Emergency Response Network

What Is the Emergency Response Network?

The Emergency Response Network is a framework for coordinating appropriate action when a person receiving care experiences an urgent situation.

An emergency may require several activities to be organised: communicating what has happened, contacting emergency services, informing designated family members, arranging transport where available, and sharing relevant information with healthcare providers.

The network defines how these activities may connect when the necessary people, providers, and local arrangements are in place.

Its intended purpose is to help make responsibilities clearer and reduce avoidable confusion during an already stressful situation.

The network does not replace public emergency services, qualified medical professionals, or the judgement of the people providing emergency care.

Emergencies are unpredictable. Responsibilities and communication should be prepared in advance wherever possible.

Why Emergency Coordination Matters

When a person suddenly becomes unwell or experiences an injury, family members may have to make decisions under pressure.

They may need to establish:

• What has happened and where the person is.
• Whether emergency medical assistance is required.
• Who should contact the appropriate emergency service.
• Who should inform the designated family contact.
• Whether transport or hospital access needs to be coordinated.
• What relevant information should be communicated to healthcare professionals.

These tasks can become more difficult when the family lives elsewhere or when several people are involved.

A defined response procedure can help clarify responsibilities and communication routes before a situation arises. It cannot eliminate uncertainty, guarantee service availability, or ensure a particular medical outcome.

Preparation helps people understand what to do next when circumstances become difficult.

The WARA Approach

The intended Emergency Response Network is based on four principles.

1. Clear Response Responsibilities

The applicable arrangement should establish who is responsible for raising a concern, contacting the appropriate emergency service, informing designated contacts, and coordinating any agreed follow-up.

2. Appropriate Emergency Services

Medical emergencies require appropriate emergency medical assessment and care. The response procedure should direct people to qualified emergency services rather than relying on routine care personnel to manage emergencies outside their competence.

3. Local Coordination

Where suitable local arrangements exist, relevant care providers, transport services, healthcare facilities, and designated contacts may be coordinated according to their availability and responsibilities.

4. Family Communication

Where appropriate and authorised, designated family members should be informed through the agreed communication arrangements.

The availability of a responder, ambulance, hospital, communication channel, or coordination service must be established for the particular location and arrangement.

A dependable response begins with clear responsibilities, appropriate services, and realistic expectations.

How the Emergency Response Process Works

The following steps describe the intended coordination framework. The exact sequence depends on the situation, the emergency services involved, and the local arrangements available.

Step 1: Recognise the Concern and Seek Urgent Help

A concern may be reported by the person receiving care, a family member, a care provider, or another person present.

If the situation may be an emergency, the person present should contact the appropriate local emergency service immediately.

Routine care reporting or a Care Ledger entry must not delay emergency assistance.

Step 2: Communicate Relevant Information

Where possible, the person reporting the situation should communicate essential information, such as:

• The person’s location.
• The nature of the observed problem.
• Any immediate safety concern.
• Relevant information requested by emergency services.
• A suitable contact person, where appropriate.

Information should be accurate and limited to what is relevant. A care provider should communicate observations without attempting to make a diagnosis beyond their qualifications.

Step 3: Inform the Designated Contacts

According to the agreed procedure, the responsible person may contact the designated family member or other relevant contact.

This communication helps establish who has been informed and what coordination may still be needed.

The actual response time and available communication channels depend on the arrangements in place.

Step 4: Coordinate Additional Support Where Available

Depending on the situation, further coordination may involve:

• Communicating with an appropriate ambulance or transport provider.
• Sharing relevant information with a receiving healthcare facility.
• Helping the family understand the next coordination step.
• Contacting other agreed service providers when their involvement is appropriate.

Emergency transport and hospital services remain subject to availability, their own procedures, and clinical requirements. A pre-identified provider does not guarantee an available vehicle, immediate pickup, or hospital admission.

Step 5: Maintain Appropriate Communication and Follow-up

Where the arrangement supports it, relevant updates may be communicated to designated family members and responsible participants.

