Ambulance UK December 2021
Ambulance UK December 2021
Ambulance UK December 2021
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Volume 36 No. 6<br />
<strong>December</strong> <strong>2021</strong><br />
DEDICATED TO THE AMBULANCE SERVICE AND ITS SUPPLIERS<br />
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CONTENTS<br />
CONTENTS<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> <strong>UK</strong><br />
172 EDITOR’S COMMENT<br />
174 FEATURES<br />
174 The opportunities of BLS self-directed learning (SDL)<br />
in a post Covid world<br />
177 Ventilation Monitoring Explained: EOLIFE and<br />
Monivent<br />
178 NEWSLINE<br />
197 IN PERSON<br />
198 COMPANY NEWS<br />
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EDITOR’S COMMENT<br />
EDITOR’S COMMENT<br />
Welcome to this Christmas Edition of A<strong>UK</strong>.<br />
Having listened to this morning’s news about a new strain of Covid so close to the Christmas period,<br />
I suppose there will be an awful lot of nervousness about this year’s planned celebrations. There will no<br />
doubt also be an increased nervousness amongst the operational leads of ambulance trusts already seeing<br />
an increase in seasonal demand. On the reverse side it is reassuring to see the speed at which not only<br />
was the mutation identified but controls introduced. Unfortunately, this will create difficulties for many <strong>UK</strong><br />
citizens already on or returning from long awaited holidays in the Southern Hemisphere and spare a thought<br />
also about the impact of quarantine hotels on the Christmas budget.<br />
“There is<br />
little that<br />
can be done<br />
to stop the<br />
spread of a<br />
virus other<br />
than by<br />
educating<br />
and trusting<br />
the public to<br />
undertake<br />
simple<br />
precautions.”<br />
With this in mind its prudent to be both sensible yet optimistic. There is little that can be done to stop the<br />
spread of a virus other than by educating and trusting the public to undertake simple precautions. As<br />
healthcare professionals it falls to us to set an example and, in fairness, professional life has changed<br />
very little from last year. The ongoing debate about mandatory vaccination though is a slightly different<br />
matter. On one hand there is an argument that it is essential for personal, family and patient protection, on<br />
the other that the right to choose has been embedded in our culture for centuries. I’m not sure which side<br />
of the fence I come down on because whilst not a great fan of vaccination (or any medication that I can<br />
avoid!), I did feel that on a population level there was almost a duty to volunteer for the greater good, so<br />
had the jabs. I can though, empathise with those facing the loss of their livelihoods because of any number<br />
of reasons why they felt unable to take up the vaccine offer, I also note the unrest mandatory treatment is<br />
having amongst our continental neighbours. I suppose I’m more a fan of the carrot than the stick and in this<br />
case, to me, it makes far more sense to change opinion than to punish non-compliance. The ask here is<br />
thus to promote the vaccine wherever there is an opportunity and use our professional skills and knowledge<br />
to assuage any fears that are reflected to us, every contact counts.<br />
So, optimistically, we don’t really know how this new strain will behave or the effect on hospitalisation or<br />
illness, so while the sun is shining on the snow white landscape of Lancashire and it feels like Christmas<br />
at last, let’s try not to be too downbeat…yet! I hope you and your families enjoy a wonderful time this<br />
Christmas, in whatever form that takes and irrespective of what may be round the corner.<br />
Sam English, Co-Editor <strong>Ambulance</strong> <strong>UK</strong><br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
172<br />
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Volume 35 No. 5<br />
DEDICATED TO THE AMBULANCE SERVICE AND ITS SUPPLIERS<br />
October 2020<br />
Volume 7 No. 2<br />
Autumn 2020<br />
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FEATURE<br />
THE OPPORTUNITIES OF BLS<br />
SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING (SDL)<br />
IN A POST COVID WORLD<br />
Brayden Online supporting self-directed learning<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
The recent Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting backlog of<br />
Basic Life Support (BLS) training is reportedly putting increasing<br />
pressure on training departments that are struggling to meet their<br />
BLS certification compliance targets. This article looks at the<br />
Brayden Online system and how through close collaboration with<br />
resuscitation educators and instructors, Self Directed Learning (SDL)<br />
BLS training is now enabling high quality training and assessment for<br />
a high throughput of trainees that is both cost and time efficient.<br />
Self-directed learning is not a new pedagogical approach in healthcare<br />
education having successfully been employed in a wide variety of<br />
training programs across multiple clinical disciplines and related<br />
curricula 1,2 . However, the teaching of Basic Life Support through SDL<br />
has presented some unique challenges to the clinical community 3 . It<br />
has been suggested that theoretical eLearning programs combined<br />
with practical CPR skills training have not yet convincingly proven to be<br />
consistent quality training experiences, whilst subscription costs and<br />
reduced management controls for the instructor in some systems have<br />
also been seen as prohibitive factors.<br />
Commenting on the issues of integrating SDL systems into BLS training,<br />
Kevin Mackie, Lead for Education at Resuscitation Council <strong>UK</strong> said,<br />
‘We have steered away from SDL training through sole use of eLearning<br />
because the muscle memory of practicing CPR skills on a manikin is<br />
actually much more important than knowing the theory. The approach<br />
we are looking at here is blended learning, which must include a<br />
practical, hands-on component 4,5,6 . Instructors can direct their trainees<br />
to extensive eLearning resources to cover BLS theory; resources which<br />
are now highly engaging and immersive e.g. Healthcare Education<br />
England, E-Learning for Healthcare (eLFH). Once completed, trainees<br />
can then practice on a manikin at a time convenient to them. A good<br />
SDL system gives the student easy to interpret, real-time feedback<br />
on their performance allowing them to make instant improvements to<br />
the quality of their CPR 7,8 . They can then progress to an assessment<br />
that provides full debrief metrics, if successful, this sends a certificate<br />
direct to their email and the organisation’s LMS (Learning Management<br />
System) - all in one simple, streamlined process.’<br />
Objective versus subjective assessment<br />
‘One of the challenges of previous SDL systems has been the averaging<br />
out of metrics, which gave trainees anomalous scores across the<br />
different systems’, continued Mackie. ‘Working with Brayden on this<br />
aspect of the system, we know the metrics have been inputted by <strong>UK</strong><br />
and Global professionals, where every single element of CPR has been<br />
looked at and weighted accordingly – it’s the professional standard of<br />
expected performance 9 .’<br />
‘Objective and repeatable assessment is I feel pivotal to ensure<br />
consistent, high standards of CPR from all healthcare staff required to<br />
initiate BLS in cardiac arrests. Recent research 10 found that subjective<br />
assessment has been shown to be inconsistent when compared with<br />
objective assessment. Resuscitation trainers will be all too familiar with<br />
the pressures of progressing large cohorts of BLS trainees in classroom<br />
settings, where time and logistical constraints have meant that some<br />
have been passed as ‘good enough’ rather than attaining the higher<br />
standards we would all wish.<br />
The 24/7, high frequency, low fidelity nature of this system’s set up,<br />
enabling trainees to practice as their own schedules allow to reach the<br />
standards we set, then be assessed and certified accordingly, makes a<br />
compelling case for SDL BLS training, not just as a solution for present<br />
training challenges in Covid times but as the standard training approach<br />
for the future 11 .’<br />
Integration and instructor autonomy within<br />
a hospital’s Learning Management System<br />
(LMS) –<br />
The Genk Experience<br />
Sylvain Haekens, Head of Training and Development at Ziekenhuis<br />
Oost-Limburg, Genk in Belgium looked at SDL BLS training solutions<br />
six years ago with two primary needs in mind; a system that could be<br />
integrated into the hospital’s new LMS and a training program that could<br />
provide objective assessment to ensure high standards of CPR across<br />
the hospital.<br />
‘The hospital has approximately 4,000 employees and my department<br />
is responsible for all education and development programs for<br />
both doctors and nurses. I am constantly looking at opportunities<br />
to maximise both cost and time efficiencies in our programs, while<br />
maintaining the highest standards in both educational delivery and<br />
outcomes,’ said Haekens.<br />
‘The Brayden Online system caught my attention because it had the<br />
174<br />
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FEATURE<br />
operational flexibility I needed. The hospital’s LMS system organises<br />
the scheduling of our trainees, who go to our CPR room where they<br />
can learn or refresh their skills on the Brayden manikins (adult and/<br />
or infant), take the assessment and a certificate is automatically sent<br />
to their emails at the same time as updating our LMS system. Our<br />
hospital LMS system also automatically sends staff renewal invites<br />
within the time period we set. This automatic processing of staff records<br />
through the integration of the Brayden Online system has significantly<br />
reduced the administrative workload of our BLS training program saving<br />
the department both time and money. This has allowed us to divert<br />
resources to our more instructor intensive ALS programs. When the<br />
parameters change for CPR performance, we can of course update<br />
those markers on the Brayden system, but otherwise, our BLS program<br />
virtually runs itself and ensures demonstrable high standards of CPR<br />
competence at both an individual and organisational level.’<br />
Introducing SDL has reduced the need for us to do face to face<br />
teaching. The system has been easy to use and the staff like the SDL<br />
method of practicing and taking their test. It has freed my staff up for<br />
other things such as our ILS and ALS courses, which are also down on<br />
compliance.<br />
We are a large NHS Hospital Trust with up to 9,000 staff. Since<br />
introducing Brayden Online, we have recovered our compliance rating<br />
of 85% far quicker than we could have done with our face-to-face<br />
program. At the height of Covid we had dropped down to 62%, so the<br />
Brayden Online system has been really beneficial.’<br />
Catching up to pre-covid levels of BLS<br />
compliance through self-assessment<br />
The St. George’s Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust<br />
experience<br />
Jeannie Walls, Lead Resuscitation Officer at St. George’s Hospital<br />
highlighted the significant impact of the pandemic on BLS compliance<br />
targets in hospitals across the country. ‘We had a huge reduction in<br />
compliance over Covid due to having to stop face-to-face sessions<br />
during the peak wave periods. When we could resume, our class sizes<br />
were reduced drastically in order to enable social distancing and our<br />
training team was reduced by half with staff sent to work in the ITU.<br />
We had to find other solutions. We decided on compression only CPR<br />
to reduce the risk of having two people working so closely together. In<br />
a hospital setting, the most important BLS learning objective is early<br />
hands-on compressions as full resuscitation support will never be<br />
more than three minutes away. We introduced the eLFH Level 2 online<br />
module, so staff could cover the theoretical learning before attending<br />
the practical sessions in our self-assessment pod on the Brayden Online<br />
manikin system. Staff were noticeably more fully prepared prior to their<br />
online self-assessment.<br />
Greater efficiencies in BLS training that go<br />
beyond the classroom<br />
The District General Hospital Experience – Darent Valley Hospital<br />
Rob Morrison, Resuscitation Officer at Darent Valley Hospital cited<br />
similar challenges to St. George’s and comments on how quickly he<br />
has been able to embed SDL into the hospital’s BLS training program.<br />
‘It was the Covid situation that triggered the shift in our training. I was<br />
not convinced about this type of training before, and it took me to use<br />
the system to become convinced. I was told I had to stop mandatory<br />
training for three months, which resulted in a significant backlog. I was<br />
really struggling but Brayden’s SDL system has resolved most of my<br />
problems for BLS. It’s easy- to- use and so the staff have been very<br />
receptive to it. We now use the Brayden Online system for infant and<br />
paediatric CPR certification as well as adult 12 . I can quickly identify<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
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175
FEATURE<br />
staff who are struggling to perform correct CPR and so run supervised<br />
sessions for one-to-one instruction as necessary. The training room<br />
is open 24/7 and I have had staff coming here on night shifts at 5am<br />
to practice CPR. Clinical staff who need re-certification for BLS can<br />
optimise their valuable time with patients by accessing refresher training<br />
and assessment convenient to their shifts rather than attending a<br />
scheduled class. This level of flexibility for training such a high number<br />
of clinical staff has been an added benefit of the system.<br />
The data trail the system provides for auditing, compliance and<br />
governance has created much greater efficiencies in our BLS program.’<br />
healthcare professionals and amongst students in Italy. Nurse<br />
Education in Practice 2012 12, 153-158<br />
