Ambulance

This database provides ambulance services with data on the outcome of patients with suspected heart attack (myocardial infarction) and cardiac arrest who arrive at hospital by ambulance. The data is supplied from the Myocardial Infarction National Audit Project (MINAP) database.

Ambulance services also have access to data on the achievement of the national service framework (NSF) ‘call to needle in 60 minutes' standard. This involves treatment with clot dissolving drugs (thrombolytic treatment) within 60 minutes of calling for professional help. The standard includes the combined performance of GPs, hospitals and the ambulance service (who can now administer thrombolytic treatment to patients before they reach hospital).

Aims of the audit

The ambulance service is recognised as an important and integral component of the patient pathway in many NHS activities. Ambulance services need to have access to robust data on both process and outcomes to continue to improve the quality of care in the crucial period before patients reach hospital. In addition, most ambulance services can give thrombolytic treatment to eligible patients before they arrive at hospital. Feedback of outcome data on these patients informs paramedic training and therefore improves patient care.

• 100 per cent Ambulance trusts with access to MINAP data for both process measures and outcomes in order to improve the care delivered by the ambulance service before patients reach hospitals
• manage a secure IT infrastructure to Ambulance Trusts in order for them to view MINAP data securely
• helpdesk support and maintenance of the IT infrastructure
• analysis and outputs as defined by the MINAP project team on behalf of the Ambulances Services.

Organisation of the audit

The audit is managed by the National Institute for Clinical Outcomes Research at University College London in conjunction with the Ambulance Service Association. Data is held and analysed on servers managed by the Central Cardiac Audit Database (CCAD) which is part of the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).

The National Clinical Audit Support Programme at the NHS Information Centre

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