Follow-up may include clarifying the status of an agreed coordination task or discussing additional care needs after the immediate emergency has been addressed.

Routine care coordination does not replace the emergency service’s instructions or ongoing clinical management.

The objective is to make the next appropriate action clearer—not to promise that every step can be automated or completed immediately.

The Envisioned Future Emergency Workflow

WARA’s long-term vision is to develop a structured emergency workflow that connects the person experiencing an emergency with the appropriate local response, transport, healthcare facility, and family communication.

The intended sequence is:

Emergency → Alert → Local Response → Ambulance → Hospital → Family Updates → Follow-up

This is a target operating model for future implementation. Each step will depend on suitable technology, trained personnel, local service partners, confirmed operating procedures, and service availability.

Step 1: Emergency Identified and Alert Raised

An emergency may be reported by the person receiving care, a family member, a care provider, or another authorised participant.

In the future system, an alert could be raised through an appropriate reporting channel and associated with the person’s care profile and location, where the necessary information and technology are available.

The alert should capture essential information for coordination, such as:

• The person’s identity and location.
• The nature of the reported emergency.
• The time the emergency was reported.
• The person raising the alert.
• Relevant information needed by emergency responders.

Automated alerts based on monitoring devices or other signals would require separately implemented and validated capabilities.

Target outcome: The emergency is communicated through a defined channel, with the essential information available to the people responsible for the next action.

Step 2: Local Response and Initial Coordination

The future workflow would identify the appropriate local contact or response resource according to the person’s location and the type of emergency.

Where a trained and available local responder is part of the confirmed arrangement, that person could be contacted to provide assistance within their training and role, support communication, and help coordinate the next steps.

The workflow should record whether the contact was reached and whether further assistance is required.

A local responder must not delay emergency medical assistance while travelling to the person or attempting to assess a condition outside their competence.

Target outcome: The appropriate local support is contacted, while urgent emergency services are engaged without unnecessary delay.

Step 3: Emergency Transport Coordination

Where ambulance transport is required, the future system would help initiate contact with an appropriate emergency transport provider.

The intended workflow could include:

• Identifying suitable transport providers for the location.
• Communicating the pickup location and relevant information.
• Recording the request and its status.
• Communicating updates to the responsible contact.
• Identifying an alternative escalation route if the expected service is unavailable.

The system should not assume that the nearest ambulance is available or automatically assign a vehicle unless a validated integration and an agreed provider arrangement support that function.

Target outcome: Transport coordination follows a defined process, with its status communicated to the appropriate participants.

Step 4: Hospital and Healthcare Coordination

Where hospital care is required, the future workflow would support communication with an appropriate healthcare facility.

Depending on the arrangements and available integrations, this could include:

• Identifying relevant healthcare facilities.
• Communicating essential information about the situation.
• Sharing authorised information needed for continuity of care.
• Recording coordination and contact status.
• Helping the family understand the next practical steps.

The receiving healthcare facility retains responsibility for its clinical assessment, treatment, admission decisions, and capacity.

Target outcome: Relevant healthcare coordination begins as early as practicable, without assuming that admission or a particular treatment is guaranteed.

Step 5: Family Notification and Status Updates

The future workflow would provide a structured way to inform the designated family contact and communicate meaningful status changes.

Possible status milestones include:

1. Emergency reported.
2. Appropriate emergency service contacted.
3. Local support contacted, where applicable.
4. Transport requested or status confirmed, where available.
5. Healthcare facility contacted, where appropriate.
6. Relevant follow-up information recorded.

The system should distinguish between an action being requested, a contact being reached, and an action being confirmed as completed.

Notifications would depend on the communication capabilities implemented and the arrangements agreed with the family. The workflow should also define what happens if a notification cannot be delivered or acknowledged.

Target outcome: Authorised family members receive appropriate, reliable information about the coordination process, within the capabilities of the service.

Step 6: Care Ledger Record and Accountability

The future Care Ledger would provide a structured record of the emergency coordination process.

