Preparing for Emergencies Guidance

Appendix 3 - Sample mutual aid agreement

NHS Boards Mutual Aid Agreement

Introduction

To comply with the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, NHS Boards must plan for mutual support and cooperation. The Act’s accompanying regulations define mutual aid as an agreement between organisations within the same sector and across boundaries to aid and additional resources during an emergency.

It is recognised that major incidents can quickly stretch individual Health Boards’ capacity and as such cross-territory mutual aid arrangements have been agreed between the NHS Boards within the (TBC) Emergency Coordination Group namely NHS Board A, NHS Board B etc.

These arrangements allow for the provision of the following resources:

Initial Emergency Phase

• Medical Incident Officers and Site Medical Teams (normally SAS)
• Receiving Hospitals
• Support Hospitals
• Specialist services e.g. burns units

Recovery Phase

• Staff to support the operation of an Incident Management Team
• Staff to support the operation of a Scientific & Technical Advice Cell (STAC)
• Other staff, resources or services that are required to respond effectively to a major incident

Overall Management and Initial Response

The responsibility for provision of initial responders and the management of loaned resources rests with the NHS Board in whose area the incident occurs. This response is to be in accordance with the NHS Board’s Major Incident/ Emergency Plan.

The NHS Board in whose area the incident has occurred will:

• request an adjacent Board to provide due to operational demands of the incident, or
• request the attendance of the Emergency Medical Retrieval Service

Pre-hospital Medical Care (PHMC) is provided by SAS via a variety of different teams nationally. Activation of all PHMC Teams is through the SAS West Ambulance Control Centre.

Requests for mutual aid

Initial Emergency Phase

Although the decision to request mutual aid rests with the Chief Executive, or a delegated officer, it is recognised that an extension of routine practices will reduce delay in the initial phase of a response. As such, the Medical Incident Officer should make initial requests for shared resources through the Scottish Ambulance Service Strategic Operations Manager.

Consolidation and Recovery Phase

During the later stages of a response mutual aid will be arranged by appropriate senior managers within Boards contacting their counterparts directly.

Transport

The Scottish Ambulance Service will be responsible for all transport arrangements which should be by the most expeditious means, including by air, and in accordance with normal Scottish Ambulance Service protocols.

Clothing and medical equipment

All medical teams and Medical Incident Officers will wear agreed Red/Saturn Yellow PPE to current specifications. Medical equipment should be compatible between NHS Boards and with that of the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Non-Emergency Coordination Group

Although this agreement is between the NHS Boards that operate within the (TBC) Emergency Coordination Group, it does not preclude the provision or receipt of mutual aid with neighbouring Boards in other Local/Regional Resilience Partnership areas.

Provision of Mutual Aid

Although this agreement is not legally binding it is entered into in a spirit of cooperation and as such Boards will make every reasonable effort to comply with a request within the constraints of their own prevailing capabilities and commitments.

Agreement

This agreement is effective from (date) and shall be reviewed at least once every 2 years to ensure it continues to meet the requirements of the NHS Boards involved.

[Insert Signatories/Date]