The ambulance service serving Maldon and mid Essex NHS has today (Monday, 15 February) launched a specialist vehicle offering patients urgent care in their own homes - to help avoid unnecessary trips to hospital.

The mid Essex early intervention vehicle will be staffed exclusively by advanced paramedics specialising in urgent care. They will respond to appropriately triaged patients who can safely receive assessment and treatment at home, such as those with uncomplicated infections or who need wound care which would otherwise need a visit to A&E.

The paramedics can also refer patients needing additional support directly into other NHS services for ongoing care needs.

The East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) has worked with NHS Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to put on the scheme. It is hoped it will also take pressure off hospital emergency departments while freeing up ambulances to attend to those in greater need.

Vanessa Ince, EEAST's Interim General Manager for mid Essex, said: "I am really excited by the launch of the early intervention vehicle, which is the culmination of several months' hard work between the Trust and CCG.

"I'm sure that it will prove to be a very valuable resource, not only by helping us to deliver the right care to our patients at the right time and in the right place, but also by reducing demand for our emergency ambulances."

The vehicle will operate for 12 hours a day, seven days a week during a six-month pilot, which has been commissioned by NHS Mid Essex CCG.

Viv Barker, Deputy Director of Nursing at Mid Essex CCG, said: "This new service is very welcome as our acute hospitals continue to experience high pressure.

"Offering urgent care to people in their own homes will give them rapid support with the potential for some cases to avoid hospital altogether."