Q3 Are the ambulance
staff trained and assessed to a competent standard? Are they required to
re-qualify annually and attend on going training sessions?
Lifecare Medics staff are clearly identified by grade which
shows on their uniform and identity cards. They attend training courses
which are independently trained and assessed. Students are annually
re-assessed and encouraged to attend continued professional development
education sessions regularly throughout the year.
It is important that ambulance staff regularly
update. Not every 5 years as some may tell you. Can they prove their
update training?
Q4 Is your current
provider able to guarantee attendance. Have they or are they likely to let
you down at short notice?
Lifecare Medics is contracted to provide the services
agreed.
Can you afford non attendance?
Q5 Is
their equipment regularly serviced in accordance with the manufacturers
guidelines?
Lifecare Medics equipment is serviced and maintained by the
outside specialist provider Williams Medical. We hold the certification
and each item of tested equipment bears a label and its pass date. These
tests are undertaken on a frequency as recommended by the manufacturer.
It is so important that clinical governance is maintained if
a providers equipment failed and they were not adequately insured, then the
legal team will case the next source of money, that could be you!
Q6 Do
they have a clinical waste collection service in place?
Lifecare Medics has an agreed contract collecting sharps
and clinical waste from its base.
Is your current provider just dumping this waste at your
facilities?
Q7 Is
your current ambulance provider an extension of your professional and quality
service?
Lifecare Medics prides itself on being a prompt, caring,
good quality, professional, neat and efficient service that a company can trust
to be an extension to its good name.
Q8 Are
staff trained in driving and regularly assessed?
Lifecare Medics is embarking on a program of annual of
annual re-assessment of all drivers, this includes written and practical
assessment with 6 monthly driving checks. For response blue light driving
a course or accredited prior training is completed.
Q9 Are
all the staff routinely CRB (criminal records bureau) checked in accordance with
new national requirements?
Lifecare Medics has a current CRB check for all staff on
file which will be no more than 2 years old. In 2010 we will additionally
be complying with the new Independent Safeguarding Authority.
Q10 Do
the staff wear a uniform and is their ID card on show?
Lifecare Medics staff wear a distinctive uniform which
clearly identifies them as Lifecare Medics staff but more importantly not
mimicking our statutory ambulance service colleges. Each uniform has
epaulettes which show the staff members grade. The identity card issued
has a 1 year validity and each member of staff has a unique staff pin number.
Q11 Has
your existing provider developed a policies and procedures file and can this be
produced when required?
Lifecare Medics is continually updating its policies and
procedures in line with current clinical practice governance and customer
need. We are just embarking on our ISO 9001 application.
Q12 Has
your existing provider got the correct insurances? This includes medical
malpractice, employers liability and vehicle insurance?
Lifecare Medics has current medical malpractice, employers
liability, public liability insurances in place. All vehicles are insured
for hire and reward and full blue light response use. This insurance is
with companies recommended by the British Ambulance Association.
Q13 If
your existing provider has a vehicle breakdown just hours before you require
their service, do they have any back up vehicles on standby?
Lifecare Medics has full breakdown and recovery on all
vehicles and spare capacity at its bases to service customer requirements.
We have a four wheel drive vehicle capacity for periods when other providers
cannot operate due to severe weather conditions.
Q14 Does
your existing provider regularly maintain their vehicles and do they record all
the work carried out?
Lifecare Medics has its own vehicle technician so vehicles
are instantly repaired if required at base and all vehicle servicing and
maintenance history is maintained.
