The ambulance service in Essex has implemented
anAirwavedigital radio service, with a
national roll-out due within 18 months.
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust was the pilot
for the project, overseen by the
Department of Health. They say the system gives better voice
communication between crews.
It has been installed in 220 vehicles including emergency
ambulances, rapid-response vehicles and patient transport service
vehicles.
It improves the service by delivering better quality voice calls
between the communications centre and ambulance crews, and carrying
data messages to all ambulances.
Airwave has caused
some controversy in the past, with worries over the system's
safety and costs. Questions have also been raised over whether the
Airwave system would provide complete
coverage in the London Underground in the event of a terrorist
attack. But the company says it is secure and rollout has been
rapid over the past few years.
The UK's police force
already use the Airwave system, and the fire service will
implement it later this year.
Using the same system makes dealing with major incidents easier,
and means ambulance crews can easily pass information to other
agencies, a spokesman for Airwave said.
Essex paramedic Steve Heard said, "When dealing with an incident
the availability of information can have an incredible impact on
our effectiveness. Airwave enables us to process and share
information more quickly and accurately, and crews have already
noticed the improvement Airwave is having on our operations."