
The Hazardous Area Response Team, more commonly referred to as HART, is a specialised team of Paramedics that are trained to respond to high risk and complex emergency situations. The main objective of HART is to extend a proficient level of paramedic care to patients within extreme circumstances where standard paramedics may be unable to conduct an efficient treatment plan. For that purpose, HART is divided in 4 operational sections:
Incident Response Unit
HAZMAT: Delivering paramedic standard care within the inner cordon of incidents involving hazardous materials, usually in industrial setting and with accidental release
CBRNe: (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives): Delivering paramedic standard care within the inner cordon of incidents designated as CBRN-E incident as part of the national Special Operations Response programme. Such incidents are usually a result of deliberate release of hazardous materials with links of criminal or terrorist intent.
Urban Search and Rescue
Safe Working at Heights: Paramedics trained in delivering standards of care at unlimited heights including man-made structure or natural terrain formations.
Confined Spaces: Paramedics trained in delivering standards of care within tight and unstable spaces such as collapsed structures.
Drone unit: Paramedics trained in operating a drone for use of searching for lost individuals in open terrain.
Inland Water Operations
Paramedics qualified in providing a standard of care across a range of water rescue operations to SRT (DEFRA Module 3) which includes operating within shallow water, deep water, urban flooding or rural flooding.
Tactical Medicine Operations
Paramedics providing a standard of care during incidents that involve firearms or special security operations including operating within a warm (ballistically unsafe) environment.
Joint Response Unit / Emergency Response Service
The Joint Response Unit / Emergency Response Service is a interoperability programme that combines the strength and mights of the LAS with our colleagues in the Metropolitain Police Service (JRU) and the London Fire Brigade (ERS).
The purpose of both of these interoperability programmes, is to deliver quality and effective care no matter the call, with response times being halved on incidents where JRU / ERS paramedics have been present.
The initiative aims to cut down on response time and increase survival chances for many of our patients.
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