Barcelona’s southern metropolitan area is set to get 164 new ambulances from 10 June, as the Sistema de Emergències Mèdiques (SEM) rolls out a new five-year contract worth more than €231.5 million.
The new fleet includes five more ambulances than are currently in service, along with more operating hours and new types of emergency vehicles. SEM says the changes are meant to improve emergency medical response across the area.
The new model for urgent sanitary transport adds nearly 20,000 annual service hours, taking the total to 385,198 hours. It also adds a further 8,520 hours to help cover exceptional situations and periods of higher demand.
Coverage will be strengthened in Baix Llobregat Nord, where basic support units in Abrera and Martorell will move from 12 to 16 hours a day. A unit in Papiol will also increase to 16 hours. In Cornellà de Llobregat, one basic life support reinforcement unit will become a permanent fixture, while another unit will extend its hours to 16 a day.
L’Hospitalet de Llobregat will also see a wider service. Four units will extend from 12 to 16 hours, three seasonal reinforcement units will now run all year, and one unit in El Prat de Llobregat will also move to 16 hours. Out of 73 new specialised units being distributed, eight will go to the southern metropolitan health region.
The new ambulances will include advanced equipment such as ultrasound for advanced life support units, dry blood testing by finger prick, bariatric stretchers for patients weighing over 170 kilograms, and child restraint systems. SEM says the new setup should help staff decide the most suitable hospital for each patient more quickly.
Last year, SEM handled nearly 314,000 incidents in this region. More than half, 161,709, needed healthcare resources, while the Central de Coordinación Sanitaria dealt with 244,551 consultations across the territory. For more on local public services, see our Community coverage and Sport updates.
Originally published by La Vanguardia Catalonia. Read original article. SEM information is available via the official SEM website.
