Healthcare professional views about a prehospital redirection pathway for stroke thrombectomy: a multiphase deductive qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Mechanical thrombectomy for stroke is highly effective but time-critical. Delays are common because many patients require transfer between local hospitals and regional centres. A two-stage prehospital redirection pathway consisting of a simple ambulance screen followed by regional centre assessment to select patients for direct admission could optimise access. However, implementation might be challenged by the limited number of thrombectomy providers, a lack of prehospital diagnostic tests for selecting patients and whether finite resources can accommodate longer ambulance journeys plus greater central admissions. We undertook a three-phase, multiregional, qualitative study to obtain health professional views on the acceptability and feasibility of a new pathway. METHODS: Online focus groups/semistructured interviews were undertaken designed to capture important contextual influences. We purposively sampled NHS staff in four regions of England. Anonymised interview transcripts underwent deductive thematic analysis guided by the NASSS (Non-adoption, Abandonment and Challenges to Scale-up, Spread and Sustainability, Implementation) Implementation Science framework. RESULTS: Twenty-eight staff participated in 4 focus groups, 2 group interviews and 18 individual interviews across 4 Ambulance Trusts, 5 Hospital Trusts and 3 Integrated Stroke Delivery Networks (ISDNs). Five deductive themes were identified: (1) (suspected) stroke as a condition, (2) the pathway change, (3) the value participants placed on the proposed pathway, (4) the possible impact on NHS organisations/adopter systems and (5) the wider healthcare context. Participants perceived suspected stroke as a complex scenario. Most viewed the proposed new thrombectomy pathway as beneficial but potentially challenging to implement. Organisational concerns included staff shortages, increased workflow and bed capacity. Participants also reported wider socioeconomic issues impacting on their services contributing to concerns around the future implementation. CONCLUSIONS: Positive views from health professionals were expressed about the concept of a proposed pathway while raising key content and implementation challenges and useful 'real-world' issues for consideration.

Novel Technologies and Techniques for Prehospital Airway Management: An NAEMSP Position Statement and Resource Document.

Novel technologies and techniques can influence airway management execution as well as procedural and clinical outcomes. While conventional wisdom underscores the need for rigorous scientific data as a foundation before implementation, high-quality supporting evidence is frequently not available for the prehospital setting. Therefore, implementation decisions are often based upon preliminary or evolving data, or pragmatic information from clinical use. When considering novel technologies and techniques. NAEMSP recommends:Prior to implementing a novel technology or technique, a thorough assessment using the best available scientific data should be conducted on the technical details of the novel approach, as well as the potential effects on operations and outcomes.The decision and degree of effort to adopt, implement, and monitor a novel technology or technique in the prehospital setting will vary by the quality of the best available scientific and clinical information:• Routine use - Technologies and techniques with ample observational but limited or no interventional clinical trial data, or with strong supporting in-hospital data. These techniques may be reasonably adopted in the prehospital setting. This includes video laryngoscopy and bougie-assisted intubation. • Limited use - Technologies and techniques with ample pragmatic clinical use information but limited supporting scientific data. These techniques may be considered in the prehospital setting. This includes suction-assisted laryngoscopy and airway decontamination and cognitive aids. • Rare use - Technologies and techniques with minimal clinical use information. Use of these techniques should be limited in the prehospital setting until evidence exists from more stable clinical environments. This includes intubation boxes.The use of novel technologies and techniques must be accompanied by systematic collection and assessment of data for the purposes of quality improvement, including linkages to patient clinical outcomes.EMS leaders should clearly identify the pathways needed to generate high-quality supporting scientific evidence for novel technologies and techniques.

Temperature measurement of babies born in the pre-hospital setting: analysis of ambulance service data and qualitative interviews with paramedics.

