The standard's purpose is to improve the comparability and consistency of the information that is recorded by ambulance staff and of the information that is passed to emergency departments and other healthcare providers by ambulance trusts. With appropriate safeguards, information recorded using the standard is also used to plan, monitor and improve ambulance services.

The standard encompasses: details of the incident, details of the ambulance crew, patient details, details of the complaint (i.e. the injury or problem), information about what assessment and treatment is given by the ambulance personnel (including particular categories for trauma and cardiac incidents), information about the drugs administered, medical history, pain score, which hospital the patient is taken to, or whether the patient is treated at the scene, etc. The majority of fields are mandatory for all patients; some are conditional i.e. mandatory if the condition applies (e.g. for cardiac or trauma patients) Local additions can be made for other data considered relevant to the service.

The standard does not include data on distances travelled, the type of vehicle used, or other information about the ambulance vehicle. Electronic exchange of information with systems such as those in emergency department, general practices and personal demographics service are outside the scope of this initial standard.