The LIVES Community Emergency Medical Service (CEMS) team has been providing vital, compassionate care to residents at Bernadette House Residential Care Home in Lincoln, a facility specialising in dementia care.
By bringing advanced medical expertise directly to the home, the CEMS team has helped residents maintain their dignity and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.
The CEMS team are part of the charity LIVES, and are dispatched by the ambulance service, requested by on-scene ambulance crews, or respond directly to cases where they can provide support. Acting as a ‘hospital team on the road’, CEMS clinicians can assess, treat, diagnose, and even prescribe medication, including end-of-life care.
For patients with infections, for example, the team can administer initial doses of antibiotics and IV fluids. This often stabilises patients enough for oral medications, eliminating the need for stressful hospital visits. The team also has access to GP and medical records, ensuring seamless, informed care.
One of the most profound impacts of the CEMS team is in supporting residents who wish to pass away at home. By providing palliative care, they ensure individuals remain comfortable, settled, and surrounded by loved ones.
“Instead of being surrounded by machines, we can ensure people are settled and have their family beside them,” said Scott, an Advanced Clinical Practitioner with the CEMS team.
Scott recently attended a patient at Bernadette House who was very frail and had a RESPECT form in place, indicating a preference for care at home over hospitalisation where possible. The patient, who had cognitive impairment and a deteriorating condition following a fall, was found to be entering the final stages of life. The team provided palliative medication, ensuring the patient was pain-free and comfortable.
“We recognised that hospital treatment was no longer appropriate and that moving her would have meant passing away in the back of an ambulance,” Scott explained. “After consulting with the family, we focused on keeping her comfortable.”
The patient passed away peacefully, with her family present. Bernadette House later contacted the LIVES team to express their gratitude for the dignified and compassionate care provided.
In addition to palliative care, the CEMS team attends a range of emergencies, from cardiac arrests to road traffic collisions, always ensuring the patient remains at the heart of their work.
Watch the full film and learn more about LIVES and the CEMS team: https://www.lives.org.uk/what-we-do/cems/
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