BACKGROUND: Birth before arrival at hospital (BBA) is associated with unfavourable perinatal outcomes and increased mortality. An important risk factor for mortality following BBA is hypothermia, and emergency medical services (EMS) providers are well placed to provide warming strategies. However, research from the UK suggests that EMS providers (paramedics) do not routinely record neonatal temperature following BBA. This study aimed to determine the proportion of cases in which neonatal temperature is documented by paramedics attending BBAs in the South West of England and to explore the barriers to temperature measurement by paramedics. METHODS: A two-phase multi-method study. Phase I involved an analysis of anonymised data from electronic patient care records between 1 February 2017 and 31 January 2020 in a single UK ambulance service, to determine 1) the frequency of BBAs attended and 2) the percentage of these births where a neonatal temperature was recorded, and what proportion of these were hypothermic. Phase II involved interviews with 20 operational paramedics from the same ambulance service, to explore their experiences of, and barriers and facilitators to, neonatal temperature measurement and management following BBA. RESULTS: There were 1582 'normal deliveries' attended by paramedics within the date range. Neonatal temperatures were recorded in 43/1582 (2.7%) instances, of which 72% were below 36.5°C. Data from interviews suggested several barriers and potential facilitators to paramedic measurement of neonatal temperature. Barriers included unavailable or unsuitable equipment, prioritisation of other care activities, lack of exposure to births, and uncertainty regarding responsibilities and roles. Possible facilitators included better equipment, physical prompts, and training and awareness-raising around the importance of temperature measurement. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates a lack of neonatal temperature measurement by paramedics in the South West following BBA, and highlights barriers and facilitators that could serve as a basis for developing an intervention to improve neonatal temperature measurement.

How do interventions to improve the efficiency of acute stroke care affect prehospital times? A systematic review and narrative synthesis.

BACKGROUND: Emergency medical services (EMS) are the first point of contact for most acute stroke patients. EMS call to hospital times have increased in recent years for stroke patients in the UK which is undesirable due to the relationship between time and effectiveness of reperfusion treatment. This review aimed to identify and describe interventions devised to improve the efficiency of acute stroke care which reported an impact on ground-based EMS call to hospital times. METHODS: A systematic review of published literature identified from five databases (Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane library and the Database of Research in Stroke (DORIS)) from January 2000 to December 2020 with narrative synthesis was conducted. Inclusion criteria were primary studies of ground-based EMS, focused on stroke and aiming to improve EMS times. Papers published before 2000, focussing on mobile stroke units or in languages other than English were excluded. Two reviewers independently screened prospective titles. Cochrane ROB2 and ROBINS-I tools were used to assess for risk of bias. This review was funded by a Stroke Association fellowship. RESULTS: From 3767 initial records, 11 studies were included in the review. Included studies were categorised into three groups: studies targeting EMS dispatch and EMS clinicians (n = 4); studies targeting EMS clinicians only (n = 4); and studies targeting whole system change (n = 3). Suspected stroke patients were the primary population studied and most (n = 10) interventions involved clinician education. Only one study (9%) reported a significant decrease in call to hospital time in one subgroup whereas two studies (18%) reported a significant increase in call to hospital time and all other studies (73%) reported no significant change. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the included studies, interventions intended to improve the efficiency of the acute stroke pathway rarely improved EMS call to hospital times. Included studies were heterogenous and rarely focussed on the review topic which limits the usability of the findings. Further research is needed to explore the trade-off between changes to EMS stroke care and call to hospital times and subsequent impacts on in-hospital care and patient outcomes.

Characteristics of patients who had a stroke not initially identified during emergency prehospital assessment: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Around 25% of patients who had a stroke do not present with typical 'face, arm, speech' symptoms at onset, and are challenging for emergency medical services (EMS) to identify. The aim of this systematic review was to identify the characteristics of acute stroke presentations associated with inaccurate EMS identification (false negatives). METHOD: We performed a systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PubMed from 1995 to August 2020 using key terms: stroke, EMS, paramedics, identification and assessment. Studies included: patients who had a stroke or patient records; ≥18 years; any stroke type; prehospital assessment undertaken by health professionals including paramedics or technicians; data reported on prehospital diagnostic accuracy and/or presenting symptoms. Data were extracted and study quality assessed by two researchers using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies V.2 tool. RESULTS: Of 845 studies initially identified, 21 observational studies met the inclusion criteria. Of the 6934 stroke and Transient Ischaemic Attack patients included, there were 1774 (26%) false negative patients (range from 4 (2%) to 247 (52%)). Commonly documented symptoms in false negative cases were speech problems (n=107; 13%-28%), nausea/vomiting (n=94; 8%-38%), dizziness (n=86; 23%-27%), changes in mental status (n=51; 8%-25%) and visual disturbance/impairment (n=43; 13%-28%). CONCLUSION: Speech problems and posterior circulation symptoms were the most commonly documented symptoms among stroke presentations that were not correctly identified by EMS (false negatives). However, the addition of further symptoms to stroke screening tools requires valuation of subsequent sensitivity and specificity, training needs and possible overuse of high priority resources.

