Response Priorities Ambulance Status Codes

Code Priority Description

The status codes now reflect the potential threat to life rather than purely how
abnormal the patients vital signs and physiology are. The new approach
requires ambulance officers to make an assessment of the patients problem
Cardiac / Respiratory Arrest - or injuries, combine this with their vital signs and then allocate a status code
Lights & Siren - Also broadcast based on threat to life. This gives them more leeway for common sense than
Purple Very High over the radio for closest unit to the previous purely physiology approach.
Patients have an immediate threat to life.
attend Examples would include any of the following - obstructed
Red High Lights & Sirens airway or airway needing intervention to prevent
obstruction; severe stridor, severe respiratory distress,
Legal Road Speed (proceed Status One shock unresponsive to fluid loading, multi system trauma
Orange Medium faster if needed) with very abnormal vital signs, post cardiac arrest with
coma, cardiogenic shock, coma with GCS less than or
Green Low Road Speed, Non Urgent equal to nine.
Patients have a potential threat to life.
Referred to Clinical Desk or
Grey Very Low Registered Nurse
Examples would include any of the following - moderate
stridor, moderate respiratory distress, shock responsive
to fluid loading, anyone meeting our pre-hospital
Status Two definition of major trauma but with normal or near normal
vital signs, post cardiac arrest but awake, cardiac chest
Response Codes pain unrelieved by nitrates and oxygen alone, abnormal
GCS but greater than nine.
Priority 1 Generally Lights / Siren Patients have a condition that is unlikely to be a
threat to life.
Priority 2 Generally No Lights / No Siren Status Three Examples would include any of the following - mild
stridor, mild respiratory distress, isolated SVT with no
Priority 3 Routine Transports / Outpatients other symptoms, cardiac chest pain relieved by nitrates
and oxygen alone, isolated femur fracture.
Patients have a minor condition that is no threat to
Status Four life.

Response Codes
Code 1 Urgent Job
Code 2 Non Urgent Job
Code 3 Medical Transfers
Code 4 Medical Transfers

Job Codes R31 Doctor required

R32 Senior ambulance officer required
R2 Un known - something about long history
R33 Additional ambulances required
R3 Airport Alert
R34 Cancel further ambulances
R4 Road Traffic Accident
R35 Ambulance not required
R5 Accident other than road
R36 No sign of accident or incident
R6 Medical condition
R37 Ambulance broken down
R7 Collapse
R38 Ambulance with puncture
R9 Overdose
R39 Ambulance involved in accident
R10 Drowning
R40 Request to notify hospital of condition
R12 Shooting
R41 Brawl in progress
R13 Suicide
R42 Major gang confrontation in progress
R14 Bomb alert
R43 Stabbing
R15 Explosion
R44 Domestic dispute
R16 Fire
R45 Armed offender alert
R17 Assault
R46 Rape
R18 Maternity case
R47 Ambulance officer in trouble - police required
R19 Gynecological case
R48 Flying squad, burns specialist etc
R20 Amputation
R49 Cardiac arrest in transit
R21 Electrocution
R50 Life support unit required
R22 Homicide
R51 Patient requires IV fluids
R23 DOA
R98 Non urgent - job waiting
R24 Mentally disturbed patient
R99 Urgent - job waiting
R25 Police required - urgent
R26 Police required - non urgent
R27 Fire attendance required - fire or petrol spill
R28 Fire attendance required - persons trapped
R29 MOT officer required
 Control Car Codes Category A - Hospital Authorized
Q81 Responding 100 Day Case / Outpatient Clinic
Q82 Not responding 110 Medical Transfer
Q83 Keep me informed 120 Accident Transfer
Q84 More details required 130 Admissions / Discharges
Q85 Contact by police 140 Maternity Transfer
Q86 Advise executive officer
Q87 Advise deputy or general manager Category B - Private Hire
Q88 Official all clear 200 Standby Attendance
Q89 Standby only 210 Private Transfer / Hire
Q90 Return to base
Category C - Accident
400 Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA)
410 Motorcycle Accident
420 Truck Accident
430 Bicycle Accident
440 Bus Accident
450 Pedestrian Vs Vehicle
460 Other (Road) Accident
500 Home Accident
510 Industrial Accident
520 School Accident
530 Sports Accident
540 Pedestrian Accident
550 Drowning
560 Intentional Injury (by Another Person - Assault)
570 Other Accidents
590 ACC Secondary Transport

767 Suicide Attempt

Category C - Medical etc 770 Gynecological
610 Admission 771 Obstetric / Delivery
620 Discharge 780 Psychiatric (inc. Intentional injuries to self)
630 Day Case / Outpatient 790 Hyperventilation
791 GI Bleed
Category C - Medical
793 Diarrhoea / Vomiting
700 Asthma Respiratory Other
795 Collapse
701 COAD
799 Other Medical
702 Chest Infection / Pneumonia
704 Asthma Category D - No Charge
708 Shortness of Breath
800 Police or Fire Standby
709 Other Respiratory
810 Airport Standby
710 Fits / Convulsions
820 Standby at Home
720 Drug Overdose
830 Assistance
730 Cardiac Arrest
840 Malicious False Alarm (MFA)
731 LVF / CHF
850 Area Standby
732 Cardiac Chest Pain
860 Other
733 Chest Pain
870 Event Notifications
739 Other Cardiac
900 Vehicle / Staff Transfer
740 Hypoglycemic Diabetic
741 Hyperglycemic Diabetic
750 Allergy / Anaphylaxis
760 CVA / TIA (Collapse / Altered LOC)
761 Fits / Convulsions
762 CVA / TIA
765 Psychiatric
766 Intoxicated
 GCS
GCS is the Glasgow Coma Scale and is made up of three ratings
based on how unconscious (and conscious) people respond to
different stimuli. The readings are then added together to give the
GCS. 15 is fully conscious, and anything under 9 is usually taken
as meaning that serious problems exist. The minimum score is 3.
4 Spontaneously
3 To Speech
A Eyes Open
2 To Pain
1 None
5 Orientated
4 Confused
Best Verbal
B 3 Inappropriate Words
Response
2 Incomprehensible Sounds
1 None
6 Obeys Commands
5 Localizes Pain
Best Motor 4 Withdrawal From Pain
C
Response 3 Flexion From Pain
2 Extension From Pain
1 None