Air ambulances are a scarce and expensive resource and their use carries significant risk for crew and patients (Hennesy; 2005; Holland et al, 2005; Hinkelbein et al, 2008; Lutman et al, 2008). To benefit appropriate patients while minimizing risk and cost, tasking of air ambulance assets should ideally be sensitive and specific. Within the UK and across Europe, there are no standardized criteria to dispatch these resources (Littlewood et al, 2010; Wigman et al, 2010). Even where dispatch criteria are agreed, compliance is variable (Tiamfook-Morgan et al, 2008). The purpose of this review is to look at the evidence and rationale for tasking of air ambulance assets. Abstract published with permission.

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains a leading cause of mortality and severe neurological disability. Survival from OHCA depends on good quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation from EMS personnel. The ‘time on the chest’ and interruption time for defibrillation have recently been shown to be pivotal to survival. Electrocardiograph impedance analysis software allows retrospective quality control and feedback to EMS crews after a resuscitation attempt. Whilst this technique has been used by several EMS services worldwide, routine use and acceptance has yet to be established. https://emj.bmj.com/content/28/3/237.3 This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/emj.2010.1-8597.3

The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) has developed a strategy for community resilience. This article explains what community resilience is from an ambulance service perspective, and why this approach is considered critical for the service to meet its objective of delivering quality patient care, and to address some of the major challenges currently experienced. Important benefits for communities and partners from other sectors are identified, and an outcome-focused approach indicates how these will be achieved. The five key strategic components are outlined, with examples related to practice. Challenges and opportunities for taking the agenda forward are discussed. Abstract published with permission.

Paramedics working within health care services are faced with difficult decisions almost every day. They are required to work within organizational and professional boundaries and in the best interests of their patients at all times. In cases involving children it is especially important to ensure the child is properly empowered and included in the decision-making process. Sometimes these requirements are difficult to assess and paramedics will draw on professional and personal experience to assist them in deciding how best to ensure appropriate empowerment and that patient care has taken place. When dealing with patients from cultural backgrounds they are unfamiliar with, language barriers and cultural differences may make it difficult for paramedics to assess whether their patient has been properly empowered and included. Abstract published with permission.