Positive predictive value of stroke identification by ambulance clinicians in North East England: a service evaluation.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND: Accurate prehospital identification of patients who had an acute stroke enables rapid conveyance to specialist units for time-dependent treatments such as thrombolysis and thrombectomy. Misidentification leads to patients who had a 'stroke mimic' (SM) being inappropriately triaged to specialist units. We evaluated the positive predictive value (PPV) of prehospital stroke identification by ambulance clinicians in the North East of England. METHODS: This service evaluation linked routinely collected records from a UK regional ambulance service identifying adults with any clinical impression of suspected stroke to diagnostic data from four National Health Service hospital trusts between 1 June 2013 and 31 May 2016. The reference standard for a confirmed stroke diagnosis was inclusion in Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme data or a hospital diagnosis of stroke or transient ischaemic attack in Hospital Episode Statistics. PPV was calculated as a measure of diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: Ambulance clinicians in North East England identified 5645 patients who had a suspected stroke (mean age 73.2 years, 48% male). At least one Face Arm Speech Test (FAST) symptom was documented for 93% of patients who had a suspected stroke but a positive FAST was only documented for 51%. Stroke, or transient ischaemic attack, was the final diagnosis for 3483 (62%) patients. SM (false positives) accounted for 38% of suspected strokes identified by ambulance clinicians and included a wide range of non-stroke diagnoses including infections, seizures and migraine. DISCUSSION: In this large multisite data set, identification of patients who had a stroke by ambulance clinicians had a PPV rate of 62% (95% CI 61 to 63). Most patients who had a suspected stroke had at least one FAST symptom, but failure to document a complete test was common. Training for stroke identification and SM rates need to be considered when planning service provision and capacity.

Paramedic experiences of using an enhanced stroke assessment during a cluster randomised trial: a qualitative thematic analysis.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous thrombolysis is a key element of emergency treatment for acute ischaemic stroke, but hospital service delivery is variable. The Paramedic Acute Stroke Treatment Assessment (PASTA) multicentre cluster randomised controlled trial evaluated whether an enhanced paramedic-initiated stroke assessment pathway could improve thrombolysis volume. This paper reports the findings of a parallel process evaluation which explored intervention paramedics' experience of delivering the enhanced assessment. METHODS: Interviewees were recruited from 453 trained intervention paramedics across three UK ambulance services hosting the trial: North East, North West and Welsh Ambulance Services. A semistructured interview guide aimed to (1) explore the stroke-specific assessment and handover procedures which were part of the PASTA pathway and (2) enable paramedics to share relevant views about expanding their role and any barriers/enablers they encountered. Interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed following the principles of the constant comparative method. RESULTS: Twenty-six interviews were conducted (11 North East, 10 North West and 5 Wales). Iterative data analysis identified four key themes, which reflected paramedics' experiences at different stages of the care pathway: (1) Enhanced assessment at scene: paramedics felt this improved their skillset and confidence. (2) Prealert to hospital: a mixed experience dependent on receiving hospital staff. (3) Handover to hospital team: standardisation of format was viewed as the primary benefit of the PASTA pathway. (4) Assisting in hospital and feedback: due to professional boundaries, paramedics found these aspects harder to achieve, although feedback from the clinical team was valued when available. CONCLUSION: Paramedics believed that the PASTA pathway enhanced their skills and the emergency care of stroke patients, but a continuing clinical role postadmission was challenging. Future studies should consider whether interdisciplinary training is needed to enable more radical extension of professional boundaries for paramedics.

A scoping review of pre-hospital technology to assist ambulance personnel with patient diagnosis or stratification during the emergency assessment of suspected stroke.

