Abstract

Ambulance services will need a new and robust structure to support the growing prehospital research agenda for the short and medium term. This structure will need to inform and be informed by effective knowledge management and dissemination and will need to ensure that research helps lead to high quality, safe (no needless harm), effective (evidence-based), patient centred (no feelings of helplessness and in accordance with patients reasonable expressed wishes), timely (no needless delay), efficient (no waste and with realistic outcomes) and equitable (fair to all patients) ambulance services which are integrated with and aligned to the wider health system.

This paper recommends a structure which supports local as well as national research activity and research capacity development. In order to foster a research culture and research activity within a robust research governance framework a National Research Steering Group with representation from each ambulance service is advocated.