Panasonic and Telent to Upgrade Pembrokeshire Ambulances Communications System

New technology has been tested by ambulances in Pembrokeshire, UK to facilitate critical communications between control rooms and staff in the field.

In order to enhance the flow of information between the control rooms of the Welsh Ambulance Service and the frontline crews providing patient care, the agency is investing £23 million in new technology for its ambulances.

The cutting-edge Mobile internet Vehicle Solution (MDVS), which includes a new vehicle internet router and tablet device, will be deployed in about 800 ambulances overall.

Although a dozen ambulances have already had these installed to test the system, and they have now responded to over 2,000 accidents, the upgrade is anticipated to be finished by late spring 2024.

Jonny Sammut, Welsh Ambulance Service’s director of digital, said: “Reliable communications technology is vital to keep the wheels turning on our ambulance service. This technology refresh signals a new era in our communications, and one which will enhance the important link between the colleagues in the control room and the crews in the community delivering care to patients. Collaborating with partners to source and install the new equipment means the refresh can also be completed locally, minimising the downtime of vehicles and in turn the disruption to our day-to-day operations.”

The ARP, or Ambulance Radio Programme, is spearheading the effort to replace the communication systems for ambulance trusts in both England and Wales. This project will equip an additional 780 ambulance vehicles in Wales with the technology. The ARP developed the technology and brought together the relevant parties.

Telent engineers will be upgrading six ambulance vehicles per day, fitting ruggedised Panasonic Toughbook tablets and a vehicle data router capable of connecting to multiple bearers – including the Emergency Services Network – providing a resilient connection to mobile communications networks across Wales.