BACKGROUND: Pre-hospital identification of key subgroups within the suspected stroke population could reduce delays to emergency treatment. We aimed to identify and describe technology with existing proof of concept for diagnosis or stratification of patients in the pre-hospital setting. METHODS: A systematic electronic search of published literature (from 01/01/2000 to 06/06/2019) was conducted in five bibliographic databases. Two reviewers independently assessed eligibility of studies or study protocols describing diagnostic/stratification tests (portable imaging/biomarkers) or technology facilitating diagnosis/stratification (telemedicine) used by ambulance personnel during the assessment of suspected stroke. Eligible descriptions required use of tests or technology during the actual assessment of suspected stroke to provide information directly to ambulance personnel in the pre-hospital setting. Due to study, intervention and setting heterogeneity there was no attempt at meta-analysis. RESULTS: 2887 articles were screened for eligibility, 19 of which were retained. Blood biomarker studies (n = 2) were protocols of prospective diagnostic accuracy studies, one examining purines and the other a panel of known and novel biomarkers for identifying stroke sub-types (versus mimic). No data were yet available on diagnostic accuracy or patient health outcomes. Portable imaging studies (n = 2) reported that an infrared screening device for detecting haemorrhages yielded moderate sensitivity and poor specificity in a small study, whilst a dry-EEG study to detect large vessel occlusion in ischaemic stroke has not yet reported results. Fifteen evaluations of pre-hospital telemedicine were identified (12 observational and 3 controlled comparisons) which all involved transmission of stroke assessment data from the pre-hospital setting to the hospital. Diagnosis was generally comparable with hospital diagnosis and most telemedicine systems reduced time-to-treatment; however, it is unknown whether this time saving translated into more favourable clinical outcomes. Telemedicine systems were deemed acceptable by clinicians. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-hospital technologies to identify clinically important subgroups amongst the suspected stroke population are in development but insufficient evidence precludes recommendations about routine use in the pre-hospital setting. Multi-centre diagnostic accuracy studies and clinical utility trials combining promising technologies are warranted.

A review of enhanced paramedic roles during and after hospital handover of stroke, myocardial infarction and trauma patients.

BACKGROUND: Ambulance paramedics play a critical role expediting patient access to emergency treatments. Standardised handover communication frameworks have led to improvements in accuracy and speed of information transfer but their impact upon time-critical scenarios is unclear. Patient outcomes might be improved by paramedics staying for a limited time after handover to assist with shared patient care. We aimed to categorize and synthesise data from studies describing development/extension of the ambulance-based paramedic role during and after handover for time-critical conditions (trauma, stroke and myocardial infarction). METHODS: We conducted an electronic search of published literature (Jan 1990 to Sep 2016) by applying a structured strategy to eight bibliographic databases. Two reviewers independently assessed eligible studies of paramedics, emergency medical (or ambulance) technicians that reported on the development, evaluation or implementation of (i) generic or specific structured handovers applied to trauma, stroke or myocardial infarction (MI) patients; or (ii) paramedic-initiated care processes at handover or post-handover clinical activity directly related to patient care in secondary care for trauma, stroke and MI. Eligible studies had to report changes in health outcomes. RESULTS: We did not identify any studies that evaluated the health impact of an emergency ambulance paramedic intervention following arrival at hospital. A narrative review was undertaken of 36 studies shortlisted at the full text stage which reported data relevant to time-critical clinical scenarios on structured handover tools/protocols; protocols/enhanced paramedic skills to improve handover; or protocols/enhanced paramedic skills leading to a change in in-hospital transfer location. These studies reported that (i) enhanced paramedic skills (diagnosis, clinical decision making and administration of treatment) might supplement handover information; (ii) structured handover tools and feedback on handover performance can impact positively on paramedic behaviour during clinical communication; and (iii) additional roles of paramedics after arrival at hospital was limited to 'direct transportation' of patients to imaging/specialist care facilities. CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient published evidence to make a recommendation regarding condition-specific handovers or extending the ambulance paramedic role across the secondary/tertiary care threshold to improve health outcomes. However, previous studies have reported non-clinical outcomes which suggest that structured handovers and enhanced paramedic actions after hospital arrival might be beneficial for time-critical conditions and further investigation is required.

The challenges of conducting prehospital research: successes and lessons learnt from the Head Injury Transportation Straight to Neurosurgery (HITS-NS) trial.

Head Injury Transportation Straight to Neurosurgery was a cluster randomised trial studying suspected severe head injury treatment pathways conducted in the North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust between January 2012 and March 2013. This was the world's first large scale trial of any trauma bypass and was conducted as a feasibility study. This short report will describe some of the lessons learnt during this ground breaking and complex trial.

