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There are many problems with the design of existing ambulances that impact negatively on patients and paramedics alike. Some of the most pressing issues concern the treatment space in the back of the emergency ambulance. This environment is difficult to keep clean given the frequency of use and the resultant lack of opportunity to scrub the vehicle down can lead to hygiene and infection control problems.
Ambulance crews also suffer from poorly thought-out ergonomics, badly laid out equipment and difficult-to-access storage spaces, all of which can affect performance in critical, life-threatening situations.
There has been virtually no standardisation of ambulance specifications across the UK, which has created logistical and managerial problems for ambulance trusts. A patient in need of emergency treatment will have a different ambulance experience depending on where they are geographically in the UK. All these problems combine to comprimise safety and make the ambulance service more intimidating.
This project builds on the Helen Hamlyn Centre's involvement in the Smart Pods research study completed in 2009, which proposed a new system of mobile healthcare to treat patients in the community as well as in hospitals. It is estimated that by providing proper on-the-spot treatment, up to 40 per cent of patient journeys to hospital could be avoided, resulting in a significant reduction in operational costs for the NHS.
"The ambulance interior is difficult to keep clean and paramedics suffer from poor layout and ergonomics..."
The current project focuses on the first stage in achieving this goal by improving the existing emergency ambulance. The aim is to enhance key aspects of the design of the interior in order to improve the patient experience and provide a treatment space that meets the demands of healthcare today.
In order to understand the complexity of the ambulance service, research began with an immersive study that involved joining ambulance crews on several 12-hour shifts, riding in the vehicle on callouts and observing and documenting everything that happened. This gave the opportunity to interview ambulance crews, healthcare providers and patients in situ and observe issues firsthand.
Through these experiences and by working closely with an Emergency Care Practitioner who was seconded to the research team, key insights were gathered and translated into sketch designs.
A full-scale rig simulating the existing treatment space was created to mock-up ideas in cardboard and foam. Groups of paramedics were then invited to engage and evaluate the different proposals, focusing on opportunities for development.
Some of the most promising ideas include:
Many of these ideas are incorporated in a proof-of-concept model that is being exhibited in September as part of the London Design Festival 2010 at the RCA. A fullsize working demonstrator is planned for April 2011 to build support and momentum for the development of a new fleet of emergency healthcare vehicles.
This body of design work aims to result in a redesigned ambulance that will support a system of pre-hospital care and replace existing models as they become obsolete.
