GP Clinical Assessment Service - Cat 3 & 4

As part of the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) remit to operate the 999 call service, it was identified that ambulances were being sent to patients that didn't need them, which otherwise could have been downgraded over the phone, reducing the need to dispatch an ambulance unnecessarily, and reducing the pressure and demand on the use of ambulances. An opportunity was identified whereby if there were suitably qualified clinical personnel to direct these calls to, this would save ambulance resource and as a result make a monetary saving for the Trust. This would result in calls coming in to the call centres being downgraded to Category 3s or 4s, and avoiding the need to dispatch an emergency ambulance to these patients. An initial one year pilot contract between SCAS & local commissioners was set up based on testing the viability and success of the required outcome. A pilot subcontract was set up between SCAS and their subcontractor provide a GP Clinical Assessment Service to support this opportunity. The existing contract is due to expire on 26th April 2023. The pilot has shown a huge benefit to SCAS - downgrade rates of 80%. As a result of the success with the pilot contract, an additional 18 month contract is required to fill the gap between current contract end date, and the current commissioned services expiry dates. If the contract expires with no replacement, SCAS and the public would experience a huge drop in service level, and an unnecessary dispatching of ambulances, putting further pressure on ambulance resources. The existing pilot contract provision is due to expire on 26th April 2023. Due to the short timescales involved, and the need for the service to be successfully operating immediately, SCAS conducted a tender process with a closed group of 5 existing subcontractor healthcare providers, that already provide these or very similar services to SCAS.