3. Roppolo L, Heymann R, Pepe P, Wagner J, Commons B, Miller R,<br />
et al. Wainscott M, Idris A. A randomised controlled trial comparing<br />
traditional training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to selfdirected<br />
CPR learning in first year medical students: The two-person<br />
CPR study. Resuscitation 2011 82, 319-325<br />
4. Gagnon M, Gagnon J, Desmartis M, Njoya M. The impact<br />
of blended teaching on knowledge, satisfaction, and selfdirected<br />
learning in nursing<br />
undergraduates: A randomised,<br />
controlled trial. Nursing Education<br />
Perspectives 34(6) 377-382<br />
5. Lotrecchiano G, McDonald<br />
P, Lyons L, Long T, Zajiek-Farber<br />
M. Blended learning: Strengths,<br />
challenges, and lessons learned<br />
in an interprofessional training<br />
program. Matern. Child Health<br />
2013 17 1725-1734<br />
6. Lehmann R, Thiessen C, Frick<br />
B et al. Improving paediatric basic<br />
life support performance through<br />
blended learning with web-based<br />
virtual patients: randomised<br />
controlled trial. J Med Internet<br />
Res 2015 17:e17:e162, doi:http://<br />
dx.doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4141<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
Commenting on the Brayden Online development project, Dr. Jonathan<br />
Smart, Global Product Development Director concluded, ‘It has been<br />
a privilege and as it has turned out, quite fortuitous in these Covid<br />
times to have partnered so closely with key opinion leaders in the<br />
resuscitation community. By listening and applying what we have<br />
learnt to our Brayden Online system and adapting it for use in an SDL<br />
teaching environment, we are proud to be helping restore high levels<br />
of BLS competence amongst hospital staff in such difficult times.<br />
We look forward to further supporting all those who teach or practice<br />
resuscitation by continuing to learn and develop new training solutions,<br />
as we work together towards improving patient outcomes.’<br />
For further information about Brayden Online please contact:<br />
enquiries@innosonian.eu<br />
References:<br />
1. O,Shea E. Self-directed learning in nurse education: a review of the<br />
literature. Journal of Advanced Nursing 2003 43(1), 62-70<br />
2. Cadorin L, Suter N, Dante A, Williamson S, Devetti A, Pales A.<br />
Self-directed learning competence assessment within different<br />
7. Yeung j, Meeks R, Edelsen D,<br />
Gao F, Soar J, Perkins GD et al.<br />
The use of CPR feedback/prompt<br />
devices during training and CPR<br />
performance: A systematic review.<br />
Resuscitation 2009 80 743-751<br />
8. Smart J, Kranz K, Carmona F, Lindner T, Newton A. Does real-time<br />
objective feedback and competition improve performance and<br />
quality in manikin CPR training – a prospective observational study<br />
from several European EMS. Scandinavian Journal of Trauma,<br />
Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine 2015 23:79<br />
9. Smart J. Brayden Pro – lessons learnt to help develop the ideal CPR<br />
training manikin. Resuscitation Today 2017 4(2) 3-4<br />
10. Abelsson A, Gwinnutt C, Greig P, Smart J, Mackie K. Validating<br />
peer-led assessments of CPR performance. Resusc Plus. 2020 3<br />
(100022). Published 2020 Aug 6. doi:10.1016/j.resplu.2020.100022<br />
11. Yeung J, Djarv T, Hsieh M, Sawyer T, Lockey A Finn J, Grief R.<br />
Spaced learning versus massed learning in resuscitation – A<br />
systematic review. Resuscitation 2020 (156) 61-71<br />
12. Abelsson A, Szarpak L, Morrison R, Smart J. Real-time objective<br />
feedback for infant CPR using a novel new infant manikin: A<br />
pilot study with paediatric nurses in the <strong>UK</strong>. <strong>2021</strong> IMSH Poster<br />
presentation.<br />
176<br />
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FEATURE<br />
VENTILATION MONITORING EXPLAINED:<br />
EOLIFE AND MONIVENT<br />
David Halliwell MSc Paramedic<br />
Key Points:<br />
1. Providing adequate ventilation during CPR is essential to maintain gas<br />
exchange for adequate carbon dioxide removal and sufficient arterial<br />
oxygen content, while minimizing the risk of impaired circulation<br />
2. The most critical problem remains hyperventilation which increases<br />
intrathoracic pressures and impairs haemodynamics<br />
3. Caregivers, regardless of experience, hyperventilate patients in 80%<br />
of cases (Chang et al 2019)<br />
4. Effective ventilations in out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest could double<br />
the chance of survival to Hospital discharge (Khoury et al 2016)<br />
In a world where litigation is increasingly being used against Emergency<br />
Medical Service (EMS) providers there has been a growth in products being<br />
designed to minimise pressure and volume related injury in Resuscitation,<br />
and to reduce the Human Factors associated with Hyperventilation.<br />
This paper supports the use of 2 products from 2 manufacturers both of<br />
which are designed to eliminate harm from the Resuscitation process.<br />
Monivent (www.monivent.se) manufactured in Sweden is designed<br />
to educate and eliminate the harm associated with Newborn and<br />
Neonatal Resuscitation, whilst EOlife from the French company Archeon<br />
is designed for use on Adults. Both have Training versions of their<br />
respective devices as well as those designed for clinical use.<br />
Interestingly, a study by Mcinness et al published in 2011 reported that<br />
in hospital resuscitation teams were also hyperventilating patients in<br />
about 63% of cases this may not be that surprising, but the interesting<br />
bit was that after controlling for location of arrest and initial event rhythm,<br />
resuscitations that occurred on nights/weekends were 3.6 times<br />
(CI 95 : 1.6–7.9, p < 0.01) more likely to have a ventilation rate exceeding<br />
the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines.<br />
Whilst we probably all acknowledge the stressors associated with a<br />
cardiac arrest, the teams at both Monivent and Archeon have devised<br />
mechanical / technical solutions which enable us to reduce the human<br />
factors, and control our physical performance and thereby reduce the<br />
occurrence of hypervention.<br />
Monivent uses a Volume and Pressure sensor between the paediatric<br />
resuscitation self inflating Bag and the associated Mask – it allows<br />
rescuers to see when they are delivering 6ml / kg and gives detailed<br />
information in relation to baby Ventilation pressures and Ventilation Rates –<br />
the inflation inspiration is transmitted in real time from the pressure sensor<br />
to a tablet PC. Monivent can also be used with a T piece resuscitator.<br />
There have been a number of studies outlining just how common it is to<br />
see Hyperventilation in EMS, and the wider Hospital based Resuscitation<br />
community. One of the seminal resuscitation studies from Aufderheide in<br />
2004, showed the resuscitation community that Hyperventilation of Adults<br />
was common in Pre Hospital Care with Rates of 30+ In 13 consecutive<br />
adults (average age, 63 +/- 5.8 yrs) receiving CPR -the average ventilation<br />
rate was 30 +/- 3.2 breaths/min (range, 15 to 49 breaths/min) and the<br />
average duration of each breath was 1.0 +/- 0.07 sec. No patient survived.<br />
The author of this article remembers the Aufderheide paper, because<br />
he repeated in an Animal study the exact respiratory rates and<br />
ventilatory pressures that had been recorded in the human based EMS<br />
care studied - his conclusions and findings were shockingly similar –<br />
Hyperventilation by Rate, Volume and Pressure kills.<br />
Monivent being used with a T Piece resuscitator<br />
EOlife the Adult Ventilation Monitor has the display on a screen which<br />
also sits in the space between the Self inflating Resuscitation Bag and<br />
the Mask – Simple to use, Lightweight and Trusted by Resuscitation<br />
experts it is gaining prominence.<br />
Despite seemingly adequate training, professional rescuers consistently<br />
hyperventilated patients during out-of-hospital CPR. Subsequent<br />
hemodynamic and survival studies in pigs demonstrated that excessive<br />
ventilation rates significantly decreased coronary perfusion pressures<br />
and survival rates, despite supplemental CO2 to prevent hypocapnia.<br />
Aufderheide felt that you could not train out Hyperventilation – Rescuers were<br />
Unconsciously Unaware of their behaviours, which were being affected<br />
by external factors – The Stress and Responsibility of being called to an<br />
Adult or Paediatric Arrest, the Driving and Physical exertion of getting to the<br />
scene, the other factors in a resuscitation such as rotating through the chest<br />
compression phase and of course the need for incredible teamwork, added<br />
to which - Airway management, Drugs, Algorithms all increase the cognitive<br />
load of the rescuers and reduce the likelihood of a perfect performance.<br />
The EOlife device from Archeon<br />
Please contact sales@mdtglobalsolutions.com to get hands on.<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
References<br />
Aufderheide TP, Lurie KG. Death by hyperventilation: a common and life-threatening problem during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Crit Care Med. 2004;32(Suppl.):S345–51.<br />
Chang MP, Lu Y, Laroux B, 2019, Association of Ventilation with Outcomes from Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest. Resuscitation AUG 141 ; 174-181<br />
Khoury A, Sall FS, De Luca A, Pugin A, Pili Floury s, Pazart L,Capellier G. (2016) Evaluation of Bag Valve Mask Ventilation in manikin studies ; what are the current limitations? Biomed Res intl<br />
Mcinness et al (2011) The first quantitative report of ventilation rate during in-hospital resuscitation of older children and Adelescents, Resuscitation:2011 Aug 82(8) 1025-1029<br />
Wik L, Kramer-Johansen J, Myklebust H, et al. Quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. JAMA. 2005;293:299–304. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]<br />
177
NEWSLINE<br />
HELP Appeal donates<br />
£300K to Magpas Air<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> new base<br />
Magpas Air <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
welcomed Robert Bertram,<br />
Chief Executive of the HELP<br />
Appeal to its airbase in<br />
Cambridgeshire after receiving<br />
a £300,000 donation to its<br />
‘Future 50’ appeal to fund a new<br />
airbase. During the visit he met<br />
with Magpas Air <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
CEO, Daryl Brown MBE, to<br />
find out more about the new<br />
base, which is due to start<br />
construction at the end of the<br />
year.<br />
The HELP Appeal is the only<br />
charity in the country that funds<br />
the development of helipads at<br />
Major Trauma Centres, key A&E<br />
hospitals and air ambulance<br />
bases. It has donated £300,000<br />
to fund the helipad at the new<br />
Magpas Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> air base<br />
in Alconbury Weald, a significant<br />
contribution to the £3 million<br />
appeal which will enable Magpas<br />
to continue providing their 24/7<br />
lifesaving service.<br />
Robert Bertram, Chief Executive<br />
of the HELP Appeal explained,<br />
“The HELP Appeal is best known<br />
for funding hospital helipads.<br />
But this isn’t all we do to help air<br />
ambulances save time in getting<br />
critically ill patients the emergency<br />
care that they need. We are very<br />
proud that this is our ninth air<br />
ambulance base helipad that<br />
we’ve helped to fund.”<br />
Magpas Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> provides<br />
emergency lifesaving care in<br />
Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire<br />
and across the East of England<br />
and can reach 12 counties and<br />
a population of over 10 million in<br />
their AW169 helicopter.<br />
The charity needed to re-locate<br />
from its current base after the land<br />
it occupies was sold. However,<br />
the challenge of relocating also<br />
provided Magpas Air <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
with the opportunity to look for a<br />
site which could reduce dispatch<br />
times and accommodate an<br />
airbase better equipped to support<br />
its growing 24 hour operations.<br />
Having already purchased the<br />
land at Alconbury Weald and<br />
obtaining planning permission,<br />
the HELP Appeal’s £300,000<br />
donation is an important step in<br />
raising the £3 million needed to<br />
complete the project.<br />
Daryl Brown MBE, Chief Executive<br />
of Magpas Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity<br />
says:<br />
“We are so grateful for the support<br />
of the HELP Appeal. This donation<br />
is an important step in making our<br />
plans for a new airbase a reality and<br />
achieving the aims of our ‘Future<br />
50’ appeal; to continue saving<br />
lives and keep families together for<br />
future generations. The helipad is<br />
a vital part of the new base and it<br />
was great to be able to talk Robert<br />
through our plans. We are lucky<br />
that the HELP Appeal exists to fund<br />
these essential facilities. Simply put,<br />
this donation and the new helipad<br />
will help us to continue to save lives.”<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
Robert Bertram CEO of the HELP Appeal presents cheque to Magpas Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> CEO Daryl Brown MBE and medical team<br />
178<br />
For more news visit: www.ambulanceukonline.com
NEWSLINE<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> waiting<br />
times: GMB warning<br />
of ‘unprecedented<br />
crisis’ ignored by<br />
govt as trusts forced<br />
to enlist unqualified<br />
staff<br />
Unless rapid and serious<br />
action is taken, the winter<br />
crisis could become a<br />
catastrophe, says GMB Union<br />
GMB Union’s warnings of an<br />
‘utterly unprecedented crisis’<br />
have been ignored by the<br />
Government as trusts are forced<br />
to enlist unqualified staff to help.<br />
Last month (October) the union<br />
wrote to Secretary of State,<br />
Sajid Javid and Jeremy Hunt MP,<br />
Chair of the Health Select Comm<br />
ittee, raising ‘serious concerns<br />
regarding the untenable<br />
workplace pressures that our<br />
members are facing in the<br />
ambulance service’. [2]<br />
GMB has received no reply.<br />
