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Our urgent community response services have joined forces with London Ambulance Service (LAS) paramedics to launch a new response paramedic car service.

The new Urgent Community Response (UCR) car is now in operation across the boroughs of Bexley, Greenwich and Lewisham, treating patients at home and reducing the need for a hospital visit by ambulance.

Staffed four days a week, our Bexley Rapid Response and Greenwich Joint Emergency (JET) teams work alongside an LAS paramedic, responding to category 3 and 4 calls, freeing up ambulance capacity and reducing the numbers being transported to Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Lewisham colleagues will join the team in the coming months to increase staffing from four to seven days a week.

The new service is already having an impact and in the first four days of operating, 31 patients were attended to, 21 of which were assessed, treated and referred on to community services.

Following her first shift, Advanced Clinical Practitioner with Oxleas, Sara Piwowarska (pictured above right), said:

“I really enjoyed it and everyone was so welcoming. I found it a really interesting day and it is new to the paramedics as well so we were just finding our way together.”

LAS paramedic, Alison Mackenzie, said:

“Patients who fall might not have injuries that are serious enough to need hospital treatment but their injuries can still be very painful and upsetting. 

“We can make sure patients can be really well cared for at home - by combining the skillsets of an emergency paramedic and a community nurse, we can tailor our assessment, treatment and follow-up plans. 

“Patients are getting a quick and effective response, while we are building strong relationships with our community partners, learning from each other and sharing clinical perspectives and experiences.”