Watching a documentary series about UK ambulances, I noticed a difference in questions from the emergency call center compared to the Dutch system.
In the UK:
Operator: "Is the patient breathing?"
Caller: "No" / "Very shallowly"
Operator: "I need you to do <insert fairly long set of first aid instructions>. By the way, where are you?"
Caller: *gives location*
Operator: *Searches for the closest available ambulance and alerts it, then continues giving instructions to the caller*
In the Netherlands:
Operator: "What is the location of your emergency?"
Caller: *answers*
Dispatcher: *Looks for the closest available ambulance, inputs the address and hovers over the Enter key while the operator gathers more information*
Operator: "What is going on?"
Caller: *answers*
Operator: *Gives a hand signal to the dispatcher to either hit Enter if an ambulance is indeed needed or press cancel to prepare for another incident, then starts giving first aid instructions*
Conclusion
I'm honestly not sure which system I prefer. The UK system quickly provides first aid instructions, but takes a fair bit longer for professional help to be alerted, let alone arrive. The Dutch system focuses on getting professional help there much sooner, but delays instructions for first aid with an extra question.
I believe starting proper first aid a few seconds sooner can make more of a difference than an ambulance arriving a minute earlier. But it is a bit of a gamble how helpful instructions to an inexperienced person will be, and the extra question of the Dutch system doesn't delay first aid that much. It may very well be case dependent which system turns out to be better, and without knowing the exact situation in advance, both approaches may very well be equally effective on average. But I found the difference interesting regardless.
Operator: "Is the patient breathing?"
Caller: "No" / "Very shallowly"
Operator: "I need you to do <insert fairly long set of first aid instructions>. By the way, where are you?"
Caller: *gives location*
Operator: *Searches for the closest available ambulance and alerts it, then continues giving instructions to the caller*
In the Netherlands:
Operator: "What is the location of your emergency?"
Caller: *answers*
Dispatcher: *Looks for the closest available ambulance, inputs the address and hovers over the Enter key while the operator gathers more information*
Operator: "What is going on?"
Caller: *answers*
Operator: *Gives a hand signal to the dispatcher to either hit Enter if an ambulance is indeed needed or press cancel to prepare for another incident, then starts giving first aid instructions*
Conclusion
I'm honestly not sure which system I prefer. The UK system quickly provides first aid instructions, but takes a fair bit longer for professional help to be alerted, let alone arrive. The Dutch system focuses on getting professional help there much sooner, but delays instructions for first aid with an extra question.
I believe starting proper first aid a few seconds sooner can make more of a difference than an ambulance arriving a minute earlier. But it is a bit of a gamble how helpful instructions to an inexperienced person will be, and the extra question of the Dutch system doesn't delay first aid that much. It may very well be case dependent which system turns out to be better, and without knowing the exact situation in advance, both approaches may very well be equally effective on average. But I found the difference interesting regardless.