Reports suggest lives are at<br />
risk because average waits for<br />
emergency callouts for problems<br />
such as heart attacks and<br />
strokes are taking more than<br />
twice as long as they should. [1]<br />
GMB members in ambulance<br />
crews have raised concerns<br />
about working with unqualified<br />
staff - but have been told they<br />
have to put up with it.<br />
Meanwhile, ambulance workers<br />
describe ‘the worst service<br />
pressures they have ever<br />
experienced – worse than any<br />
previous winter’.<br />
Rachel Harrison, GMB National<br />
Officer, said:<br />
“GMB ambulance workers<br />
warned the Government this<br />
winter looked likely to be the<br />
worst crisis the NHS has faced.<br />
“With grim predictability,<br />
Ministers completely ignored<br />
the voices of those on the front<br />
line.<br />
“Now the chickens are coming<br />
home to roost – lives are at risk<br />
due to waiting times, staff are<br />
at breaking point and trusts are<br />
so desperate they are bringing<br />
unqualified workers.<br />
“And it’s only November,<br />
“Unless rapid and serious<br />
action is taken, the winter crisis<br />
could become a catastrophe.”<br />
[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/<br />
health-59237935<br />
[2] The letter, co-signed by<br />
Steve Rice, GMB National<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Representatives<br />
Committee chair and Rachel<br />
Harrison, GMB National Officer,<br />
says member concerns include:<br />
• Increasing demands on the<br />
service and hospitals as<br />
covid cases grow alongside<br />
the 5.6 million backlog of<br />
routine hospital treatments;<br />
• The Government’s approach<br />
to covid communications<br />
since the summer and the<br />
lack of serious and clear<br />
public health communications<br />
including the need to spell<br />
out to the public what they<br />
should and should not be<br />
calling an ambulance for;<br />
• Ongoing failures of the<br />
entire health and social care<br />
system, including pathways<br />
for social care cases, the<br />
failure of the NHS 111<br />
to triage calls within the<br />
60-minute deadline and the<br />
lack of GP appointments -<br />
all resulting in unnecessary<br />
emergency call outs.<br />
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179
NEWSLINE<br />
Dr John Chatterjee took part in<br />
Speaking on the panel alongside<br />
Supporting the mental health<br />
Consultant from<br />
London’s Air<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity<br />
discusses mental<br />
health at landmark<br />
Royal Foundation<br />
event<br />
Dr John Chatterjee, a<br />
Consultant with London’s Air<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity, attended<br />
and spoke at an Emergency<br />
Services Mental Health<br />
Symposium, hosted by The<br />
Royal Foundation.<br />
At the event HRH The Duke of<br />
Cambridge, Patron of London’s<br />
Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity, gave<br />
a keynote speech about the<br />
importance of prioritising mental<br />
health in the emergency services,<br />
drawing on his own experiences<br />
a live panel discussion about<br />
mental health, discussing his<br />
own personal experiences as<br />
a first responder, having been<br />
part of the teams attending the<br />
Grenfell Tower Fire and London<br />
Bridge terror attack in 2017. John<br />
has worked for London’s Air<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity since 2013,<br />
and says that his experiences<br />
trying to care for patients and<br />
families in the ‘ordinary’ and<br />
‘extraordinary’ circumstances<br />
in and around London have<br />
informed and humbled him.<br />
Speaking at the event , John said:<br />
“You put this uniform on, and mine<br />
is particularly bright! And it feels like<br />
a suit of armour. There are things I<br />
do in this uniform I would never do<br />
in my jeans. The most important<br />
thing is opening this suit of armour<br />
and people seeing that we’re all<br />
Dr Chatterjee were Martin<br />
Blunden: Scottish Fire and<br />
Rescue Service, Roger Watson:<br />
East Midlands <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service, Una Jennings: Cheshire<br />
Constabulary and the discussion<br />
was facilitated by Nick Knowles.<br />
Each panellist spoke about their<br />
lived experiences working on the<br />
frontline and how they deal with<br />
mental health challenges in their<br />
roles.<br />
The symposium brought together<br />
emergency service leaders,<br />
frontline workers, policy makers<br />
and academics to discuss the<br />
mental health of our emergency<br />
services, and was hosted in<br />
partnership with the National<br />
Police Chiefs’ Council, National<br />
Fire Chiefs Council, Association<br />
of <strong>Ambulance</strong> Chief Executives<br />
and United Kingdom Search and<br />
and wellbeing of the emergency<br />
services community is an<br />
important priority for The Duke<br />
of Cambridge and The Royal<br />
Foundation and London’s Air<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> supports the vital work<br />
being done in this space.<br />
RCSI receives<br />
Movember funding<br />
to support mental<br />
health of first<br />
responders<br />
RCSI University of Medicine and<br />
Health Sciences has received<br />
funding of 267K from the<br />
charity Movember to improve<br />
mental health support for first<br />
responders.<br />
The funding, part of a €5m<br />
Veterans and First Responders<br />
Mental Health Grant Program, was<br />
as an air ambulance pilot.<br />
human beings and we all suffer.”<br />
Rescue.<br />
awarded to the SAFER Families/<br />
New Test Labs facility secures <strong>UK</strong>AS accreditation<br />
in under 12 months<br />
The new Test Labs infection prevention research and test laboratory<br />
in Peterborough, which opened officially in January <strong>2021</strong>, has<br />
achieved prestigious <strong>UK</strong>AS accreditation in less than twelve months,<br />
one of the fastest awards in the history of the accreditation body.<br />
Parent company Inivos created the facility after the Covid pandemic<br />
redirected government and commercial laboratories’ focus<br />
which stretched their capacity. Inivos still needed to validate the<br />
effectiveness of new products and services to continue supporting<br />
healthcare with emerging challenges such as the development of<br />
a single use Personal Protective Equipment disinfection process.<br />
providers that their medical<br />
devices meet the required<br />
standards and can sustain<br />
exposure to cleaning materials<br />
over the course of their<br />
lifetimes to remove harmful<br />
microorganisms that cause<br />
healthcare acquired infections<br />
(HAIs), including the SARS-<br />
CoV-2 pathogen which causes<br />
COVID-19.<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
Test Labs acquired the site in March 2020 and first approached<br />
<strong>UK</strong>AS in November. <strong>UK</strong>AS carried out a preassessment of<br />
the facility in April this year, followed by an initial assessment<br />
against six different EN standards under the ISO 17025<br />
Quality Management System in July. Test Labs submitted final<br />
documentation to assessors in August with <strong>UK</strong>AS confirming final<br />
accreditation on October 11th, just 11 months after the agreement<br />
to go ahead with accreditation.<br />
The laboratory will focus on testing and researching questions<br />
around infection prevention and control with a particular focus<br />
on the healthcare environment. Its aim is to reassure healthcare<br />
Test Labs offers HALT testing, efficacy testing and material<br />
compatibility testing. It also works with healthcare facilities and<br />
manufacturers of equipment used within them to develop bestpractice<br />
cleaning protocols. Its HALT testing exposes materials,<br />
devices or entire systems to the most commonly-used cleaning<br />
and decontamination technologies, in order to assess how they<br />
would perform in real-world settings and to determine whether<br />
they are suitable for use in a healthcare environment. Its material<br />
compatibility testing processes samples of a material to assess<br />
changes in its physical properties.<br />
testlabsuk.com<br />
180<br />
For further recruitment vacancies visit: www.ambulanceukonline.com
NEWSLINE<br />
Friends research project led by the<br />
RCSI SIM Centre for Simulation<br />
Education and Research. It is<br />
the only project selected from the<br />
Republic of Ireland for this funding.<br />
Working with various community<br />
partners, including Mental Health<br />
Ireland and Dublin Civil Defence,<br />
the project will explore how family<br />
members and friends can best<br />
support their first responder’s<br />
mental health, while being mindful<br />
of their own self-care.<br />
First responders deal with stressful<br />
events as part of their daily activities,<br />
with research showing that they are<br />
more likely to experience a range<br />
of mental health issues such as<br />
depression, PTSD, substance abuse<br />
and suicidal thoughts/behaviour.<br />
While support services are available,<br />
access can be limited due to lack of<br />
resources or the stigma associated<br />
with seeking help, and first<br />
responders often rely on the ‘social<br />
support’ of their families and close<br />
friends. The SAFER Families/Friends<br />
project aims to equip families and<br />
friends of 100 first responders<br />
with the skills they need to both<br />
recognise the signs and symptoms<br />
of stress and provide a basic helpful<br />
intervention to their first responder.<br />
As part of the project intervention,<br />
participants will engage in simulated<br />
scenarios, learning how to deal with<br />
the aftermath of critical incidents,<br />
specifically providing social support<br />
and psychological first aid. The<br />
training will be facilitated by the<br />
RCSI SIM Centre, which embodies<br />
deep expertise in simulation-based<br />
experiential learning, communication<br />
training, assessment, engaging<br />
with simulated participants<br />
and a track record of impactful<br />
healthcare education research.<br />
Professor Walter Eppich, RCSI<br />
Chair of Simulation and project lead,<br />
commented: “Extreme situations<br />
can be distressing and difficult<br />
for individuals to process. Early<br />
intervention approaches reduce<br />
symptoms of post-traumatic stress.<br />
Since access to the available<br />
support services remains limited,<br />
we would like to build on the<br />
social support that already exists<br />
to help combat the after-effects<br />
of these stressful events. This<br />
project aims to support first<br />
responder resilience and wellbeing<br />
so they may continue to function in<br />
the service of public safety.”<br />
The project is co-led by Michelle<br />
O’Toole, Senior Simulation<br />
Researcher at RCSI SIM and a<br />
former fire fighter and advanced<br />
paramedic with the Dublin Fire<br />
Brigade.<br />
Movember, which runs its<br />
fundraising drive in November<br />
each year, seeks to ‘change the<br />
face of men’s health on a global<br />
scale’. Movember and its partners,<br />
including The Distinguished<br />
Gentleman’s Ride, provide funding<br />
to research projects all over the<br />
world in the areas of mental health<br />
and suicide prevention, prostate<br />
cancer and testicular cancer.<br />
Speaking about the goals of the<br />
Veterans and First Responders<br />
Mental Health Grant Program,<br />
Brendan Maher, Global Director<br />
of Mental Health and Suicide<br />
Prevention at Movember, said:<br />
“We owe an enormous amount to<br />
our veterans and first responder<br />
communities. Through this initiative,<br />
Movember wants to help our<br />
grant funding partners prove that<br />
their programmes are positively<br />
impacting mental health outcomes.<br />
We want to build the evidence<br />
for programmes that truly make<br />
a difference to the lives of these<br />
men and their families.”<br />
Recruitment for SAFER Families/<br />
Friends is underway, with the<br />
project expected to start in the<br />
first quarter of 2022. For more<br />
information, contact Michelle<br />
O’Toole at michellelotoole@rcsi.ie.<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
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181
NEWSLINE<br />
SECAMB<br />
Canterbury cardiac<br />
arrest survivor<br />
thanks ambulance<br />
team<br />
A man from Barham, near<br />
Canterbury who required seven<br />
shocks from a defibrillator to<br />
restart his heart has been reunited<br />
with the South East Coast<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service (SECAmb)<br />
team who saved his life.<br />
Mike Ferguson, 54, is also<br />
warning others not to ignore the<br />
potential signs of a heart problem<br />
after his partner, Helena, called<br />
999 when his chest pain, which<br />
he had experienced for some four<br />
weeks, significantly worsened, a<br />
little over a year ago on 6 October<br />
2020.<br />
Mike thanked ambulance crews<br />
who came to his aid recently at<br />
SECAmb’s Make Ready Centre in<br />
Ashford. His 999 call, which<br />
was handled by Emergency<br />
Medical Advisor Harry Morgan,<br />
saw Paramedic Gaylene Doherty<br />
and Trainee Associate <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Practitioner, Clare Sykes, attend<br />
and carry out checks on his<br />
heart. Having made the decision<br />
that he required further hospital<br />
treatment, they took Mike to their<br />
awaiting ambulance. However, as<br />
they continued their assessment<br />
in the vehicle, Mike went into<br />
cardiac arrest.<br />
The pair immediately began<br />
resuscitation and called for back<br />
up which arrived in the form of<br />
paramedic Shaun Seely and<br />
Emergency Care Support Worker<br />
Susan Gray.<br />
By this point Gaylene and Clare<br />
had delivered six shocks with<br />
their defibrillator with a further<br />
shock administered on Shaun<br />
and Susan’s arrival and ahead<br />
of Critical Care Paramedic Luke<br />
Hamilton arriving to provide<br />
further assistance.<br />
After being resuscitated Mike was<br />
rushed to William Harvey Hospital<br />
where he underwent emergency<br />
treatment to have a blockage in a<br />
main artery cleared before being<br />
