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This year has been one the biggest years to date for delivery at the Ambulance Radio Programme (ARP). Following in-depth phases of design, planning and testing, we have successfully delivered two of our biggest programmes. It is a huge testament to all the hard work, travel, commitment and planning of all the ARP Team, the Trusts, and our key suppliers that we have been able to achieve our objectives throughout 2024.
The first of our major programmes is the delivery of the Control Room Solution (CRS), ARP’s national deployment of a new application named LifeX, provided by Frequentis. It is used for critical communication between emergency control room dispatchers and operational crews.
The Mobile Data and Vehicle Solution (MDVS), is the deployment of the National Mobilisation Application (NMA), a custom-built mobile data application which delivers mission-critical dispatch messages, navigation, and mapping to frontline ambulance staff, to transmit and receive status messages and location details. This is a new software developed by Terrafix Ltd, using hardware collaboratively made available by Terrafix Ltd, Centerprise International and Panasonic UK. It has been collectively installed and supported by Telent Technology Services.
Throughout 2024, the collaboration and teamwork from all departments in ARP, our key partners/suppliers and the Ambulance Trusts, has meant that over 800 Control Room Operator Positions have been deployed into 31 Ambulance Control Rooms across England, Scotland and Wales. More than 6,000 vehicles are now live and in operation with MDVS installed. None of this would have been possible without the dedication of all of the ARP team, spanning all departments – Programme, PMO, Implementation, Service, Technical, Testing, User and Assurance, Commercial, Finance, and our Senior Leadership Team.
Completing the Control Room Solution
With six Trusts live on CRS by the end of 2023, the CRS rollout throughout 2024 showed no signs of slowing down, with seven Trusts planned to go live within an eight month period. This challenge was met tremendously by all parties, with all Trusts going live seamlessly and on schedule by November 2024.
We learned many lessons along the way and implemented this learning throughout the rollout, making each go live more streamlined. Alongside the rollout, ARP also successfully transitioned all Trusts to the new Airwave provision, Dispatch Communication Server (DCS), allowing all Trusts to migrate from their ageing infrastructure.
Airwave commended ARP for being the first emergency service to move onto DCS, after being the last emergency service to start its migration. Feedback from ambulance dispatch teams has also been overwhelmingly positive about the new solution.
Completing the Mobile Data and Vehicle Solution
In January 2024, we only had roughly 1,200 vehicles installed with MDVS. We will conclude 2024 with having achieved five times our January total across a 12 month period, with over 6,000 operational dual-crewed ambulances and rapid response vehicles live on this brilliant new solution.
The MDVS Team is always looking for improvement opportunities and future roadmap features within the NMA Software. ARP regularly host a National Review Group to give Trusts the chance to request changes and make suggestions on how the system could further enhance the working lives of frontline crews, while remaining in line with Road Traffic Act legislation.
We have recently introduced a ‘Positive Days of Action’ initiative. This is where ARP colleagues travel to hubs, stations and ‘make ready’ bays to meet with and enable ambulance crews to provide direct, honest feedback on their firsthand experience of MDVS. The feedback from initial visits has been greatly received, and the ARP team will be scheduling more trips to the Trusts and crews in 2025.
Handheld device developments
Alongside the impressive rollout of both CRS and MDVS, we recently signed a contract with Sepura for the new Handheld device (SL3), of which ARP is the launch customer. Initial engagement sessions have taken place with Trusts and early milestones and testing are progressing well.
Look forward to 2025
We have a busy schedule planned throughout 2025 as we continue to deliver critical communication solutions and support the Ambulance sector in delivering the very best patient care.
As for what some of our 2025 objectives and plans look like, we will be looking at full infrastructure refresh in our data centres, with even more focus on patching, updates and cyber protection. ARP will also look to prepare for the Emergency Services Network (ESN) rollout in anticipation of connecting our solutions, products and services to ESN, all of which are ‘ESN ready’. And the work doesn’t stop there as we have projects in place to upgrade the Air Ambulance communications via our Air 2 Ground Project too.
As the year draws to a close, we want to thank all Ambulance Trusts across England, Scotland and Wales for the support, engagement and collaboration throughout 2024. The complex and successful implementations wouldn’t have been possible without these incredible teams.
Read more about the delivery during 2024 Panasonic selected for ambulance technology refresh across England and Wales and Ambulance radio programme rolls out in the North West.
