Variation in ambulance pre-alert process and practice: cross-sectional survey of ambulance clinicians.

Background: Ambulance clinicians use pre-alert calls to inform emergency departments (EDs) about the arrival of critically ill patients. However, there is variation in guidance between local ambulance service policies in terms of what should be pre-alerted and how pre-alerts should happen. We conducted a national online survey to understand the use of ambulance pre-alerts and to inform recommendations for practice and guidance.

Take-home naloxone in multicentre emergency settings: the TIME feasibility cluster RCT.

Background: Opioids kill more people than any other drug. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist which can be distributed in take-home 'kits' for peer administration (take-home naloxone).

Aim: To determine the feasibility of carrying out a definitive randomised controlled trial of take-home naloxone in emergency settings.

How do emergency departments respond to ambulance pre-alert calls? A qualitative exploration of the management of pre-alerts in UK emergency departments.

Background: Calls to emergency departments (EDs) from ambulances to alert them to a critical case being transported to that facility that requires a special response ('pre-alerts') have been shown to improve outcomes for patients requiring immediate time-critical treatment (eg, stroke). However, little is known about their usefulness for other patients and the processes involved in ED responses to them. This study aimed to understand how pre-alerts influence patient care in the ED.

Take-home naloxone administered in emergency settings: feasibility of intervention implementation in a cluster randomized trial.

Background: Opioids kill more people than any other class of drug. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist which can be distributed in kits for peer administration. We assessed the feasibility of implementing a Take-home Naloxone (THN) intervention in emergency settings, as part of designing a definitive randomised controlled trial (RCT).