This week (27 October to 2 November 2025) is International Control Room Week – a time to celebrate and recognise the dedicated teams working to keep us all safe.
Our control room staff play a vital role in making sure help gets to those who need it most.
When someone dials 999, highly skilled professionals like Emma Shipley, a clinical advisor in our Lincoln Emergency Operations Centre, are working to ensure every patient gets the care they truly need.
Listening, assessing, and guiding patients
Emma’s journey with the ambulance service began in 2003 as an ambulance technician, before qualifying as a paramedic in 2005. She joined the Clinical Assessment Hub in 2014.
The Clinical Assessment Hub is where patients are assessed remotely to determine how urgent their situation is and what kind of care they need.
The team gathers a detailed history of the patient’s symptoms and concerns, looking out for any signs of serious illness.
They use their clinical judgement and decision support tools such as PaCCS (Pathways Clinical Consultation Support), which helps clinicians like Emma perform remote consultations and direct patients to the right level of care.
Emma said: “When I’m assessing patients, my job is to listen carefully and ask the right questions so I can understand what’s really going on.
“I use my clinical judgement and decision support tools – like PaCCS – to help figure out how urgent the situation is and what kind of care the person needs.
“Sometimes we use video calls, and we always look for any signs that something serious might be happening.
“Depending on what I find, I might arrange for an emergency ambulance, a same-day GP appointment, or advice from a community nurse or pharmacist.
“It’s about making sure people get the right help, whether that’s urgent care or support from another service.”
Making sure ambulances are there for the most serious emergencies
Not every 999 call results in an ambulance being sent out. Emma and her colleagues use their expertise to decide when an emergency response is needed, and when another type of care or advice is more appropriate.
This careful assessment helps ensure ambulances are available for the most serious, life-threatening emergencies, while other patients are directed to the right service for their needs.
Emma explained: “When we speak to patients or callers, we carry out a thorough assessment to work out what kind of help is needed.
“If an emergency ambulance isn’t required, we look for other ways to support people – like referring people to their GP or a local pharmacy, or arranging alternative transport such as a non-emergency ambulance, taxi, or asking a relative to help transport them to a treatment centre.
“And, if the situation changes, we’re ready to escalate and send a higher level of emergency response if needed.”
Emma shared an example of how her telephone triage made a difference for a patient.
She recalled: “I remember a call where a patient seemed to have flu-like symptoms. They were confused, had a high temperature, shortness of breath, and severe shivering.
“After gathering information, I realised they might have sepsis – a very serious infection.
“I escalated the call, and the patient was taken to hospital within 30 minutes, where they were diagnosed and treated for sepsis.”
Teamwork for better patient care
Emma works alongside paramedics, nurses, and mental health professionals in a multidisciplinary team. Together, they combine their expertise to provide coordinated, holistic care for patients, especially in complex cases.
She added: “Working in a team like this is really collaborative and always focussed on the patient.
“We all bring different skills and experience, which means we can look at the whole picture – medical, psychological, and social needs.
“That way, we make sure our patients get the most complete care possible.”
Why clinical assessments matter
Emma wants the public to know that a clinical assessment isn’t about delaying care – it’s about making sure everyone gets the right help, in the right way, at the right time.
Emma states: “Sometimes people think that arriving at A&E in an emergency ambulance thinks they’ll be seen more quickly, but that’s not always the case.
“I understand it can be frustrating when we carry out a clinical assessment, especially if someone has dialled 999 expecting an ambulance straight away.
“The reason we do these assessments is to make sure everyone gets the most appropriate help for their situation, particularly when demand for ambulances is high.
“This way, we can help patients get the right care and ensure ambulances are available for those who need them most.”
Emma believes that clinical advisors need to combine strong clinical expertise with up-to-date knowledge and excellent communication skills.
She emphasises that being able to listen actively and communicate clearly – especially in challenging situations – is essential for making the right decisions and supporting patients effectively.
Emma concluded: “It’s extremely rewarding to know I’ve helped people who are in urgent or vulnerable situations.
“Making sure they get the right care, quickly and effectively, is what makes this job so satisfying.”
Emma’s work as a Clinical Advisor is a vital part of making sure our emergency services are there for everyone who needs them – helping patients, supporting colleagues, and keeping the whole system running smoothly.