June 13, 2023
With A&E wait times approaching an all time high— the four hour rule becoming more of a minimum than an average — the NHS began looking at ways of alleviating the pressure on our emergency departments and services.
A proposed solution is to give paramedics faster access to patient records, allowing them to provide targeted care from the off, to reduce the total time the medics need to spend with each patient, and to direct them to the correct hospital department if they require anything other than emergency care.
The need for this extra string in the bow of the emergency services across the UK cannot be overstated. Over 500 people died last year due to long ambulance waits, and the issue of paramedics not having access to patient records while with them was highlighted as a contributing factor.
To that end, the London Care Records App (LCRA) has been conceived and developed. In partnership with NHS OneLondon and Conjure, the LCRA leverages the power of the Health and Social Care Network to access critical patient information securely and efficiently. This integration now enables paramedics and medical professionals to have instant access to vital data, facilitating informed decision-making and improved patient care.
This product has the potential for integration across myriad other businesses and services, in both the public and private sectors. For example, other emergency services would enormously benefit from this kind of technology if rolled out in the future.
The private sector could also benefit from these sorts of data integrations used by the London Ambulance Service, solving a whole host of problems such as:
• Removing the need for additional platforms
• Simplifying the customer and user experience
• Reducing waiting times for third parties
• Solving numerous data retrieval issues in various industries
In terms of the app’s development, agile best practices were adhered to, so this part of the process followed iterative cycles, which, once the app is live and in constant use, will enable the Conjure team to make continuous improvements and release updates when required. This approach ensures that the software remains adaptable to evolving needs and incorporates feedback from the London Ambulance crew and other stakeholders, resulting in a highly refined and efficient application.
Currently, the LCRA is in a limited live release phase, exclusively available to the London Ambulance crew. This controlled deployment allows for real-world testing and invaluable insights to further optimise the software before being rolled out to the network as a whole.
With its user-centric design, seamless integration with the Health and Social Care Network, and commitment to agile development principles, the LCRA represents a ground breaking tool that empowers emergency medical services personnel, enhancing their ability to provide prompt, accurate, and life-saving care to patients in need.