Where the required capabilities are implemented, the record could include:

• When the emergency was reported.
• Who raised the alert.
• Which contacts or services were engaged.
• The status of transport and healthcare coordination.
• Relevant communication and actions taken.
• Outstanding tasks and follow-up responsibilities.

The record should distinguish verified events from reported information and pending actions. It should also maintain appropriate access controls and an audit trail.

The Care Ledger would support accountability and review; it would not independently provide emergency medical care or guarantee that an alert is acted upon.

Target outcome: Relevant actions and their status can be reviewed by authorised people after the event.

Step 7: Follow-up and Return to the Care Process

Once the immediate emergency has been addressed, the care arrangement may need to change.

Depending on the person’s circumstances, follow-up could involve:

• Communicating relevant updates to authorised family members.
• Reviewing the person’s new care requirements.
• Coordinating healthcare follow-up where available.
• Exploring appropriate home-care or recovery support.
• Reviewing whether the existing care plan needs adjustment.
• Documenting outstanding actions and responsibilities.

The relevant CareNets would remain distinct: HomeCareNet for everyday assistance, ElderCareNet for agreed check-ins and communication, HealthCareNet for healthcare access and follow-up coordination, and AyushCareNet for appropriate recovery and rehabilitation support.

Target outcome: Emergency coordination connects back to the wider care journey when further support is needed.

The Intended End-to-End Workflow

The target workflow can be summarised as follows:

Emergency reported → Alert recorded → Emergency services contacted → Local response coordinated where available → Transport coordinated where required → Healthcare facility contacted where appropriate → Family informed → Actions recorded → Follow-up and care plan reviewed

These activities may overlap rather than occur strictly one after another. In particular, contacting emergency services must not wait for local coordination, transport arrangements, family notifications, or Care Ledger updates.

Conditions Required Before This Workflow Can Be Relied Upon

This future workflow will require more than a digital alert mechanism. It will depend on:

• Confirmed local emergency and transport partners.
• Clearly assigned operational responsibilities.
• Trained personnel and defined role boundaries.
• Agreed contact, escalation, and fallback procedures.
• Reliable communication channels and appropriate technical integrations.
• Suitable access controls, consent, and handling of sensitive information.
• Testing and operational validation across the locations where the service is offered.

Until these elements are implemented and confirmed, the workflow should be understood as WARA’s intended operating model—not as a currently available or guaranteed emergency response service.

The objective is to connect people, services, and information around an emergency through a defined and accountable process.

Key Components of the Network

The Emergency Response Network may involve several distinct components, depending on local availability and the arrangements established.

Family and Designated Contacts

Family members and authorised contacts provide relevant information, communicate concerns, and participate in decisions or follow-up where appropriate.

The arrangement should clarify whom to contact and how information is shared.

Care Providers and Local Support

A care provider or other person present may be the first to notice a problem and communicate relevant observations.

Their responsibility is limited to their role, competence, training, and the procedures that apply. They should not be assumed to be an emergency medical responder.

Emergency Transport Providers

Where suitable arrangements exist, ambulance or other appropriate transport providers may be contacted.

Availability, response times, transport decisions, and service coverage are determined by the provider and the circumstances of the emergency.

Healthcare Facilities

Hospitals and other healthcare facilities provide assessment and treatment through their own clinical and admission processes.

Communication or coordination with a facility does not guarantee that it will be able to accept a patient or provide a particular treatment.

Coordination and Records

Where the relevant processes and capabilities are available, a responsible contact may coordinate communication and record relevant actions or follow-up.

The Care Ledger may support appropriate record-keeping, but it should not be assumed to automatically detect emergencies or dispatch responders.

How the Network Connects to WARA’s Four CareNets

The Emergency Response Network is a supporting coordination capability, not an additional CareNet. Its relationship with the four CareNets depends on the situation.

ElderCareNet — Check-ins and Communication

Agreed check-ins and reporting may help communicate a concern when something appears to need attention.

Routine check-ins are not a substitute for emergency surveillance or guaranteed detection of a medical emergency.

HomeCareNet — Everyday Care at Home

A home-care provider may notice a concern while delivering agreed assistance and communicate it through the appropriate procedure.

