UK Canada Emergency calls Data analysis and GEospatial mapping (EDGE) Consortium

• 2020-2021 Research England UKRI QR Strategic Priorities Fund
• 2020-2021 NIHR Applied Research Collaboration
• 2019-2020 Geography Seed Grant Funding

• Prof Niro Siriwardena (co-lead), CaHRU, University of Lincoln
• Prof Gina Agarwal (co-lead), McMaster University, Ontario, Canada
• Richard Ferron, Niagara Medical Services, Ontario, Canada
• Brent McCleod, Community Paramedicine Supervisor for Ontario region
• Rob Spaight, East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
• Prof Frank Tanser, International Institute for Rural Health Care, University of Lincoln
• Prof Mark Gussy, International Institute for Rural Health Care, University of Lincoln
• Dr Harriet Moore, School of Human Geography, University of Lincoln
• Bartholomew Hill, Water Engineering Development Centre (WEDC),  Loughborough University
• Dr Melissa Pirrie, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada
• Dr Iwona Bielska, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada
• Dr Ric Angelis, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada
• Ms Rhiannon Cooper, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada
• Prof Kamlesh Khunti, Leicester Diabetes Centre, University of Leicester
• Prof Graham Law, CaHRU, University of Lincoln

• University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
• McMaster University, Ontario, Canada
• University of Leicester, UK
• Loughborough University, UK
• Niagara Medical Services, Ontario, Canada
• East Midlands Ambulance Service NHs Trust, UK

1. To identify unique single and co-occurring spatial clusters of most commonly occurring NHS ambulatory conditions for younger and older populations using EMAS data for acute presentations in the UK, and equivalent emergency service data for Ontario, Canada.

Secondary objectives

To conduct a comparative analysis of Emergency Medical Systems (ambulance) in the UK (East Midlands) and Canada (Ontario), including:

2. To identify spatial clusters of higher/lower than expected occurrence of single and multiple acute conditions with consideration of socioeconomic and environmental factors.

3. To explore underlying mechanisms and factors that influence the spatial dynamics of emergency presentations.

4. To elucidate pathways and mechanisms that explain the observed single and multimorbidity patterns by analysing multi-scale data, including big spatial data.

5. To explore factors linked with transportation rates for acute presentations in people with underlying or multiple at-risk factors for suspected SARS-COV2 infection (e.g. chronic heart, lung and kidney disease or diabetes).

We will use this pump priming as the basis for submission for external funding to further develop research in this area on a wider scale.

Moore H, Siriwardena AN, Gussy M, Tanser F, Hill B, Spaight R (2021). Mental health emergencies and COVID-19: the impact of ‘lockdown’ in the East Midlands of the UK. British Journal of Psychology Open 7(e139): 1–7.