fitted with a stent.<br />
“It was a very unique<br />
resuscitation”, said Gaylene.<br />
“Because we were treating him<br />
straight away Mike was actually<br />
conscious while we were carrying<br />
chest compressions and doing<br />
the work his heart should have<br />
been. But then, as we checked his<br />
rhythm, he would collapse again.<br />
“It was all very sudden. We knew<br />
Mike very likely needed specialist<br />
hospital treatment but everything<br />
escalated when he went into<br />
cardiac arrest. It was great to see<br />
him looking and doing so well.”<br />
Mike said: “I had been at work<br />
and arrived home not feeling great<br />
at all and said to Helena, that I<br />
thought I should call 111 – but<br />
things suddenly got a lot worse<br />
and I said ‘I think you’re going to<br />
have to call 999’.<br />
“I had been experiencing some<br />
discomfort for a few weeks but<br />
it suddenly got a lot worse and<br />
felt as though someone was<br />
tightening a belt around my chest.<br />
“I’m just so grateful for everything<br />
everyone in the ambulance and<br />
hospital teams did for me. Quite<br />
simply, without them, I wouldn’t<br />
be here. It’s been amazing to see<br />
everyone in person and to thank<br />
them for doing such an amazing<br />
job.<br />
“My subsequent treatment and<br />
rehab has gone really well and I<br />
feel like a new man but I would<br />
strongly urge people not to ignore<br />
the signs of a problem and to get<br />
themselves checked out if they<br />
have any discomfort or concerns<br />
like me.”<br />
Critical Care Paramedic Luke<br />
Hamilton added: “Right from<br />
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NEWSLINE<br />
the start, everyone did a great<br />
job to ensure Mike received the<br />
treatment he needed. The whole<br />
team should be really proud. It<br />
was lovely to meet Mike in better<br />
circumstances and speak to him<br />
about what happened. On behalf<br />
of the whole team I wish him all<br />
the very best for the future.”<br />
Most PPE not<br />
designed for ethnic<br />
minority health<br />
workers and women,<br />
study finds<br />
Female healthcare workers and<br />
those from Black And Minority<br />
Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds<br />
have struggled to find personal<br />
protective equipment (PPE) that<br />
provides them with adequate<br />
protection, a new study has<br />
found.<br />
Researchers at the University of<br />
Southampton found that most<br />
masks are not designed for<br />
BAME and women, due to limited<br />
research into how differences<br />
in facial dimensions across<br />
gender and ethnicity affect PPE<br />
performance. There findings have<br />
been published in the journal BMJ<br />
Global health.<br />
Previous studies have shown<br />
that BAME people have been<br />
disproportionately affected by<br />
COVID-19. Amongst NHS staff,<br />
63% of COVID-related deaths are<br />
of BAME people, even though<br />
they represent only 20% of the<br />
workforce.<br />
For PPE respirators to provide<br />
respiratory protection they<br />
must fit the user well, and this<br />
is determined by ‘fit-testing’ – a<br />
process of trialling facemasks<br />
for any inward leaks until one is<br />
identified which provides a good<br />
seal to keep out harmful aerosols.<br />
The Southampton research team<br />
looked at studies worldwide into<br />
how well respirators fit according<br />
to facial measurements, gender<br />
and ethnicity. Over half of the<br />
studies focussing on gender<br />
reported a higher fit test failure<br />
rate for women compared to<br />
male participants. Analysis of<br />
studies which looked into facial<br />
dimensions of the participants<br />
showed significant differences<br />
between men and women,<br />
ranging from 0.4 millimetres<br />
to 22 millimetres, which may<br />
impact whether standardised<br />
facemasks were able to provide<br />
a good enough seal for the<br />
wearers.<br />
A similar trend was observed<br />
in studies that included good<br />
representation of BAME<br />
participants, although the<br />
number of studies exploring<br />
fit test differences between<br />
ethnicities were very limited.<br />
The authors are therefore<br />
advising that further studies into<br />
PPE development must include a<br />
broader consideration of female<br />
and BAME healthcare workers.<br />
Lead author of the study, Dr<br />
Jagrati Chopra said: “The NHS<br />
has a very diverse workforce,<br />
however design of PPE still<br />
seems to be based on a<br />
predominantly white, male<br />
workforce. The high rate of<br />
BAME healthcare workers<br />
affected by the pandemic<br />
has shown how important it<br />
is to have enough respiratory<br />
equipment to suit everyone,<br />
regardless of gender or<br />
background.<br />
“Current studies mainly<br />
focus on Caucasian or single<br />
ethnic groups and BAME<br />
people remain unrepresented,<br />
meaning there are insufficient<br />
comparisons between ethnic<br />
groups. We therefore need<br />
respirator developers to look<br />
into the needs of healthcare<br />
workers from a broader<br />
spectrum of ethnicities and<br />
to account for differences in<br />
dimensions between male and<br />
female faces.”<br />
Pushing the boundaries to achieving realism in medical simulation<br />
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AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
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NEWSLINE<br />
SCAS<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> service<br />
calls on “tech-savvy”<br />
members of public to<br />
help others access<br />
online healthcare<br />
South Central <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service (SCAS) is calling on<br />
“tech-savvy” members of the<br />
public to help relatives, friends<br />
or neighbours who may find it<br />
difficult to access the internet in<br />
a bid to get more people using<br />
NHS 111 online.<br />
It comes as 999, 111 and patient<br />
transport services across the<br />
Trust continue to see significant<br />
demand – much higher than<br />
expected for this time of year.<br />
As a result, people are being<br />
urged to utilise 111 online<br />
wherever possible as it can<br />
provide quick advice on the best<br />
healthcare option, including a call<br />
back from a trained clinician or<br />
nurse, a booked appointment in<br />
A&E or advice on self-care.<br />
SCAS provides emergency, urgent<br />
care and patient transport to more<br />
than four million people across<br />
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire,<br />
Hampshire and Oxfordshire, as<br />
well patient transport for a further<br />
three million people in Surrey and<br />
Sussex.<br />
“We know what a difficult time this<br />
is for everyone and we greatly<br />
appreciate the support and<br />
understanding of the public as we<br />
continue to manage the significant<br />
pressures on our 999, 111 and<br />
patient transport services,” said<br />
Mark Ainsworth, Director of<br />
Operations at SCAS.<br />
“The demand on us remains high,<br />
in particular on our 111 phone<br />
line, so we are again appealing<br />
for help from people to alleviate<br />
this by utilising 111 online which is<br />
a great tool, quick to access and<br />
provides instant information and<br />
advice.<br />
“However, we know requesting<br />
help from the public by urging<br />
them to use 111 online isn’t<br />
feasible for everyone, particularly<br />
those who find it complicated or<br />
don’t have the levels of access to<br />
technology that others may have.<br />
“Therefore, we are calling on the<br />
more tech-savvy members of<br />
the public to lend a helping hand<br />
their family, friends or neighbours<br />
– particularly people who you<br />
know live alone – who may find it<br />
difficult as, in turn, this will further<br />
alleviate the pressure on our 111<br />
call handlers.”<br />
Mr Ainsworth said even just<br />
offering to support someone who<br />
isn’t currently unwell could be<br />
beneficial as it means they will<br />
have an alternative way of seeking<br />
less urgent medical advice when<br />
they do require it.<br />
“The more we enable society<br />
to have support or access to<br />
technology the better as it means<br />
we can ensure more people are<br />
able to utilise the full range of<br />
tools available to them – which is<br />
obviously particularly important<br />
at great times of stress on the<br />
healthcare system,” he said.<br />
People are also being asked to<br />
support the Patient Transport<br />
Service while it focuses on<br />
the discharge of patients from<br />
hospitals across the region to free<br />
up space for new admissions.<br />
Paul Stevens, Director of<br />
Commercial Services at SCAS,<br />
said: “People can support us<br />
through this challenging period<br />
by, wherever possible, finding<br />
alternative ways to get to hospital<br />
appointments – maybe via family,<br />
friends or neighbours, volunteers<br />
and community transport or taxis.<br />
“It is also really important that<br />
people let us know via the<br />
cancellation line 0300 790 0143<br />
if they or a family member has<br />
patient transport booked they no<br />
longer need so we can use it for<br />
another patient.<br />
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“We are also keen to hear from<br />
anyone who is interested in<br />
becoming a volunteer car driver<br />
for SCAS. Find out more via our<br />
website scas.nhs.uk or email<br />
volunteer.cardriver@scas.nhs.uk.”<br />
WAS<br />
Flight attendant<br />
lands job in the<br />
ambulance service<br />
A flight attendant who was<br />
made redundant during the<br />
Covid-19 pandemic has<br />
landed a new job at the Welsh<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service.<br />
Sarah Goulding, of Connah’s<br />
Quay, Flintshire, has joined the<br />
Trust as an <strong>Ambulance</strong> Care<br />
Assistant after an illustrious 32-<br />
year career with British Airways.<br />
The mother-of-two was one of<br />
10,000 British Airways workers to<br />
have lost their jobs at the height<br />
of the pandemic.<br />
Sarah, 54, was inspired to retrain<br />
for the ambulance service<br />
having given life-saving first aid<br />
to dozens of passengers over<br />
the years.<br />
She said: “I had an amazing<br />
career with British Airways and<br />
was fortunate to have travelled<br />
all over the world.<br />
“Every year we had to study<br />
aviation medicine as part of our<br />
training, because you can’t call<br />
an ambulance at 38,000 feet.<br />
“I saw it all – childbirth, fitting,<br />
heart attacks and even sudden<br />
deaths – and I’d always really<br />
enjoyed giving first aid in an<br />
emergency.<br />
“When I was offered voluntary<br />
redundancy, I thought about<br />
what other professions I’d enjoy<br />
and which would allow me to<br />
transfer my skills.<br />
“The ambulance service<br />
appealed to me because firstly, I<br />
liked the idea of helping people,<br />
and secondly, I liked the idea<br />
of being out and about in the<br />
community.<br />
“The nature of the airline industry<br />
means you’re never in one place<br />
for very long, and I wanted to<br />
keep hold of that element.”<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Care Assistants are<br />
trained to treat and transport low<br />
acuity patients to hospital.<br />
They provide basic life support<br />
and carry out urgent planned<br />
transfers from a patient’s home<br />
to hospital, as well as interhospital<br />
transfers.<br />
The Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service<br />
is recruiting <strong>Ambulance</strong> Care<br />
Assistants in South Wales.<br />
Applicants must have a<br />
minimum of five GCSEs at Grade<br />
C or above including Maths,<br />
English/Welsh and Science, or<br />
other equivalent educational<br />
qualifications.<br />
Training includes four weeks of<br />
patient care training and one<br />
week of driver training.<br />
Sarah said: “I’ve been in the role<br />
for 12 months now and I’m really<br />
enjoying it.<br />
“Every day you learn something<br />
new, and helping people in their<br />
hour of need is such a rewarding<br />
feeling.<br />
“I think about my parents and<br />
grandparents and how I’d want<br />
them to be treated – that’s how I<br />
treat my patients.<br />
“For me, it’s about giving<br />
patients the respect and dignity<br />
they deserve and making them<br />
as comfortable as possible.”<br />
Wrexham-based Sarah is<br />
encouraging others to apply for<br />
the role.<br />
She said: “If you like working<br />
in a public-facing role and as<br />
part of team, then you should<br />
definitely think about becoming<br />
an <strong>Ambulance</strong> Care Assistant.<br />
“I think the other important<br />
prerequisites for the job are<br />
patience, empathy and a good<br />
sense of humour.<br />
“We sometimes find ourselves<br />
in pretty dark situations, so it’s<br />
important to be able to find<br />
some light relief and humour<br />
with your colleagues.<br />
“Most importantly, you’ve got to<br />
enjoy helping people – I certainly<br />
do.”<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
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185
NEWSLINE<br />
London’s Air<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity’s<br />
car fleet boosted by<br />
£330,000 donation<br />
London’s life-saving charity is<br />
celebrating a new partnership<br />
with the London Freemasons,<br />
who are generously funding<br />
the charity’s new fleet of rapid<br />
response vehicles for the next<br />
three years.<br />
At an event at the Freemasons<br />
Hall on Wednesday 3rd<br />
November, representatives<br />
from London’s Air <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
showcased some of the new<br />
cars and the Charity’s Chairman,<br />
Mark Vickers, gave a speech to<br />
thank members for their ongoing<br />
support. Attendees also heard<br />
a powerful patient story from a<br />
Consultant with London’s Air<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong>. The patient had<br />
been involved in a serious road<br />
traffic collision and London’s<br />
Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> were dispatched<br />
by rapid response car. The<br />
interventions of the advanced<br />