Everyday care responsibilities do not automatically include emergency medical response.

HealthCareNet — Healthcare Access

Where appropriate and available, HealthCareNet may support coordination around access to healthcare services, referrals, or follow-up.

Emergency assessment and treatment remain the responsibility of the appropriate emergency and healthcare professionals.

AyushCareNet — Recovery and Continuing Well-being

After an emergency has been assessed and treated, appropriate recovery or rehabilitation support may be explored where suitable.

AyushCareNet does not replace emergency treatment or urgent clinical assessment.

The Role of the Care Ledger

The Care Ledger is intended to support structured records of agreed care activities, relevant observations, coordination actions, and follow-up.

Where the appropriate capability is available, an emergency-related record may help document information such as:

• A reported concern.
• The person or service contacted.
• Relevant communication and coordination actions.
• Outstanding follow-up tasks.

These records can support accountability and later review. They should not be treated as a substitute for calling emergency services, nor should families assume that an entry automatically generates an alert or initiates a response.

[Learn about the Care Ledger](/care/ how-care-works/care-ledger/)

A Practical Example

Consider an older person receiving care at home who suddenly appears seriously unwell while a family member is in another city.

A suitable response may involve the following:

1. The person present recognises the urgency and contacts the appropriate emergency service.
2. Relevant information about the location and observed problem is communicated.
3. The designated family contact is informed when appropriate, without delaying emergency assistance.
4. Transport and healthcare access are coordinated through the relevant providers, subject to availability.
5. The person receives assessment and treatment from qualified professionals.
6. Appropriate follow-up and care coordination are discussed once the immediate situation allows.

If the agreed WARA arrangement includes relevant coordination support, the responsible contact may assist with communication or follow-up within that scope.

This is an illustrative workflow, not a guarantee that WARA can dispatch a responder, arrange an ambulance, secure hospital admission, or provide continuous updates in every location.

The priority is appropriate emergency assistance first, with additional coordination where available.

What Families Should Establish in Advance

Families can reduce uncertainty by discussing emergency arrangements before a situation arises.

Depending on their circumstances, useful preparations may include:

• Keeping relevant emergency contact numbers accessible.
• Identifying the person’s address and any practical access information.
• Establishing who should be contacted and in what circumstances.
• Keeping important medical information accessible to appropriate people.
• Understanding the scope and limitations of the care service.
• Confirming whether any emergency coordination arrangement is actually available.
• Knowing which responsibilities remain with the family, care provider, emergency services, and healthcare professionals.

The appropriate preparation depends on the person’s needs and the services available locally.

What the Emergency Response Network Does—and Does Not—Promise

The network provides a framework for organising responsibilities and coordination around emergencies.

It does not, by itself, guarantee:

• Automatic emergency detection or alert generation.
• A responder reaching the person within a specified time.
• An immediately available ambulance.
• A hospital being ready to admit the person.
• Continuous tracking or uninterrupted family updates.
• A particular treatment or health outcome.

Specific capabilities should be confirmed before a family relies on them. Where an emergency arrangement has not been explicitly established, families should not assume that WARA provides that response.

The Long-Term Direction

WARA’s longer-term direction is to develop more structured ways of connecting care coordination, local service providers, healthcare access, and appropriate follow-up.

As capabilities and partnerships mature, the network may support more consistent response procedures, clearer communication, and better documentation of coordination activities.

Any future capabilities involving automated alerts, responder dispatch, transport coordination, or status tracking should be introduced only when the necessary technology, local partners, operational procedures, and accountability arrangements are in place.

The purpose is to build a more dependable framework for coordination—not to replace emergency services or promise outcomes that cannot be guaranteed.

Care With Clear Responsibilities

An emergency is difficult enough without uncertainty about whom to contact or what a care arrangement includes.

WARA’s Emergency Response Network defines a framework for organising appropriate communication and coordination where suitable arrangements are available. Families should understand those arrangements and their limits before relying on them.

For help exploring care and coordination options for your loved one, begin with your family’s situation.

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