This study reviews the evaluative literature of air ambulances in other countries and
concludes it has little relevance to Britain. Other reviews are undertaken of the British
ambulance service, evaluative economics, and market istructures. The relationship
between effectiveness, efficiency and equity is explored. It is concluded that there is
a role for ak ambulances in servicing rural areas within the revised structure of the'
NHS.
This is tested by three studies of the Cornwall A k Ambulance. Initially, the resources
and standards of the ambulance service in Cornwall are investigated by analysis of
routine data spanning two years. It is concluded that standards of response and times
to hospital are poor in North Cornwall. This was deduced from the modelling of
response times and time to hospital for incidents from every electoral ward in the
county. Two options of 'land ambulance only' and 'land ambulance with the air
ambulance' are tested for effectiveness, equity and efficiency.
The first study considers the effectiveness of service provision, while the second study
considers geographic equity with the use of simple regression analysis to indicate the
cost of service provision at differing levels of rurality. The^third uses a cost benefit
analysis framework to indicate the costs and benefits associated with air ambulance
use in a rural area.
The contribution to knowledge is highly significant in the modelling of routine data
to assess the effectiveness, efficiency and equity relationship, in appraising
accessibility. This is the first study to apply economic principles to the ambulance
service within the recently revised NHS.
Date of Award | 1993 |
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Original language | English |
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Awarding Institution | |
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AN EVALUATION OF THE USE OF HELICOPTERS AS AIR AMBULANCES
Brigham, P. (Author). 1993
Student thesis: PhD