trauma teams on scene gave the<br />
patient the very best chance of<br />
survival and he has recently learnt<br />
to walk again.<br />
The London Freemasons<br />
first supported London’s Air<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity in 2015 with<br />
a £2 million donation towards<br />
the service’s second helicopter<br />
as part of the ‘Your London, Your<br />
Helicopter’ campaign, and went<br />
on to pledge a further £100,000 in<br />
2017 thanks to additional support<br />
from the membership.<br />
Now, the Freemasons are<br />
donating £330,000 towards a new<br />
fleet of rapid response cars which<br />
form a crucial part of London’s Air<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong>’s infrastructure. The<br />
service operates 24/7, delivering<br />
an advanced trauma team to<br />
seriously injured patients when<br />
every second counts; responding<br />
to five life threatening incidents on<br />
average each day. At night and in<br />
adverse weather conditions when<br />
it wouldn’t be safe to land the<br />
aircraft, the medical team delivers<br />
the same world-leading expertise<br />
to the patient’s side by a rapid<br />
response car driving under blue<br />
lights.<br />
The rapid response cars provide<br />
continuity of service by delivering<br />
the same team, with the same<br />
equipment and drugs, who can<br />
perform the same life-saving<br />
procedures on scene. Of the<br />
1,494 patients treated by the<br />
service in 2020, 884 of these were<br />
attended to by car.<br />
Chairman of London’s Air<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity, Mark Vickers<br />
said:<br />
“The support of the London<br />
Freemasons down the years has<br />
been instrumental in keeping our<br />
helicopter flying and our rapid<br />
response car fleet on the road,<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
Left to right: Dr Ben Singer (Consultant with London’s Air <strong>Ambulance</strong>); Tanya Moss (Senior Philanthropy Lead, London’s Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity);<br />
Mark Vickers (Chairman, London’s Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity); Sir Michael Snyder (Head of London Freemasons); Tony Shields (Metropolitan Grand<br />
Charity Steward) and Bill Leaning (Flight Paramedic with London’s Air <strong>Ambulance</strong>).<br />
186<br />
For more news visit: www.ambulanceukonline.com
NEWSLINE<br />
ready for when they are needed<br />
for the people of London.<br />
“This incredible donation will<br />
fund our car fleet over three<br />
years, helping us reach critically<br />
injured patients quickly when<br />
time is of the essence. We rely<br />
on donations to keep our service<br />
running and as result of this<br />
support we will undoubtedly be<br />
able to reach more patients and<br />
save more lives in London.”<br />
Sir Michael Snyder, Head of<br />
London Freemasons said:<br />
“We are extremely proud to<br />
build on our ongoing support for<br />
London’s Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity,<br />
which began in 2015 with us<br />
providing £2 million of funding<br />
to support the early introduction<br />
of the second helicopter. We<br />
are again delighted to provide<br />
funding for the replacement<br />
and expansion of the fast<br />
responder vehicle fleet that<br />
make such a huge difference<br />
when the helicopters cannot fly<br />
due to night-time, poor weather<br />
conditions, or serviceability.<br />
“London Freemasons are<br />
committed to generous support<br />
of London Fire Brigade, London<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service and<br />
London’s Air <strong>Ambulance</strong>, who<br />
all do such magnificent work<br />
and, through them, our local<br />
communities.”<br />
London’s Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> has<br />
a total of six rapid response<br />
vehicles, with one in use at<br />
one time except for certain<br />
circumstances such as during a<br />
major incident, and the new fleet<br />
will continue to ensure state-ofthe-art<br />
delivery with increased<br />
space to accommodate more<br />
medical kit, allowing medics<br />
to deliver their increasingly<br />
complex cutting-edge care at the<br />
roadside. The £330,000 donation<br />
from the London Freemasons<br />
will fund the fleet of six trauma<br />
cars, providing the service with<br />
resilience in the event of a major<br />
incident and also supporting<br />
key clinical trials London’s<br />
Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> is pioneering<br />
alongside Barts NHS Health<br />
trust and the London <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service such as ECMO, which is<br />
aiming to improve survival rates<br />
for patients who suffer a cardiac<br />
arrest outside of hospital.<br />
London’s Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> brings<br />
the hospital to the scene –<br />
delivering urgent, cutting-edge<br />
medical care when London<br />
calls. The helicopter and rapid<br />
response car teams are here<br />
24/7 for every one of the 10<br />
million people who live and work<br />
in London. The charity works<br />
alongside the NHS - London’s<br />
Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> operates in<br />
partnership with and is supported<br />
by Barts Health NHS Trust and<br />
the London <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service<br />
NHS Trust.<br />
In the first 6 months of <strong>2021</strong>,<br />
every month London’s Air<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> performed an<br />
average of<br />
• 14 blood transfusions<br />
• 27 emergency anaesthetics<br />
• 5 thoracotomies (a surgical<br />
procedure which opens up<br />
the rib cage cavity to manually<br />
massage the heart)<br />
There were also an average of 10<br />
Code Red calls per month (when<br />
a patient is bleeding to death and<br />
needs immediate intervention).<br />
The Freemasons Hall event is<br />
an annual event, recognising<br />
London Freemasons for their<br />
work within their Lodges and<br />
communities with appointment<br />
to “London Grand Rank”. The<br />
Metropolitan Grand Master, Sir<br />
Michael Snyder, thanks members<br />
for their endeavours and families<br />
and friends were also invited to<br />
sit in the Grand Temple to watch<br />
and support.<br />
SCAS<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> service<br />
joins wave of<br />
Veteran Aware Trusts<br />
improving care for<br />
the armed forces<br />
community<br />
South Central <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service NHS Foundation Trust<br />
(SCAS) has been named<br />
a Veteran Aware Trust in<br />
recognition of its commitment<br />
to improving NHS care for<br />
veterans, reservists, members<br />
of the Armed Forces and their<br />
families.<br />
The accreditation, from the<br />
Veterans Covenant Healthcare<br />
Alliance (VCHA), acknowledges<br />
the Trust’s commitment to a<br />
number of key pledges, including:<br />
• Ensuring that the Armed<br />
Forces community is never<br />
disadvantaged compared to<br />
other patients, in line with the<br />
NHS’s commitment to the<br />
Armed Forces Covenant<br />
• Training relevant staff on<br />
veteran specific culture and<br />
needs<br />
• Making veterans, reservists<br />
and service families aware of<br />
appropriate charities or NHS<br />
services beneficial to them,<br />
such as mental health services<br />
or support with financial and/or<br />
benefit claims<br />
• Supporting the Armed Forces<br />
as an employer.<br />
SCAS is now one of 99 members<br />
of the VCHA and is part of a<br />
growing number of NHS Trusts<br />
gaining this accolade.<br />
Paul Jefferies, Assistant Director<br />
of Operations at SCAS, said: “As<br />
a Defence Employer Recognition<br />
Scheme Gold Award holder, we in<br />
SCAS are immensely proud to be<br />
recognised as Veteran Aware.<br />
“This accreditation reinforces the<br />
key working relationships SCAS<br />
has with the Armed Forces both<br />
as colleagues but also as service<br />
users.<br />
“The team within SCAS has<br />
worked tirelessly to gain this<br />
recognition and to further support<br />
our service personnel and I would<br />
like to congratulate them for this<br />
well-deserved award.”<br />
The VCHA is made up of a<br />
group of NHS providers and<br />
works closely with NHS England<br />
and NHS Improvement, service<br />
charities and the Ministry of<br />
Defence.<br />
The alliance was set up following<br />
The Chavasse Report in 2014<br />
which was written by leading<br />
orthopaedic surgeon Professor<br />
Tim Briggs CBE with the aim of<br />
improving Armed Forces and<br />
veteran care while raising NHS<br />
standards.<br />
One of the recommendations was<br />
to establish a support network of<br />
trusts resulting in the development<br />
of the VCHA.<br />
“These Trusts should be very<br />
proud of the commitment they<br />
have made to the service men<br />
and women of this country,” said<br />
Prof Briggs. “Welcoming them<br />
into the VCHA is a major step<br />
towards our aim of ensuring every<br />
NHS trust in the country is Veteran<br />
Aware.”<br />
General Lord Richard Dannatt,<br />
patron of the VCHA and former<br />
head of the British Army, said:<br />
“Although the British Armed<br />
Forces are not currently engaged<br />
in high profile campaigns such as<br />
in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent<br />
years, the health and wellbeing<br />
battles for many veterans<br />
continue.<br />
“The VCHA is playing a major part<br />
in helping our brave veterans win<br />
their personal battles.”<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
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187
NEWSLINE<br />
LAS<br />
Motorcycle Response<br />
Unit Rides Again<br />
Motorcycle paramedics will<br />
be back on the road again<br />
responding to 999 calls<br />
across London from Monday 1<br />
November.<br />
at London <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service as<br />
a trial scheme.<br />
Back in 1991, the motorcycle<br />
paramedics proved how useful<br />
they could be in reaching patients<br />
quickly in busy and congested<br />
areas. They are often the first<br />
paramedics on scene – most<br />
notably when they responded to the<br />
Westminster terror attack in 2017.<br />
WAS<br />
Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service appoints<br />
palliative care<br />
paramedics in <strong>UK</strong> first<br />
The Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service<br />
has appointed its first dedicated<br />
palliative care paramedics.<br />
alongside the nursing team under<br />
the direction of a consultant in<br />
palliative medicine.<br />
“We’re thrilled to be collaborating<br />
with our health board colleagues<br />
on this initiative, which we hope<br />
will improve the quality of care for<br />
terminally ill patients and open<br />
up new and innovative ways of<br />
meeting their needs.<br />
When the pandemic started,<br />
paramedics from the Motorcycle<br />
Response Unit (MRU) were<br />
moved to other roles as London<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service adapted its<br />
fleet in response to COVID-19.<br />
In this relaunch, MRU paramedics<br />
will spend half their shifts<br />
responding to the most seriously<br />
ill or injured patients and the rest<br />
of their shifts working in the 999<br />
control room.<br />
Richard Webb-Stevens, interim<br />
head of MRU, said: “We are really<br />
excited to be back on our bikes<br />
supporting the trust and delivering<br />
a high standard of care to our<br />
patients by reaching the sickest<br />
the quickest.<br />
“In life or death situations, every<br />
The bikes carry the same lifesaving<br />
equipment as ambulances,<br />
including a defibrillator.<br />
There are almost 30 motorcycle<br />
paramedics in the unit and they<br />
undergo rigorous riding training<br />
with a police instructor before they<br />
are recruited.<br />
Motorcycle paramedics will be<br />
based out of Croydon, Ilford and<br />
Waterloo but new technology on<br />
the bikes means that riders can<br />
now respond to calls throughout<br />
London. Previously they have<br />
only been able to work in certain<br />
locations.<br />
Chief Executive Daniel Elkeles<br />
said: “Not only are they back on<br />
their motorcycles, but they will<br />
The new recruits will deliver specialist<br />
care to patients who are nearing the<br />
end of their life, in what is also a <strong>UK</strong><br />
ambulance service first.<br />
The four-strong team will work as<br />
part of Swansea Bay University<br />
Health Board’s Specialist<br />
Palliative Care Team and divide<br />
their time between patients in<br />
the community and patients in a<br />
hospital and hospice setting.<br />
The new paramedics will take up<br />
post in November.<br />
Ed O’Brian, End of Life Care Lead<br />
at the Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service,<br />
said: “People associate the role<br />
of a paramedic with managing<br />
trauma patients or patients who’ve<br />
had a heart attack or stroke.<br />
“The bonus is that our new<br />
recruits will receive specialist<br />
training and mentorship from our<br />
hospital colleagues, which they<br />
can then apply to their ambulance<br />
service role.”<br />
Dr Gwenllian Davies, Palliative<br />
Care Consultant and Clinical Lead<br />
at Swansea Bay University Health<br />
Board, added: “We’re delighted to<br />
welcome paramedic colleagues to<br />
our Specialist Palliative Care Team.<br />
“Their membership of the multidisciplinary<br />
team will enhance the<br />
care we can provide for our patients.<br />
“We look forward to learning from<br />
each other and hope that this<br />
will be the first of many similar<br />
collaborations for palliative teams.”<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
second counts and the freedom<br />
we have on a motorcycle to<br />
access areas other vehicles can’t<br />
reach means we really can make<br />
a difference to people’s lives.”<br />
The relaunch comes exactly<br />
30 years since the Motorcycle<br />
Response Unit was first launched<br />
also be using their skills in the<br />
999 control room. These senior<br />
clinicians will be so important as<br />
we head into winter - they will be<br />
supporting crews in their decisionmaking<br />
