The Office of the Health Ombudsman (OHO) initiated an investigation following a complaint related to the provision of emergency support services (personal emergency alarms).

Wider learnings and recommendations

The investigation identified learnings relating to:

• Role clarity for support services: Entities providing support services to health services, even if not direct care providers, must understand their obligations under health and safety legislation.
• Personal emergency alarm providers: these services can fall within the definition of a health service and be subject of a health service complaint.
• Precision in emergency communication: Emergency response services should anticipate that panic and multiple speakers may impair clarity during calls. Structured questioning and confirmation procedures are critical in triaging effectively.
• Early intervention: Introducing protocols for immediate escalation in cases of dropped or incoherent calls is a vital safeguard against communication breakdowns during emergencies.

Read the snapshot report (PDF 149KB)