Safety notice compliance

Four safety notices were distributed at the beginning of September regarding the actions needed by both AOC and Ops staff when dealing with Acute Behavioural Disturbance (ABD) or Excited Delirium (ED).

This comes off the back of multiple incidents where we have been delayed attending these patients due to lack of understanding and knowledge across the Trust.

ABD is described in JRCalc as “a state of extreme mental and physiological excitement, characterised by extreme agitation, delirium, hyperthermia, hostility, exceptional strength and endurance without apparent fatigue.”. The full pathophysiology of the condition is not fully understood, and a common standardised definition is not available across organisations, but ABD is used to encompass a number of conditions that all exhibit the same behaviours. It is however very clear that this condition needs to be treated as a medical emergency.

Please take time to read and acknowledge these notices. It is vital that we increase our compliance with safety notices to reduce risks to our patients.

• Call Handlers - Click here to acknowledge
• Dispatchers - Click here to acknowledge
• Clinical AOC - Click here to acknowledge
• Ops - Click here to acknowledge

Published 3rd October 2022