Recue service in Europe: Lithuania

Statutory principles

The activity of the rescue service is regulated by the directive of the Minister for Health No. 324 of 1 July 2002 “Confirmation of the Concept of the Rescue Service” and by the Directive of the Minister of Health No. 328 of 14th June 2000 “Services of the Rescue Service, Organisation of the Basic Prices and Confirmation of the Payment Code”.

Organisation

In Lithuania, they call the rescue service “Fast medical aid” (SMH). It provides help for those people injured in accidents, traumatised or who have suddenly come down with an acute illness. Assistance is provided everywhere: At home, on the streets, at work. In addition to this, the rescue service assumes responsibility for transporting the patients and takes women who are about to give birth to hospital.

Its tasks include: First aid following accidents, in case of acute illnesses, assistance for those about to give birth or with medical problems after birth, transport of patients.

The efficiency of the rescue service is calculated according to how many emergency calls are made and processed in the time envisaged. The time after receipt of the emergency call, the so-called help deadline – that is the time interval from the alarm until help is provided to the patient – is calculated in the town in the following intervals: Up to 15 min., 26-40 min., longer than 40 min. In the rural areas: Up to 25 min., 26-40 min., longer than 40 min.

Doctors, nurses/medical orderlies and drivers work in the rescue service. An operation team consists respectively of an emergency doctor, a nurse/medical orderly and a driver.

Personnel and training

The doctors of the rescue service have a university degree and must have a licence in order to exercise this activity. The nurses/medical orderlies have undergone higher medical training and also have a corresponding licence. Doctors and nurses/medical orderlies must participate in at least 250 hours of various further training courses over 5 years, which are carried out by the further education institute for doctors (at the university) and by the further training college for nurses /medical orderlies. The drivers possess the necessary driving permission and have training as rescue aid workers.

Financing

No exact settlement statistics were available from the Ministry of Health. The work carried out by the rescue teams is still paid additionally from the state budget. The wages of the medical personnel in Lithuania are in the lowest salary class compared with the average wages of the other professions. The reasons for this are the low amounts stipulated for these services by the Ministry of Health and medical insurances. The services of the rescue service in the towns and rural regions are currently financed from the funds of the mandatory health insurance. The employer pays 3% of the salary of each employee into these funds each month.

The Lithuanian Samaritan federation does not operate a rescue service. The medical personnel of the Samaritans work with the special vehicles (aid by the ASB) during the large campaigns and provides voluntary aid (assistance until arrival at the hospital).