title: Rationalizing radio medical advice for maritime emergencies.
abstract: The provision of radio medical advice by the National Health Service for British coastal waters has developed in an ad hoc fashion. In 1999, the closure of one of the two centres providing such advice led to unexpected problems. The demographic characteristics of the offshore population covered by each centre were markedly different and this resulted in a different spectrum of medical emergencies presenting to the sole remaining centre. Subsequent data collection of the details of medical emergencies presenting from offshore allowed an audit to inform the development of training packages for both base and remote practitioners. This has led to an ongoing national rationalization of ship-to-shore radio medical advice for the UK.
authors.affiliation: Accident and Emergency Department, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aujla
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nag
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cahill
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D003710:Demography; D004630:Emergencies; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009326:Naval Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D011845:Radio; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006113:United Kingdom