and be available to talk to<br />
our patients. Our cycle response<br />
unit (CRU) colleagues are doing<br />
the same thing.”<br />
“Not many people realise that we<br />
also help patients approaching<br />
the end of their life due to an<br />
advanced illness, either with<br />
urgent symptom management or<br />
for a sudden deterioration.<br />
“Every paramedic in Wales is<br />
trained to support these patients,<br />
but the palliative care paramedic<br />
role is unique in that their time<br />
will be divided between patients<br />
in the community and those in an<br />
inpatient setting.<br />
“In the community, they’ll respond<br />
to palliative emergencies –<br />
essentially, they’re the bridge<br />
between the home and hospital<br />
for patients in the last days of life.<br />
“They’ll also work in a hospital or<br />
hospice setting providing support<br />
to Swansea Bay patients, working<br />
This is the latest in a series of<br />
initiatives the Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service has introduced to improve<br />
the care that palliative patients<br />
receive.<br />
In February, the Trust joined forces<br />
with Macmillan Cancer Support<br />
in Wales to improve the training<br />
delivered to ambulance crews so<br />
they can better recognise when<br />
a patient is nearing the end of<br />
their life and better manage their<br />
symptoms to prevent avoidable<br />
hospital admissions.<br />
The Trust was also the first<br />
ambulance service in the <strong>UK</strong><br />
to introduce ‘Just in Case’<br />
medications on its emergency<br />
vehicles, allowing paramedics to<br />
better manage the symptoms that<br />
may be experienced as terminally<br />
ill patients become more poorly.<br />
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NEWSLINE<br />
The Trust’s End of Life Care Rapid<br />
Transport Service also works with<br />
teams across Wales to provide<br />
transport for terminally ill patients<br />
to their preferred place of death.<br />
The service has made over 2,100<br />
compassionate journeys since its<br />
introduction in 2017.<br />
Dr Nikki Pease is a Macmillan<br />
Palliative Medicine Consultant at<br />
Velindre University NHS Trust and a<br />
member of the ambulance service’s<br />
End of Life Care Project Board.<br />
She said: “The appointment of<br />
four palliative care paramedics<br />
in Swansea Bay builds on the<br />
solid foundation established by<br />
ongoing collaboration between<br />
the Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service<br />
and palliative care organisations<br />
across Wales.<br />
“Outcomes from this local<br />
innovative change will be shared<br />
with colleagues and teams across<br />
Wales to ensure national learning<br />
to improve end-of-life care across<br />
Wales.”<br />
New NHS Charities<br />
Together campaign<br />
shows why public<br />
support is still<br />
needed<br />
NHS Charities Together has<br />
launched a new campaign to<br />
show the incredible impact<br />
public fundraising has made for<br />
NHS staff – and why ongoing<br />
support is still needed.<br />
The campaign film, titled<br />
‘For every moment’, aims to<br />
demonstrate how the NHS is<br />
here for us in our best and worst<br />
moments, while showcasing<br />
the vital work NHS Charities<br />
Together’s 240 member charities<br />
do to support staff, patients and<br />
volunteers – so the public might<br />
continue to be there for them in<br />
NHS Charities Together’s<br />
Covid-19 Urgent Appeal was<br />
the most successful fundraising<br />
campaign of all time. Supported<br />
by Captain Sir Tom Moore,<br />
premiership footballers, Joe<br />
Wicks, and thousands of other<br />
generous individuals and<br />
organisations, in total it raised<br />
more than £150 million.<br />
These funds are already making a<br />
vital difference, and to date NHS<br />
Charities Together has allocated<br />
£140 million supporting over 600<br />
projects, covering the length and<br />
breadth of the <strong>UK</strong>. This includes<br />
over 400 projects supporting the<br />
mental health of NHS staff, including<br />
counselling support, helplines, and<br />
intensive psychological support for<br />
post-traumatic stress disorder.<br />
In an NHS Charities Together survey<br />
of 1000 NHS staff1, two thirds<br />
of those surveyed said they had<br />
experienced problems with their<br />
mental health since the pandemic<br />
began in 2020. While two thirds<br />
(66%) have now been able to<br />
access support from their place<br />
of work, in part thanks to NHS<br />
Charities Together funding, the<br />
research highlighted how practical<br />
and emotional help is still needed.<br />
More than a third of those<br />
surveyed (36%) said they would<br />
benefit from psychological support<br />
and/or counselling services,<br />
roughly one in ten (11%) said<br />
they would benefit from intensive<br />
therapy for trauma support, and<br />
nearly half (47%) wanted practical<br />
support (e.g. access to necessary<br />
food, drink and rest areas).<br />
Ellie Orton OBE, Chief Executive of<br />
NHS Charities Together, said: “With<br />
the pandemic’s impact expected<br />
to last for many years, partnerships<br />
between the NHS and NHS<br />
charities are now more vital than<br />
ever – and we must be there for<br />
staff in the long-term. We hope this<br />
film helps show the phenomenal<br />
difference public fundraising can<br />
make to NHS staff, volunteers and<br />
“There is an urgent and growing<br />
need to help vulnerable groups<br />
in our society – we have more<br />
elderly individuals and long-term<br />
conditions to care for, more of<br />
us across all ages are waiting for<br />
treatment, and more NHS staff are<br />
facing burnout than ever before.<br />
But together we can provide the<br />
extra support needed in hospitals,<br />
ambulance teams, community<br />
and mental health care, and help<br />
our health service to go further for<br />
everyone – now and in the future.”<br />
In the wake of COVID-19, NHS<br />
Charities Together is committed<br />
to helping the NHS recover from<br />
the pandemic. This includes<br />
training and equipping emergency<br />
response volunteers, and funding<br />
emerging health needs – for<br />
example through research into<br />
long-Covid. In its latest phase<br />
of grants, the charity is investing<br />
in projects that make access<br />
to healthcare more equal,<br />
and supporting communities<br />
disproportionately affected by<br />
COVID-19, while supporting the<br />
long-term recovery of the NHS.<br />
NHS Charities Together is the<br />
national independent charity<br />
caring for the NHS. Visit<br />
nhscharitiestogether.co.uk/join-us<br />
to watch the film and learn more.<br />
WAS<br />
New joint initiative to<br />
safeguard vulnerable<br />
people at home<br />
The Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service<br />
has partnered with fire and<br />
rescue services to launch a<br />
new initiative to better protect<br />
vulnerable people at risk of an<br />
accident in their home.<br />
The new system allows<br />
ambulance crews to e-refer at-risk<br />
patients to their fire and rescue<br />
service counterparts in North, Mid<br />
and West and South Wales for a<br />
Safe and Well check.<br />
property to mitigate any risks.<br />
Nikki Harvey, the Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service’s Head of Safeguarding,<br />
said: “<strong>Ambulance</strong> crews go to a<br />
patient’s property to deliver medical<br />
interventions, but often while they’re<br />
there, they’ll spot things in the home<br />
which raise a red flag.<br />
“It could be that there isn’t a<br />
smoke alarm, that electrical<br />
sockets are overloaded or that<br />
there’s a build-up of fat on<br />
cooking appliances, all of which<br />
present a fire hazard.<br />
“It could be that the patient has<br />
cigarette burns on their clothes<br />
or furniture, or that the patient’s<br />
hoarding has blocked an escape<br />
route.<br />
“The new referral form – which<br />
our crews complete on an<br />
iPad – streamlines the process<br />
completely and makes it easier<br />
than ever before to enlist the<br />
support of fire service colleagues<br />
and safeguard that patient.<br />
“Anything that we can do<br />
collectively to improve patient<br />
safety, mitigate the risk of<br />
accidents and prevent harm could<br />
reduce 999 calls in the future.”<br />
Tim Owen, Community Safety<br />
Manager at North Wales Fire and<br />
Rescue Service, on behalf of<br />
the three Welsh fire and rescue<br />
services, said: “The Welsh<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service and the<br />
regional fire services in Wales work<br />
together operationally every day.<br />
“This agreement will enable us to<br />
extend this work, identifying those<br />
most at risk and vulnerable in our<br />
communities to make them safer.<br />
“The sharing of information will<br />
enable us to develop the principles of<br />
the Wellbeing of Future Generations<br />
Act, targeting our services to those in<br />
most need of support.<br />
“It will also provide a template for<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
the long-term.<br />
patients across the <strong>UK</strong>.<br />
Fire crews can then visit the<br />
promoting future joint working.”<br />
For the latest <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service News visit: www.ambulancenewsdesk.com<br />
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SCAS<br />
Former flight cabin<br />
crew member inspired<br />
to join ambulance<br />
service after saving<br />
friend’s life<br />
David instructed Graham to<br />
continue with chest compressions<br />
while he set up an automated<br />
external defibrillator (AED) and then<br />
delivered several shocks before<br />
paramedics and air ambulance<br />
doctors arrived to continue<br />
resuscitation and treatment.<br />
A former British Airways cabin<br />
crew member was inspired to<br />
volunteer for South Central<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service NHS<br />
Foundation Trust (SCAS) after<br />
saving the life of his friend who<br />
collapsed during dinner.<br />
Graham Langley, 63, from<br />
Bishop’s Waltham in Hampshire,<br />
launched into action utilising<br />
emergency training from his 20-<br />
year flight career when 66-year-old<br />
Richard Lovegrove fell ill suddenly<br />
and lost consciousness on an<br />
evening in November last year.<br />
Suspecting a cardiac arrest, which<br />
occurs when the heart’s electrical<br />
system malfunctions and stops<br />
pumping blood around the body, he<br />
immediately began cardiopulmonary<br />
resuscitation (CPR) while other<br />
guests called 999.<br />
He continued this for 10 minutes<br />
until the arrival of local Community<br />
First Responder (CFR) David<br />
Spackman, a trained volunteer for<br />
SCAS funded by South Central<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity.<br />
Richard regained a pulse and was<br />
taken to the Queen Alexandra<br />
Hospital in Portsmouth, where he<br />
spent six days in a coma and almost<br />
eight weeks recovering before<br />
returning home. He has made a<br />
near-complete recovery from his<br />
cardiac arrest but continues to suffer<br />
some memory loss as a result.<br />
“When Richard collapsed and<br />
slumped in his chair seconds after<br />
a conversation our friends looked<br />
at each other and I realised he<br />
wasn’t right at all,” said Graham,<br />
who spoke out ahead of World<br />
Restart a Heart Day tomorrow<br />
(Saturday, 16 October).<br />
“I’d worked for BA as cabin crew<br />
for 20 years and had just retired.<br />
We had obviously been trained for<br />
emergency situations so I just went<br />
into training mode automatically.<br />
“I said, ‘get him on the floor now’<br />
and when I realised he wasn’t<br />
responsive at all, I started CPR while<br />
one of the other guys called 999. We<br />
also sent someone else to try to get<br />
the local defibrillator from the pub.”<br />
He added: “The response from<br />
the NHS was phenomenal.<br />
First David the CFR arrived<br />
and very quickly after giving<br />
Richard a couple of shocks, two<br />
ambulances, the air ambulance<br />
crew in a car, a doctor and other<br />
professionals arrived.<br />
“It took ages to get Richard<br />
stabilised but eventually they said<br />
that they had a pulse and that<br />
he was still with us. It was such a<br />
relief to hear and when they finally<br />
stabilised him enough and took<br />
him out to the ambulance, it was<br />
so lovely.<br />
“I remember watching Richard’s<br />
hand move when he was lying on<br />
the trolley and that was such a<br />
relief and I knew he had a chance.<br />
It was an amazing feeling.”<br />
local insurance brokers, said he<br />
felt like “some kind of celebrity”<br />
when he was followed up by his<br />
local GP, who explained just how<br />
slim survival chances are for<br />
people who suffer cardiac arrests<br />
outside of hospital. “The help I<br />
had on the day of the incident<br />
and the treatment I had at the QA<br />
Hospital was terrific,” he said.<br />
“All I remember from the night<br />
was Graham telling a story about<br />
a friend of his who was ill and,<br />
ironically, I said, ‘do you know I’m<br />
going to be 66 on Tuesday and I’ve<br />
never really been ill in my life’ and<br />
that’s all I remember – I woke up in<br />
hospital a couple of weeks later.<br />
“I’m just lucky to be around. You<br />
just have to grasp it. I just feel<br />
very, very lucky.”<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
Graham Langley and Richard Lovegrove<br />
Around 60,000 out-of-hospital<br />
cardiac arrests (OHCA) occur in<br />
the <strong>UK</strong> every year and emergency<br />
services attempt resuscitation in<br />
around half – but just one in 10<br />
people survive to hospital discharge.<br />
However, chances of survival are<br />
two to three times higher with<br />
immediate bystander CPR – and a<br />
report published earlier this year by<br />
the National Confidential Enquiry<br />
into Patient Outcome and Death<br />
(NCEPOD) found 35.5% of patients<br />
who received CPR from a bystander<br />
survived to hospital discharge.<br />
Richard, a managing director of a<br />
After the incident, Graham was<br />
praised for his calm conduct<br />
under pressure and decided<br />
