User Settings (Config)

The config.R file contains all the user parameters and controls for the model. These can be categorised into several groups of parameters.

The below shows these parameters with a default assignment but this can be changed.

Parameter		Use
nreps = 10		# number of replications

Parameter		Use
n_days_week <- 7		# days in a week. constant
g.tday = 24*60		# minutes in a day. constant.

Parameter		Use
ambu_day <- 100		# Parameter to poisson , only used if demand not from file. 120 is typical daily avg per most affected trusts, but varies considerably.
n_days_warm <- 1		# days of warm-up , if demand not from file, only used to dictate time to remove for output KPI purposes.
n_days_study <- 14		# days to observe , only used if demand not from file
ndays <- n_days_warm + n_days_study		# days of study (warm-up + observe), only used if demand not from file
g.tmax=24 60 ndays;		# one day . Note: this may be different to implied by schedules.

Parameter		Use
g.T_allocatetomobilise=0		# Time period from allocate to mobilise.
g.T_traveltoscene <- 22		# Time period to travel to scene. 22 to match travel to hospital. Under assumption that ambulances can't travel from their optimal spot. All pivot back and forth from site.
g.T_atscene <- 36		# Time period at scene.
g.T_traveltohospital <- 22		# Time period to travel to hospital site.
g.T_prehandover_LN		# Time period for pre-handover. Define the logmean, logsd, offset
g.T_clear=5		# Time period for clearance
g.T_prehandoverXed <- 40		# Assumed period to pre-handover for X ED conveyances
g.T_prehandover_LN_median		# Derived field. Time period for pre-handover. Median from distribution
g.T_prehandover_LN_mean		# Derived field. Time period for pre-handover. Mean from distribution

Parameter		Use
n_ru0 <- 500		# number of staff (pool) - ideally twice of n_dsav0 (assuming all DSA vehicles and desired full use)
n_dsav0 <- 250		# number of double-staff vehicles (pool)
n_mobile0 <- min(floor(n_ru0/2),n_dsav0)		# Derived field

Parameter		Use
flag_supply_schedule_file_hED <- TRUE		# whether to use (unscaled) seasonal ED variation from Dnc file. If so, n_AEbays will be used as average A&E bays over time horizon
flag_LoS_file <- FALSE		# whether LoS should come from file.
T_AE <- 6.5		# period in AE (used if not loaded from file) , in hours
n_AEbays <- 1500*1		# number of A&E bays / A&E capacity
t_AEsupplyshock <- 7 24 60		# when to apply supply shock, in minutes from t0
dn_AEsupplyshock <- 0		# number of bays to change by, upon shock (for decrease, use negative number)

Parameter		Use
tamper_dsa_flag <- FASE		# whether to tamper with DSA supply
tamper_dsa_f <- 1		# factor by which to tamper by (1 is 'equal' / no tampering ; 1.10 and 0.9 are tampering upwards and downwards by 10%)
tamper_HO_flag <- FALSE		# whether to tamper with handover
tamper_HO_f <-1		# factor by which to tamper by (1 is 'equal' / no tampering ; 1.10 and 0.9 are tampering upwards and downwards by 10%)
tamper_HT_flag <- FALSE		# whether to 'tamper' with H&T (F2F portion)
tamper_HT_pp <- 5		# the %p of F2F incidents to become H&T, from S&T - only cat3,4
tamper_ST_flag <- FALSE		# whether to 'tamper' with S&T (conveyance)
tamper_ST_pp <- 0		# the %p to increase S&T by, from S&C - only cat3,4
DSV_holdout_flag = FALSE		# flag for use of holdout (if so, part of resource is put aside and can only be used by cat1 in given circumstances)
DSV_holdout_perc = 0.2		# percentage of on-duty fleet that is holdout
DSV_holdout_use_minqueue = 100		# minimum queue in for ain DSV in order to allow holdout to be used
flag_EDpriority_adjust = TRUE		# whether to do some deprioritising of direct vs ambulance at same acuity
p_direct_deprio <- 0.2		# the probability of direct being deprioritised compared to ambulance with same acuity

Parameter		Use
flag_renege <- FALSE		# whether to allow reneging (cat3,4)
T_renege <- 18*60		# time in minutes after which an arrival will renege
p_renege_directED <- 0.25		# probability that reneges will instead go straight to ED (rather than 'step down')
catmin_renege <- 3		# minimum category where reneges happen

flag_stepcat <- TRUE		# whether to allow calls to increase in priority after a time X
T_stepcat <- 7*60		# time in minutes after which to increase priority
catmin_stepcat <- 3		# minimum category for which this should apply (towards lower acuities)

flag_balk_amb <- FALSE		# whether to allow balking. If FALSE, nqueue_balk will be overwritten to 'Inf'
nqueue_balk <- 500		# threshold of queue size from whick balking occurs

no_ambulancesqueueingbreach <- 10		# no ambulances queueing in site for it to count as breach from new ambulance arrival perspective
no_arrivalbreaches <- 10		# trigger point: nr of arrivals in time window that observe queue length breach.

flag_dynamics <- FALSE		# whether to allow for Cat3 conveyance to dynamically adjust based on pressure
T_window_escalation_hours<-8		# cycle for escalation checks and also window used for KPI computation that informs escalation, in hours

Parameter		Use
flag_demand_schedule <- TRUE		# whether demand (poisson rate) should vary per hour (given in file) . nb not disaggregated by cat
flag_supply_schedule <- TRUE		# whether supply should follow a schedule
flag_supply_schedule_file <- TRUE		# whether this schedule comes from the file
T_window_hours<- 8		# hours per window

Parameter		Use
flag_scenarios <- TRUE		# whether to use scenario runs . Do not edit the below if under the 'else' statement (single scenario)
vec_T_AE = c(T_AE)		# vector for time in A&E (hours)
vec_tamper_dsa_flag=c(TRUE)		# vector for DSA flag
vec_tamper_dsa_f = c(1)		# vector for DSA factor
vec_tamper_HT_flag = c(FALSE)		# vector for H&T flag
vec_tamper_HT_pp = c(0)		# vector for H&T p.p. change
vec_tamper_ST_flag = c(FALSE)		# vector for S&T flag
vec_tamper_ST_pp = c(0)		# vector for S&T p.p. change

Parameter		Use
val_months = c("Month1","Month2","Month3")		# not for editing
val_month = val_months[1]		# change between 1,2,3 for some reference lines from publications to appear in graphs

Parameter		Use
flag_savedata_overallKPIs = T		# flag on whether to save overall KPI files
flag_savedata_stepwiseKPIs = T		# flag on whether to save stepwise KPI files
flag_savedata_fulllogs = F		# flag on whether to save full logs
flag_saveplots = T		# flag on whether to save plots
flag_patientpathplot = F		# plot(trajectory)
g.debug=0		# how many levels of depth of log detail to print. #0 for least.