Actioning atrial fibrillation identified by ambulance services in England: a qualitative exploration.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the acceptability and feasibility of detection of atrial fibrillation (AF) by emergency medical services (EMS) and identify potential barriers and facilitators to implementing a formal pathway to facilitate follow-up in primary care, which could reduce the risk of AF-related stroke. DESIGN: Qualitative study using focus groups and one-to-one interviews guided by a semistructured topic guide. SETTING: North East England. PARTICIPANTS: Focus groups with 18 members of the public and one-to-one online interviews with 11 healthcare and service providers (six paramedics and five experts representing cardiology, general practice (GP), public health, research, policy and commissioning). RESULTS: All participant groups were supportive of a role of EMS in identifying AF as part of routine assessment and formalising the response to AF detection. However, this should not create delays for EMS since rate-controlled AF is non-urgent and alternative community mechanisms exist to manage it. Public participants were concerned about communication of the AF diagnosis and whether this should be 'on scene' or in a subsequent GP appointment. Paramedics reported frequent incidental identification of AF, but it is not always clear 'on scene' that this is a new diagnosis, and there is variation in practice regarding whether (and how) this is communicated to the GP. Paramedics also focused on ensuring the safety of non-conveyed patients and a perceived need for an 'active' reporting process, so that a finding of AF was actioned. Field experts felt that a formal pathway would be useful and favoured a simple intervention without adding to time pressures unnecessarily. CONCLUSIONS: There is support for the development of a formal pathway to ensure follow-up for people with AF that is incidentally detected by EMS. This has the potential to improve anticoagulation rates and reduce the risk of stroke.

A qualitative exploration of ambulance clinician behaviour and decision making to identify factors influencing on-scene times for suspected stroke patients in North East England.

Aims/objectives: Ambulance clinician assessment of suspected stroke patients aims to provide rapid access to specialist care, however regional and national data show increasing pre-hospital times. This study explored paramedic views about factors contributing to on-scene time (OST) for suspected stroke patients, with a view to identifying opportunities for future interventions, to reduce OST. Methods: Views of paramedics from one regional service on factors influencing OST were explored using a qualitative approach. Semi-structured interviews with volunteers were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Interviews were conducted with 13 paramedics between August and November 2021. Five interlinked themes were identified and described a range of factors influencing OST: 'Initial assessment and sources of information' describes how clinicians make assessments based on initial presentation, influenced by pre-arrival information from ambulance control and family members / bystanders at the scene, and how this influences OST.'Suitability for treatment and interventions' describes how paramedics consider actions such as the face, arms, speech test, cannulation, electrocardiograms and neurological assessments while recognising that pre-hospital interventions for suspected stroke are limited.'The environment' describes the influence of incident setting on OST, including the overall process needed to transport the patient to appropriate care.'Hospital interactions' describes how interactions with hospital staff influenced paramedic actions and OST.'Changing practice' describes the influence of experience and interaction with hospital staff leading to changes in paramedic practice over time. Conclusion: This study provides insight into how UK paramedics spend time on scene with stroke patients. Multiple factors influencing OST were identified which signpost opportunities for interventions designed to reduce OST. Standardising on-scene assessments for stroke patients, refining communication processes between ambulance services and hospital stroke services and increasing availability of stroke continuing professional development for paramedics were all identified as potential targets for improving OST.

Rapid Assay Diagnostic for Acute Stroke Recognition (RADAR): study protocol for a diagnostic accuracy study.

INTRODUCTION: Large-vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke is effectively treated by time-critical thrombectomy, a highly specialised procedure only available in a limited number of centres. Many patients with suspected stroke are admitted to their nearest hospital and require transfer to access treatment, with resulting delays. This study is evaluating the accuracy of a new rapid portable test for LVO stroke which could be used in the future to select patients for direct admission to a thrombectomy centre. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Rapid Assay Diagnostic for Acute Stroke Recognition (RADAR) is a prospective observational cohort study taking place in stroke units in England. Participants are adults with a new suspected stroke with at least one face, arm or speech (FAST) symptom(s) and known onset within 6 hours or last known to be well 6-24 hours ago. The index test ('LVOne test' (Upfront Diagnostics)), consists of two portable lateral flow assays which use fingerprick capillary blood to detect d-dimer and glial fibrillary acidic protein concentrations. Reference standards comprise independently adjudicated standard CT/MRI brain±CT/MR angiography with senior clinician opinion to establish: ischaemic stroke±LVO; intracerebral haemorrhage; transient ischaemic attack; stroke mimic. Analyses will report sensitivity, specificity and negative and positive predictive values for identification of LVO stroke. Powered using a primary analysis population (≥2 FAST symptoms and known onset within 6 hours), 276 participants will detect a test specificity of 92%. The broader total study population which allows evaluation of the test for milder symptoms and unknown onset times is estimated to be 552 participants. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical (North East-Newcastle & North Tyneside 2 Research Ethics Committee (reference: 23/NE/0043), Health Research Authority and participating National Health Service Trust approvals are granted. Consent is required for enrolment. Dissemination of results will include presentations at conferences, publication in journals and plain English summaries. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN12414986.

