South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation
Trust is set for the second phase of migration to a new Computer
Aided Dispatch (CAD), system.

The new system is well established and currently in use in three
other UK ambulance trusts, and has been operating at the Trust’s
Coxheath EOC East in Kent since 5 July 2017.

The CAD is the system used to record all data related to 999 and
urgent requests of the Trust for ambulance assistance and is
primarily used by Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) staff to
assess, prioritise and, if necessary, dispatch ambulance crews to
999 calls.

Following a successful transition at its EOC East, the Trust’s
EOC West in Crawley is expected to begin using the new system from
tomorrow (19 July). Staff currently based in Banstead are due to
start using the new CAD when they move to the EOC West in early
September.

The Trust has been using its current CAD system for more than 10
years. A decision was taken by the Trust Board last year to upgrade
to a new system in order to improve reliability, user experience
and improve performance and information. A competitive tendering
exercise led to Cleric Computer Services being awarded the new
contract to implement the new CAD early this year.

‘Cleric’ have been working with ambulance services for more than
30 years ensuring they have developed a deep understanding of user
and service needs.

Feedback from staff already using the new system at the Trust’s
EOC East has been very positive. In addition to improved
reliability and performance, other key benefits of the new system
include its ease and speed of use, improved mapping, as well as its
flexibility in order to meet any future needs.

SECAmb Executive Director of Operations Joe Garcia said: “We’re
really pleased with the way the new CAD system is working at our
EOC East already and we’re looking forward to migrating our EOC
West. The system will be of huge benefit to the EOC staff and
ultimately the patients who we provide a service to. It is already
enhancing the information capabilities to plan and forecast
activity, as it is a reliable and future-proofed system.

“A huge amount of work has led up to this point and I would like
thank every SECAmb colleague involved, including our ICT and
Operational Teams, the EOC staff who have adapted so seamlessly to
the new system, and every member of EOC staff for their hard work
in training.

“Along with the move to the new HQ and EOC in Crawley, the
introduction of the new CAD represents another positive step
forward for the Trust. We look forward in the coming weeks to
completing the migration to the new system in September.”