Ambulance crews told to use A-Z as sat navs delay response times

Apr 29 2009 by Paul James, The Journal

AMBULANCE drivers are being told to go back to their A-Z maps because satellite navigation systems are delaying response times.

A memo sent to staff by North East Ambulance Service boss Paul Liversidge urges them to use maps and local knowledge rather than rely on hi-tech navigation systems. And yesterday, the advice was seized upon by campaigners who say it proves they’re right to fear plans to centralise the emergency call system for the ambulance service.

Mr Liversidge’s memo, leaked to The Journal, reads: “I have previously communicated generally on a number of occasions about the problems we have experienced with staff relaying solely on their sat nav systems and not checking locations with the A to Z map books when unsure of locations.

“It seems we continue to experience similar issues, which can delay the response to patients. Can I again emphasise the sat nav system should only be used as a guide?”

An NEAS spokesman said local knowledge had always been valued by the service in enabling drivers to get to emergency scenes as quickly as possible. But worries about local knowledge and speed are behind the campaign against NEAS plans to close a Middlesbrough call centre and route calls through bases across Tyneside.

One of the main opponents is Barry Coppinger, a Middlesbrough councillor and chairman of the Cleveland Joint Emergency Planning Committee.

He said: “When the ambulance trust decided to go ahead with this, they said that everything would work smoothly because sat nav technology meant local knowledge was no longer needed by control room staff.

“What this leaked memo shows is that is simply not the case. You can have all the technology in the world, but it doesn’t replace people’s local knowledge.

“Time after time, throughout the debate over the fears that moving all operations to Tyneside would undermine ambulance services on Teesside, we have been assured that the ambulance trust had the technology to ensure that crews could be directed to correct locations anywhere within the region.