Inequalities in birth before arrival at hospital in South West England: a multimethods study of neonatal hypothermia and emergency medical services call-handler advice.

OBJECTIVES: To examine inequalities in birth before arrival (BBA) at hospitals in South West England, understand which groups are most likely to experience BBA and how this relates to hypothermia and outcomes (phase A). To investigate opportunities to improve temperature management advice given by emergency medical services (EMS) call-handlers during emergency calls regarding BBA in the UK (phase B). DESIGN: A two-phase multimethod study. Phase A analysed anonymised data from hospital neonatal records between January 2018 and January 2021. Phase B analysed anonymised EMS call transcripts, followed by focus groups with National Health Service (NHS) staff and patients. SETTING: Six Hospital Trusts in South West England and two EMS providers (ambulance services) in South West and North East England. PARTICIPANTS: 18 multidisciplinary NHS staff and 22 members of the public who had experienced BBA in the UK. RESULTS: 35% (64/184) of babies conveyed to hospital were hypothermic on arrival. When compared with national data on all births in the South West, we found higher percentages of women with documented safeguarding concerns at booking, previous live births and 'late bookers' (booking their pregnancy >13 weeks gestation). These women may, therefore, be more likely to experience BBA. Preterm babies, babies to first-time mothers and babies born to mothers with disability or safeguarding concerns at booking were more likely to be hypothermic following BBA. Five main themes emerged from qualitative data on call-handler advice: (1) importance placed on neonatal temperature; (2) advice on where the baby should be placed following birth; (3) advice on how to keep the baby warm; (4) timing of temperature management advice and (5) clarity and priority of instructions. CONCLUSIONS: Findings identified factors associated with BBA and neonatal hypothermia following BBA. Improvements to EMS call-handler advice could reduce the number of babies arriving at hospital hypothermic.

The COVID-19 ambulance response assessment (CARA) study: a national survey of ambulance service healthcare professionals' preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic placed significant demand on the NHS, including ambulance services, but it is unclear how this affected ambulance service staff and paramedics in other clinical settings (e.g. urgent and primary care, armed services, prisons). This study aimed to measure the self-perceived preparedness and impact of the first wave of the pandemic on paramedics' psychological stress and perceived ability to deliver care. Methods: Ambulance clinicians and paramedics working in other healthcare settings were invited to participate in a three-phase sequential online survey during the acceleration (April 2020), peak (May 2020) and deceleration (September/October 2020) phases of the first wave of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom. Recruitment used social media, Trust internal bulletins and the College of Paramedics' communication channels, employing a convenience sampling strategy. Data were collected using purposively developed open- and closed-ended questions and the validated general health questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). Data were analysed using multi-level linear and logistic regression models. Results: Phase 1 recruited 3717 participants, reducing to 2709 (73%) by phase 2 and 2159 (58%) by phase 3. Participants were mostly male (58%, n = 2148) and registered paramedics (n = 1992, 54%). Mean (standard deviation) GHQ-12 scores were 16.5 (5.2) during phase 1, reducing to 15.2 (6.7) by phase 3. A total of 84% of participants (n = 3112) had a GHQ-12 score ≥ 12 during the first phase, indicating psychological distress. Participants that had higher GHQ-12 scores were feeling unprepared for the pandemic, and reported a lack of confidence in using personal protective equipment and managing cardiac arrests in confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients. Conclusions: Most participants reported psychological distress, the reasons for which are multi-factorial. Ambulance managers need to be aware of the risks to staff mental health and take action to mitigate these, to support staff in the delivery of unscheduled, emergency and urgent care under these additional pressures.