to find out more about the CFR<br />
scheme, which sees more than<br />
1,000 specially trained members<br />
of the public support the<br />
ambulance service by responding<br />
to medical emergencies.<br />
They often provide lifesaving first<br />
aid to patients before paramedics<br />
arrive and assist with ongoing<br />
patient care at the scene,<br />
attending more than 30,000<br />
incidents every year.<br />
They are funded solely by South<br />
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NEWSLINE<br />
Central <strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity, which<br />
provides equipment, training and<br />
is responsible for the dedicated<br />
vehicle fleet.<br />
Realising he was capable under<br />
pressure and seeing the CFR<br />
programme in action, Graham<br />
decided the join the service and<br />
is now a dedicated member of<br />
the team of volunteer responders<br />
that covers the Bishop’s Waltham,<br />
Waltham Chase and Swanmore<br />
area.<br />
“Before Richard’s incident I didn’t<br />
know about the CFR scheme,”<br />
he said. “But the urgency of<br />
the incident and speed of the<br />
response by the local CFR made<br />
me realise how vitally important<br />
immediate action was.<br />
“Without the volunteer CFR there<br />
would have been a delay in<br />
emergency treatment which may<br />
have had an impact on Richard’s<br />
recovery.<br />
“The feedback from the crew<br />
on the night was that I’d done a<br />
fantastic job and I realised that I<br />
was probably reasonably good<br />
under pressure – particularly for<br />
emergencies with people.<br />
“Because of the Covid shutdown<br />
I’d retired early and was looking for<br />
something to do so it just felt right.”<br />
Graham enjoys that every call is<br />
different and that he can make a<br />
real difference to people within the<br />
local community.<br />
He said: “You feel like you’ve<br />
made a difference on every call<br />
that you’ve been to even if the<br />
ambulance is there only a couple<br />
of minutes later. You feel like<br />
you’re doing something for the<br />
community.”<br />
The advice from both Richard<br />
and Graham for anyone who<br />
experiences a situation like this is<br />
to begin chest compressions as<br />
soon as possible.<br />
Graham said: “Definitely just get<br />
stuck in and start giving someone<br />
CPR if you find yourself in this<br />
situation and while you’re waiting<br />
for help to arrive - this absolutely<br />
made all the difference for<br />
Richard.”<br />
Vanessa Casey, Chief Executive of<br />
South Central <strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity,<br />
said: “What a truly remarkable<br />
story this is.<br />
“All of us at SCAS and the charity<br />
are delighted to see Richard has<br />
made such a positive recovery<br />
and we are also so grateful to<br />
have Graham on board as a CFR<br />
in Bishop’s Waltham – our skilled<br />
and dedicated CFRs are so<br />
valuable to us.<br />
“All of our volunteers make such<br />
a difference to the service we<br />
provide for patients and they<br />
are also fantastic advocates<br />
for the charity, enabling us to<br />
constantly add to and upgrade<br />
our equipment and ensure they<br />
have all the kit they need.”<br />
As part of a series of events<br />
leading up to World Restart a<br />
Heart Day, SCAS issued an<br />
open invitation to members of<br />
the public to participate in a live<br />
online resuscitation training event<br />
at facebook.com/scas999. The<br />
session will remain available on<br />
Facebook to view at any time.<br />
WAS<br />
Amateur boxer lands<br />
knockout job at<br />
ambulance service<br />
An amateur boxer has landed a<br />
knockout new job at the Welsh<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service.<br />
Jamie Jones, of Tal-y-Bont,<br />
Bangor, is learning the ropes as<br />
an <strong>Ambulance</strong> Care Assistant<br />
for the Trust’s Non-Emergency<br />
Patient Transport Service.<br />
It is a family affair for the 23-yearold<br />
heavyweight whose uncle<br />
works for the service and whose<br />
late grandfather also had more<br />
than 15 years under his belt.<br />
Jamie, who until recently worked<br />
at his father’s joinery business,<br />
started at the Trust in August after<br />
searching for a job that would<br />
allow him to fulfil his gruelling<br />
training schedule.<br />
He said: “I’ve been boxing since I<br />
was 16 – it was just a hobby in the<br />
beginning, but it quickly turned<br />
into a serious pursuit.<br />
“Boxing teaches you discipline,<br />
but it also gives you confidence<br />
and keeps you well physically and<br />
mentally.<br />
“I’d love to progress into pro<br />
boxing, but in the meantime I<br />
fancied something a bit different<br />
to joinery and my ambition was to<br />
pursue a career in the ambulance<br />
service.<br />
“My uncle Mark is an Emergency<br />
Medical Technician and my<br />
grandfather John worked for the<br />
service for 15 years, so I suppose<br />
you could say I’m following in their<br />
footsteps.<br />
“I typically train 3-4 times a week,<br />
and this role gives me the flexibility<br />
to do my job but also pursue my<br />
passion, and the Trust have been<br />
really supportive in that way.”<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Care Assistants in the<br />
Trust’s Non-Emergency Patient<br />
Transport Service are trained to<br />
take patients to and from their<br />
routine hospital appointments.<br />
No formal qualifications are<br />
required for the role, but<br />
candidates are expected to<br />
demonstrate a reasonable<br />
standard of education.<br />
They must have the physical<br />
strength to fulfil the manual<br />
handling element of the role and<br />
can also expect long periods of<br />
driving.<br />
More importantly, recruits must<br />
have experience of delivering<br />
excellent customer care.<br />
The Trust is recruiting an<br />
additional 20 <strong>Ambulance</strong> Care<br />
Assistants in North Wales.<br />
Jamie, who is based at Colwyn<br />
Bay <strong>Ambulance</strong> Station, is<br />
encouraging others to apply.<br />
He said: “What I enjoy most about<br />
the role is that you’re meeting new<br />
people every day, and I’ve been<br />
made to feel so welcome.<br />
“You could enjoy a lifelong career<br />
in the non-emergency service, but<br />
it’s also a great foundation role –<br />
especially for young people – not<br />
only to start you off in your career<br />
but also in life.<br />
“Personally, I’d like to progress<br />
into an Emergency Medical<br />
Technician role so that I’m<br />
delivering clinical care to patients,<br />
and this is a great springboard<br />
for that.”<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
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191
NEWSLINE<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
SCAS<br />
Staff, volunteers and<br />
public recognised at<br />
first of Trust’s annual<br />
awards<br />
The long service and<br />
achievements of South East<br />
Coast <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service staff,<br />
volunteers and members of the<br />
public have been recognised<br />
at the first of the Trust’s annual<br />
awards ceremonies.<br />
The awards, primarily covering<br />
Kent, took place at The Orangery,<br />
Turkey Mill, Maidstone on the<br />
evening of Thursday 7 October.<br />
The ceremony saw longservice<br />
award winners gather<br />
in person for the awards while<br />
commendation award winners<br />
joined in the celebrations virtually.<br />
Queen’s Medals for Long<br />
Service and Good Conduct<br />
were presented by The Queen’s<br />
representative, Deputy Lieutenant<br />
of Kent, George Jessel, with<br />
attendees also recognised for 20,<br />
30 and an amazing 40 years’ NHS<br />
service.<br />
There was also a special<br />
recognition award for former<br />
paramedic Robin Friday – one<br />
of the original six ambulance<br />
personnel chosen to undergo<br />
formal cardiac training under the<br />
tutorship of the then Dr Douglas<br />
Chamberlain. This year marks 50<br />
years since Robin became what<br />
is considered to be one of the<br />
<strong>UK</strong>’s first paramedics when he<br />
completed his training in Brighton<br />
in 1971.<br />
Chief Executive Commendations<br />
were presented to individuals<br />
across a number of categories<br />
including Exceeding Expectations,<br />
Clinical Excellence and Quality<br />
Improvement, Community or<br />
Voluntary Service and, for the first<br />
time, a category for COVID-19<br />
Response.<br />
There was also a Public<br />
Commendation for on-call Kent firefighters<br />
Mark Rustage and James<br />
Knight and SECAmb <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Technician, Charlie Speers, for their<br />
quick thinking when they sprang<br />
into action when off duty to save<br />
the life of 5-year-old Lila Page from<br />
Rainham. The Trust was delighted<br />
Lila was also able to join in the<br />
celebrations virtually with her family.<br />
SECAmb Chief Executive Philip<br />
Astle said: “I was delighted to be<br />
able to celebrate the achievements<br />
of every single award recipient.<br />
The dedication shown to the<br />
ambulance service over so many<br />
years by our long service award<br />
winners is truly humbling and<br />
the amazing stories behind each<br />
commendation winner highlights<br />
just a few examples of the fantastic<br />
work which goes on 24 hours a<br />
day at SECAmb.<br />
“I would like to thank all our award<br />
winners and everyone linked to<br />
SECAmb for their commitment at<br />
what continues to be an extremely<br />
challenging and busy time.”<br />
WAS<br />
WAST Awards <strong>2021</strong>-<br />
And the winners are...<br />
The Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service<br />
has honoured staff and<br />
volunteers at its sixth annual<br />
awards ceremony.<br />
More than a dozen awards were<br />
presented to colleagues across<br />
Wales at a virtual event.<br />
Among them were accolades for<br />
Team of the Year and Inspiring<br />
Others, as well as a pair of special<br />
awards to mark the launch of the<br />
Trust’s first Volunteers’ Strategy.<br />
Tributes were paid to lost<br />
colleagues, including Emergency<br />
Medical Technician Dorian<br />
Williams, of Swansea, who died<br />
in June, just six weeks after a<br />
stomach cancer diagnosis.<br />
The 44-year-old newlywed was also<br />
the recipient of the posthumous<br />
People’s Choice Award.<br />
Chief Executive Jason Killens<br />
said: “Awards are a brilliant<br />
way to recognise the sterling<br />
efforts of staff and volunteers<br />
who demonstrate overwhelming<br />
commitment and do a great job<br />
for the people of Wales, every day.<br />
“Once again, the Covid-19<br />
pandemic meant we couldn’t host<br />
the ceremony in the usual way,<br />
but it has given us the opportunity<br />
to pause and reflect on our<br />
achievements in a different way.<br />
“It’s more important than ever to<br />
take stock of the last 12 months<br />
and say a big thank you to our<br />
people, without whom Wales’<br />
national ambulance service simply<br />
would not exist.”<br />
Chair Martin Woodford added:<br />
“Often, our people don’t realise<br />
that what they do is special; they<br />
see it as part of their daily job, so<br />
the staff awards are an excellent<br />
way to shine a light on their work<br />
and recognise that effort.<br />
“We heard some incredible stories<br />
as part of the ceremony, and I’d<br />
like to extend a huge heartfelt<br />
congratulations to all of our winners.”<br />
And the winners are –<br />
Emergency Medical Service<br />
Award<br />
North: Jenny Lewis and the East<br />
Duty Operations Managers – for<br />
delivering outstanding patient<br />
care and supporting frontline<br />
colleagues<br />
Central and West: Hayley<br />
Bennett – for saving a choking<br />
colleague<br />
South East: Cath and Kevin<br />
O’Connor – for their charity work<br />
and having compassion for<br />
patients and colleagues alike<br />
Non-Emergency Patient<br />
Transport Service Award<br />
North: Bethan Roberts – for her<br />
commitment to the role and her<br />
efforts to improve culture<br />
Central and West: David Arch –<br />
for going above and beyond for<br />
patients<br />
South East: Kelly Baker – for being<br />
a good team leader and ensuring<br />
that staff wellbeing is a priority<br />
Clinical Contact Centre Award<br />
North: Laura Williams – for being<br />
a good role model to NHS 111<br />
Wales colleagues<br />
Central and West: Laura Reed<br />
– for taking ownership of every<br />
decision and for going the extra<br />
mile with staff training<br />
South East: John Attfield – for his<br />
professional handling of a 999 call<br />
involving a member of staff<br />
Support Services Award<br />
North: Carl Melville and Sam<br />
Roberts – for going above and<br />
beyond to support frontline staff<br />
through the Covid-19 pandemic<br />
Central and West: Jenny McGinn<br />
– for working tirelessly to support<br />
the alternative responder team<br />
South East: Jamie Roberts – for<br />
his patience and responsiveness<br />
when dealing with ICT queries<br />
Volunteer – Community First<br />
Responder<br />
North: Jonathan Lawton – for his<br />
commitment and professionalism<br />
as a CFR<br />
Central and West: Wendy Lewis<br />
– for being an inspiration to the<br />
CFR family<br />
South East: Mike Hope and Lucy<br />
Rowlands – for their enthusiasm<br />
and for providing excellent<br />
patient care through the Covid-19<br />
pandemic<br />
Volunteer – Volunteer Car<br />
Driver<br />
North: Howard Dickson – for his<br />
dedication to the role over three<br />
decades of service<br />
Central and West: Amanda<br />
Williams – for her quick-thinking<br />
actions to deliver first aid to a<br />
member of the public<br />
South East: Ernest ‘Tony’ Anthony<br />
Dale – for his professionalism and<br />
compassion over 20 years’ service<br />
192<br />
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NEWSLINE<br />
People’s Choice Award<br />
Dorian Williams (posthumous) –<br />
for his passion for helping people,<br />
both as an Emergency Medical<br />
Technician for the Trust and as a<br />
training officer for St John Cymru<br />
Wales<br />
Public Recognition<br />
Pamela Gannon – for supporting<br />
health and social services through<br />
