Guidance

COVID-19: guidance for ambulance services

This guidance is for ambulance sector settings to use in preventing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other seasonal respiratory infections during winter 2021 to 2022.

This publication was withdrawn on

The information in this publication has been superseded by information in the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) position statement from 14 April 2022.

Documents

[Withdrawn] Appendix 1: Sample screening tool for respiratory infections for use in ambulance sector settings (winter 2021 to 2022)

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Details

The guidance has been produced by the National Ambulance Services Infection Prevention and Control Group (NASPICG), a national subject matter expert group reporting to ambulance Quality Improvement, Governance and Risk Directors (QIGARD) within the structure of the Association Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE). The guidance has been approved by QIGARD and overseen and signed off by the UK national Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Cell led by NHSEI.

Please note that this guidance is of a general nature and that an employer should consider the specific conditions of each individual place of work and comply with all applicable legislation, including the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Published 21 February 2020
Last updated 30 November 2021 + show all updates
  1. Title updated to reflect IPC advice for seasonal respiratory infections including COVID-19.

  2. Broadened guidance to include seasonal respiratory infections; removed 3 COVID-19 specific pathways; included further information on triaging.

  3. Reviewed and updated in line with changes in Step 4 of the roadmap.

  4. Amended distance from 2 metres to one metre in section 6.

  5. Guidance updated to acknowledge COVID-19 care pathways for staff awareness for triage and inclusion of recommended good practice precautions in the event of delayed hospital handovers.

  6. Updated information on possible case definition.

  7. Clarification of conveyance in section 5.1; addition of section 5.2 'Use of aviation for transfer of COVID-19 patients'.

  8. Updates to aerosol generating procedures, PPE and cardiac arrest.

  9. Updated with detail on case definitions, clarification of AGPs and updates to PPE throughout.

  10. Revised guidance.

  11. Updated guidance including a summary table for PPE.

  12. Added guidance for donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE).

  13. First published.