The RESearch PARamedic Experience (RESPARE) study: a qualitative study exploring the experiences of research paramedics working in the United Kingdom.

Background: The research paramedic position is a relatively niche role undertaken by a small number of paramedics who support, deliver and promote research. Research paramedic roles provide opportunities to develop talented researchers who are recognised as vital elements of developing a research culture within ambulance services. The benefits of research-active clinicians have been recognised at a national level. The aim of this study was to explore the experience of people who work, or have worked, as research paramedics. Methods: A generic qualitative approach underpinned by phenomenological concepts was used. Volunteers were recruited via ambulance research leads and social media. Online focus groups allowed participants to discuss their roles with peers who may be geographically distant. Semi-structured interviews expanded on the focus group findings. Data were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using framework analysis. Results: Eighteen paramedics (66% female, median involvement in research six (interquartile range 2-7) years) representing eight English NHS ambulance trusts participated in three focus groups and five interviews lasting around one hour, in November and December 2021.Six key themes were identified: starting as a research paramedic; barriers and facilitators to working as a research paramedic; research careers; opportunities; the community (support and networking); and the value of a clinical identity. Conclusions: Many research paramedics had similar experiences in terms of starting their career by delivering research for large studies, then building on this experience and the networks they create to develop their own research. There are common organisational and financial barriers to working as a research paramedic. Career progression in research beyond the research paramedic role is not well defined, but often involves building links outside of the ambulance service.

What factors contribute towards ambulance on-scene times for suspected stroke patients? An observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Pre-hospital stroke care focusses on rapid access to specialist stroke units, but UK ambulance data shows increasing pre-hospital times. This study aimed to describe factors contributing towards ambulance on-scene times (OST) for suspected stroke patients and identify targets for a future intervention. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ambulance clinicians in North East Ambulance Service were asked to complete a survey after transporting any suspected stroke patients to describe the patient encounter, interventions and timings. Completed surveys were linked with electronic patient care records. Potentially modifiable factors were identified by the study team. Poisson regression analysis quantified the association of selected potentially modifiable factors with OST. RESULTS: About 2037 suspected stroke patients were conveyed between July and December 2021, resulting in 581 fully completed surveys by 359 different clinicians. The median age of patients was 75 years (interquartile range (IQR) 66-83) and 52% of patients were male. Median OST was 33 min (IQR 26-41). Three potentially modifiable factors were identified as contributors to extended OST. Performing additional advanced neurological assessments added 10% to OST (34 vs 31 min, p = 0.008); intravenous cannulation added 13% (35 vs 31 min, p = <0.001) and ECGs added 22% (35 vs 28 min, p = <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study identified three potentially modifiable factors that increased pre-hospital OST with suspected stroke patients. This type of data can be used to target interventions at behaviours that extend pre-hospital OST but which have questionable patient benefit. This approach will be evaluated in a follow up study in the North East of England.

A qualitative exploration of the views of paramedics regarding the identification of cardiovascular risk factors in the pre-hospital environment.

Background: Cardiovascular disease remains the most prominent cause of death in England. Healthcare professionals have been encouraged to identify cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs). The aim of this study was to explore how paramedics contribute to the identification of CVRFs in the pre-hospital setting, through their role, behaviours and practice. Methods: The study took place within the North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust supported by a National Institute for Health Research clinical research internship. A qualitative approach was used, and a single focus group was conducted. The study recruited participants through advertising for volunteers and purposive sampling. The themes that arose from the focus group allowed the initial exploration of the views of paramedics in relation to role, behaviour and practice in identifying CVRFs. Results: A single focus group with five paramedics was conducted in June 2021. Two central themes emerged: education/health promotion and fear/anxiety. Participants agreed that their role in this area centred around patient education. Participants' behaviours and practice were adversely affected through fear of complaints, fear of hypocrisy and feeling a lack of support from the ambulance service. Participants felt that further training and subsequent indemnity from complaints would improve the likelihood of more direct patient education. Support from the ambulance service to improve employees' own health and well-being was also a key topic of discussion. Conclusion: The study explored the views of a small sample of paramedics on this topic. Patient education was felt to be part of a paramedic's role; however, barriers were identified that prevent paramedics from carrying out this role. Further research is needed to explore these barriers further.