GSD calls on Govt to urgently investigate reports of shortcomings in ambulance dispatch service
The GSD has expressed serious concern following reports about “shortcomings” in the ambulance dispatch service, adding these must be urgently addressed.
The Opposition was reacting after GBC reported on the experience of a family who faced a distressing situation during a medical emergency involving a baby.
The parents told GBC they were alarmed that the phone operator had not treated the incident with the urgency required.
They transported the bay to hospital themselves with the assistance of a friend and the child is thankfully doing well after receiving immediate medical attention on arrival.
But the incident has prompted questions about the service.
The GSD noted that almost nine months ago, the Gibraltar Government put a new triage system in place for ambulance dispatch.
The changes have meant that the GHA now directly manages the dispatch of ambulances, which was historically managed by the Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service.
At the time the changes were implemented, the Government expressed that they were aimed at “ensuring faster response times, safe transportation, and the delivery of the appropriate level of emergency care to everyone in need”.
But the GSD said that after the incident with the baby, several service users had expressed concerns about shortcomings in the system that appear to often result in unnecessary delays to the provision of emergency care.
“Reports of the events which unfolded in the early hours of Sunday 19th January, when emergency care was delayed to a critically ill one-week old baby who was struggling to breathe and had turned purple, are very concerning in that they appear to evidence shortcomings in the ambulance dispatch service,” said the Shadow Minister for Health, Joelle Ladislaus.
“According to the UK Guidelines, under which the GHA’s Emergency Medical Dispatchers operate, the call to 999 should have prompted the dispatcher to treat the case as a category 1, life threatening event, which does not seem to have occurred. Instead, the baby is said to have been driven to hospital by a family friend who was fortunately driving by at the time.”
“Since this incident, other service users have taken to social media to comment on the parents’ post and share their own experiences of the triage system for ambulance dispatch.”
Ms Ladislaus said issues highlighted in the wake of Sunday’s incident included delays being caused by the lengthy number of questions which callers are asked; insensitivity and a lack of empathy; problems with the language barrier for those who do not speak English; and “convoluted questions” being asked of critically ill service users who may not necessarily be able to respond fully, or at all at that point in time.
“Enough time has elapsed between the commencement of this dispatch system for teething problems to have been addressed,” Ms Ladislaus added.
“The comments on social media by service users, as well as reports made directly to the Opposition, are concerning and point to potential gaps in the service, which certainly need to be looked into as a matter of urgency.”
The GHA told GBC that it was conducting a comprehensive review of the emergency response to ensure the highest standards of care, focusing on patient safety and areas for improvement.
The GHA said it operates under the internationally recognised Medical Priority Dispatch System [MPDS] adhering to global best practices in emergency call handling.
The MPDS provides a structured, evidence-based protocol for managing diverse emergency calls, optimising caller safety and response effectiveness.
All 14 of the GHA’s Emergency Medical Dispatchers [EMDs]are certified and trained under UK-aligned standards, following protocols developed and quality-assured by Priority Dispatch.
EMDs are trained to deliver life-saving instructions during emergencies using MPDS algorithms to provide clear and effective guidance, the GHA said.
They are also equipped to handle distressed callers, using protocols designed to de-escalate panic and offer reassurance.
Due to the ongoing review and data protection regulations, the GHA told GBC it could not answer further questions in relation to the specific case involving the baby.
For the GSD, bringing ambulance dispatch under the control of the GHA should have already resulted in an enhancement to emergency services provision, as was the Government’s stated aim when it announced the new triage system last year.
“The questions must be asked, are these continued issues due to an insufficient training and adaption period for staff, insufficiency of resources, staff burnout, a combination of those factors, or are there other factors at play?” the
Opposition said in a statement.
“The GSD awaits the conclusion of the comprehensive review of the emergency response being undertaken by the GHA, which perhaps should have taken place at an earlier date following the implementation of the system.”
“The resolution of these ongoing issues is critical to ensure that the vital, and life-saving service, that is ambulance dispatch is provided to the public.”