RYAN McNAY, In-flight Co-ordinator for Jersey HSSD, hits the highlights of the creation of a much-needed new service.
Jersey Aeromedical Service takes off!
Jersey Health and Social Services Department (HSSD) has now completed the process for consolidating and formalising the aeromedical requirements for Jersey.
It has always been necessary to transfer patients out of the island for treatments in the UK. Approximately 3,500–4,000 seats are booked each year on scheduled flights on large commercial aircraft so that patients can attend hospitals in the UK for planned and elective care.
However, for patients who are unable to travel by scheduled aircraft (normally acute, emergency cases), the only other option is private charter (or air ambulance) flights.
In 2001, some 94 charter flights were used to transfer patients to and from Jersey. This number has more than doubled in the last six years to 205 flights in 2007.
In 2004, a working party was formed to explore and develop Jersey’s Aeromedical Transfer Service with particular focus on charter flights. It determined that Jersey needed a service that was not only fit for purpose, but was cost effective and could be developed around the specific needs of the island.
To achieve this, it was decided that a single charter aircraft operator should be appointed so that standards and procedures could be put in place and relationships developed to ensure the best quality service and best practice would be met.
Since then a tendering process has been taking place, attracting interest from 12 aeromedical companies. This number was gradually reduced through a rigorous process and led to Capital Aviation being awarded a three year contract, commencing in October of last year.
For over 17 years, Capital Aviation has been providing air charter services into and out of Jersey, some of which included aeromedical services for the Health and Social Services Department. The high quality of their services, personnel, aircraft, maintenance standards and safety procedures, together with their ability to meet the fast turnaround times required by the nature of transferring critically ill patients, were all key factors in their appointment.
The contract developed in partnership with Capital has ensured that Jersey patients and residents will be guaranteed not just excellent service when it is needed most, but also one that is fit for purpose and offers value for money.
Specialist role created
The management of emergency patient transfers is a complex business. To ensure smooth and effective transfer of critically ill patients, the HSSD also created a new post of In-flight Co-ordinator, a role which I took up on 16 July 2007.
My responsibilities are varied and wide ranging, and include co-ordinating flights to and from Jersey, assessing patients’ fitness to travel, education, audit and development of a strategy as well as the overall management of the Jersey Aeromedical Service.
A process for organising air transfers was developed using algorithms that ward staff would follow systematically. Previously, there have been as many as 15 people being involved in the organisation of an air transfer, with communication primarily on the telephone, and all happening when ward staff are busy trying to prepare their patient for the actual transfer.
The current process has allowed fewer people to be involved, thus reducing risk from communication errors. Much of the transfer of data is now done by electronic means which in turn provides the opportunity to collect information and create an audit trail.
Often with the introduction of new systems comes the old problem associated with change. Many meetings with both key stakeholders and frontline staff over the last six months have produced numerous draft versions and revisions of documentation and processes, but with the support and effort of all the multi-agencies involved, some of the ideas and visions of the in-flight project team are slowly becoming a reality.