Introducing Magwitch’s new blog Diagnosis? NFI. Magwitch is an Emergency Care Practitioner. ECPs are a relatively new invention and were thought up in response to the large number of people who call 999 for minor emergencies that can be treated outside hospital. The ambulance services have acknowledged that they can’t stop these people ringing, so instead they have given in and provided a more appropriate kind of ambulance — a single paramedic in a car with a large bag of equipment for treating patients at home. We only have a few of them in London at the moment, and only in certain areas, but will probably be getting a lot more in future. We try to send them to the sorts of calls that can be dealt with at home, for instance wounds which need dressing, diabetic hypos, epileptic fits as well as the inappropriate calls — but they can be sent to any call, and if the ECP is the only vehicle available he/she will be sent along first and then followed by a regular ambulance if need be.
I’ll let Magwitch tell you the rest!
April 4th, 2006 at 4:34 pm
Thank you for that fanfare Mark. In many ways I think you’ve summarised the role far better than me. Then again I’m a bit jaded about the whole thing.
Note: I think there are few technical hitches with my blog at the moment; put it down to teething troubles. Hopefully these will be resolved soon. Vistors can still read the posts though.
April 5th, 2006 at 6:29 am
Nice blog, Mark. Thanks for the lookout. I think this person is going to really interesting. Good luck from the States, Magwitch.
April 5th, 2006 at 12:04 pm
you adding it to the sidebar?
April 7th, 2006 at 2:50 pm
Weldone to the NHS for at least doing something about the problem, at least our ambulances will soon not have to attend these minor calls.
Thanks mark for point out the new blog.
The Driving instructor