the Covid-19 pandemic by hand<br />
making Personal Protective<br />
Equipment<br />
Great Listener Award<br />
North: Carol Archer – for being<br />
the epitome of a kind and caring<br />
person<br />
Central and West: Garin Lloyd – for<br />
using his initiative as a call handler<br />
to help a patient in difficulty and for<br />
securing a position in university to<br />
train as a paramedic<br />
South East: Dylan Parry – for<br />
supporting colleagues as the<br />
Trust’s Violence and Aggression<br />
Project Officer<br />
Learning and Innovation Award<br />
Jo Kelso – for drawing on her<br />
skills, knowledge and expertise to<br />
deliver key organisational priorities<br />
for the Trust<br />
Inspiring Others Award<br />
North: Karen Neville – for her<br />
‘get up and go’ and fantastic<br />
leadership, especially though the<br />
Covid-19 pandemic<br />
Central and West: Catrin Convery<br />
– for being an inspirational leader<br />
and supporting staff through the<br />
death of a colleague<br />
South East: Nicola De-Gare Pitt<br />
– for her positivity and inspiring<br />
others to be their best<br />
Team of the Year Award<br />
111 Wales Team – for being front<br />
and centre of the Trust’s Covid-19<br />
effort and for working tirelessly to<br />
maintain the service in the face of<br />
increased demand<br />
Welsh Language Award<br />
Dylan Vining – for his skill and<br />
proficiency as a Welsh-speaking<br />
call handler<br />
Chair’s Award<br />
Ernest ‘Tony’ Anthony Dale – for his<br />
professionalism and compassion<br />
over 20 years’ service<br />
Chief Executive’s Award<br />
Mark Tonkin – for going above and<br />
beyond to help others inside and<br />
outside of work, including organising<br />
donations for people in need during<br />
the Covid-19 pandemic<br />
Gail Williams Award for Clinical<br />
and Operational Excellence<br />
Stephen Donovan and Wayne<br />
Davies – for providing exemplary<br />
clinical care at the roadside to a<br />
patient in labour<br />
SCAS<br />
South Central<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service<br />
volunteer responders<br />
win national team of<br />
the year award<br />
South Central <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service (SCAS) and South<br />
Central <strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity’s<br />
volunteer responders have been<br />
named ‘outstanding volunteering<br />
team of the year’ at a national<br />
awards ceremony for their<br />
contribution to healthcare amid<br />
the challenges of COVID-19.<br />
The 1,200-strong team of<br />
Community First Responders<br />
(CFRs) and Co-Responders<br />
were up against four other<br />
organisations for the title at the<br />
Helpforce Champions Awards<br />
<strong>2021</strong>, with the winner announced<br />
online on Friday.<br />
Volunteer responders are<br />
members of the public trained to<br />
support the ambulance service<br />
primarily by attending medical<br />
emergencies and sometimes<br />
providing lifesaving first aid to<br />
patients before paramedics arrive.<br />
They also assist with ongoing<br />
patient care at the scene and<br />
attend more than 30,000 incidents<br />
every year. They are funded solely<br />
by South Central <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Charity, which provides equipment,<br />
training and is responsible for the<br />
vehicle fleet of 51.<br />
CFRs volunteer in their spare<br />
time – providing a minimum of 20<br />
hours a month each – and cover a<br />
population of more than four million<br />
across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire,<br />
Hampshire and Oxfordshire.<br />
Helpforce was set up by former<br />
Marie Curie charity chief executive<br />
Sir Thomas Hughes-Hallett to<br />
accelerate the growth and impact<br />
of volunteering in the NHS by<br />
collaborating with organisations<br />
and rapidly sharing insights and<br />
best practice.<br />
Its awards ceremony celebrates<br />
the invaluable contributions made<br />
by volunteers in the NHS and<br />
this year focused on the role they<br />
have played – and continue to<br />
play – in managing the impact of<br />
the pandemic.<br />
“We are absolutely delighted our<br />
SCAS Community First Responder<br />
team has won this award,” said<br />
Vanessa Casey, Chief Executive of<br />
South Central <strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity.<br />
“The award recognises the<br />
enormous contribution each and<br />
every one of our CFRs and Co-<br />
Responders has made, not just over<br />
the last year but in every year.<br />
“We know the last year has provided<br />
many new and different challenges<br />
but it has also shown the true<br />
loyalty, resilience and passion of our<br />
volunteers - on behalf of everyone<br />
at SCAS we thank them all for their<br />
continued support and hard work.”<br />
During the pandemic CFRs<br />
have continued to respond to<br />
emergencies and support patient<br />
care but have also taken on new<br />
roles such as introducing ‘Teapot’<br />
refreshment vehicles to provide<br />
staff with hot drinks while waiting<br />
with patients at emergency<br />
departments.<br />
They have also volunteered in the<br />
control room and headquarters to<br />
dispatch CFRs, helped distribute<br />
donated goods from hand cream<br />
to coffee across ambulance<br />
service sites and taken on a<br />
variety of fundraising challenges<br />
to raise money for additional<br />
equipment and new technology.<br />
Volunteers who had to temporarily<br />
stand down due to age or their<br />
own health vulnerabilities did not<br />
give up and found new ways to<br />
support SCAS, joining specific<br />
bubbles and providing essential<br />
support outside of direct patient<br />
care such as helping with<br />
vaccination rollouts.<br />
Andy Long, a CFR based in<br />
Oxfordshire, said: “I have been<br />
a CFR for almost 14 years and I<br />
have loved every single second.<br />
“COVID-19 has been difficult and<br />
made life quite scary at times<br />
but we continued to do what we<br />
do because we know it makes<br />
a difference and is appreciated.<br />
This award is marvellous and to<br />
be recognised for something you<br />
do is really special - it means an<br />
awful lot.”<br />
Sir Thomas said: “What a<br />
team. Driving black cabs down<br />
from London to protect patient<br />
transport patients in transit, they<br />
trained to dispatch community<br />
first responders from their call<br />
centre, crewed teapot refreshment<br />
vehicles and distributed donated<br />
goods from hand cream to coffee.<br />
“They helped their ambulance<br />
service reach even more patients,<br />
treating and leaving patients at<br />
home and supporting the welfare<br />
of elderly and vulnerable patients<br />
throughout the pandemic.<br />
“How lucky we are to have them I<br />
applaud on your behalf the South<br />
Central <strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity and<br />
South Central <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service<br />
Community First Responders.”<br />
Watch the announcement in<br />
full here: https://twitter.com/i/<br />
status/1454025825230024708<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
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193
NEWSLINE<br />
Southampton<br />
researchers<br />
demonstrate a more<br />
effective personal<br />
protective equipment<br />
strategy for COVID-19<br />
in the NHS<br />
Research by the University of<br />
Southampton and University<br />
Hospital Southampton has<br />
demonstrated that a newlydeveloped<br />
respirator hood is a<br />
safe form of personal protective<br />
equipment (PPE) for frontline<br />
healthcare workers and support<br />
staff. As well as being preferred<br />
by patients and staff to standard<br />
facemasks, they provide cost<br />
saving opportunities for the NHS<br />
and did not face the supply chain<br />
issues experienced for single-use<br />
PPE early in the pandemic.<br />
At the start of the pandemic,<br />
a collaboration of University<br />
and Hospital staff, with industry<br />
partners, developed prototype<br />
reusable, battery-powered<br />
respirators (PeRSo) as alternative<br />
PPE to standard disposable<br />
face masks. After initial trials,<br />
widespread deployment was<br />
approved; in the first wave, over<br />
1500 PeRSos were used, and<br />
over 3500 were used during the<br />
second wave, all individually<br />
requested by staff.<br />
The respirators have a waistmounted<br />
rechargeable battery<br />
powered unit, which filters air<br />
extremely effectively and then<br />
blows clean air into a loose-fitting<br />
hood with a clear visor.<br />
They received approval from the<br />
regulators for use in hospitals<br />
during the pandemic.<br />
The key findings of this new<br />
study, published in Frontiers in<br />
Medical Technology, were that<br />
the respirators were significantly<br />
preferred by staff, as they felt<br />
safer and more comfortable, and<br />
preferred by patients who could<br />
see their carers’ faces in full,<br />
making communication much<br />
easier.<br />
Economic analysis showed<br />
widespread PeRSo use to be<br />
cost saving after approximately<br />
PeRSo on the frontline<br />
ten weeks, and as they are<br />
reusable the supply chain issues<br />
that limited PPE availability were<br />
resolved. The environmental<br />
impact of disposable PPE was<br />
also minimised. Furthermore,<br />
widespread use led to relatively<br />
low staff absence during the<br />
second wave of the pandemic,<br />
and over 80% of staff requested<br />
their PeRSos to be stored for<br />
any future rise in cases. This<br />
improved PPE was offered to all<br />
staff, including cleaners, porters,<br />
physiotherapists and healthcare<br />
assistants.<br />
The team therefore conclude that<br />
PeRSos represent an alternative<br />
form of PPE to protect healthcare<br />
workers from coronavirus<br />
infection.<br />
Paul Elkington, Professor of<br />
© University Hospital Southampton<br />
Respiratory Medicine at the<br />
University of Southampton and<br />
co-director of the project, said<br />
“We have shown that widespread<br />
PeRSo use gives staff the ability<br />
to choose their level of PPE, and<br />
is preferred by staff and patients.<br />
Also, this approach reduces the<br />
enormous waste of standard<br />
PPE and is cost saving as the<br />
respirators are reusable“.<br />
Dr Trevor Smith, Deputy Chief<br />
Medical Officer at University<br />
Hospital Southampton, said “This<br />
is a prime example of the local<br />
hospital, university and industry<br />
working together to come up with<br />
innovative a solution to the crisis<br />
that has benefited patients and<br />
staff alike. Our experience can<br />
help the wider NHS to improve<br />
its PPE provision as we enter a<br />
difficult winter”.<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
PeRSo being assembled by INDO Lighting<br />
© INDO Lighting<br />
PeRSo being assembled by INDO Lighting<br />
© INDO Lighting<br />
194<br />
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NEWSLINE<br />
WAS<br />
Eight assaults a<br />
day on emergency<br />
workers – work with<br />
us, not against us is<br />
the Christmas plea<br />
Eight assaults every day were<br />
committed against Welsh<br />
emergency workers during the<br />
first six months of this year, new<br />
figures have revealed.<br />
More than1,360 assaults were<br />
committed in the six-month period<br />
from 01 January <strong>2021</strong> – 30 June<br />
<strong>2021</strong>.<br />
They included kicking, slapping,<br />
head-butting and verbal abuse,<br />
and ranged from common assault<br />
to serious premediated attacks<br />
involving grievous bodily harm.<br />
At least 21 incidents involved a<br />
weapon.<br />
With Christmas fast approaching<br />
– the time of year when assaults<br />
traditionally spike – emergency<br />
workers are asking the public to<br />
treat them with respect.<br />
Jason Killens, Chief Executive<br />
of the Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service, said: “The Covid-19<br />
pandemic has been a fraught time<br />
for all of us, but that’s no excuse<br />
to assault an emergency worker,<br />
who are normal human beings<br />
just trying to do a job.<br />
“The run-up to Christmas means<br />
more people are out enjoying<br />
the revelry, and with alcohol<br />
consumption comes an increase<br />
in assaults, both physical and<br />
verbal.<br />
“There were 60 verbal attacks<br />
alone on our ambulance control<br />
room staff in the first six months<br />
of the year.<br />
“We know it’s distressing when<br />
you’re waiting for help, but<br />
abusing our call handlers is not<br />
the answer – if anything, it could<br />
potentially delay help.<br />
“On the road meanwhile, crews<br />
might have no choice but to<br />
leave a scene if their safety is<br />
compromised, and that’s not<br />
helpful for anyone, especially the<br />
patient.<br />
“The debt of gratitude we owe to<br />
our emergency workers has never<br />
been greater, so we’re asking the<br />
public to work with us, not against<br />
us this Christmas.”<br />
Almost half (47%) of assaults in<br />
the six-month period took place<br />
in South East Wales; Cardiff,<br />
Rhondda Cynon Taf and Bridgend<br />
are among the most prolific local<br />
authority areas.<br />
Offenders aged 26-35 account for<br />
the highest portion of offending<br />
(24%), while a third of incidents<br />
involved people under the<br />
influence of alcohol.<br />
averaging 152 victims every<br />
month in the six-month period.<br />
Claire Parmenter, Temporary<br />
Chief Constable at Dyfed Powys<br />
Police, said: “Assaults on police<br />
officers continue to increase and<br />
this is completely unacceptable.<br />
“Assault is a traumatic offence that<br />
causes great distress to anyone,<br />
and it is no different when the<br />
victim is an emergency worker.<br />
“In September, we saw a man<br />
handed a 26-week prison<br />
sentence suspended for two<br />
years after he violently attacked<br />
two of our police officers who had<br />
gone to his aid.<br />
“Concerned for his safety, they<br />
May <strong>2021</strong> saw the highest volume<br />
of assaults (281) as the hospitality<br />
industry re-opened in Wales after<br />
the second Covid-19 lockdown.<br />
Since the start of the pandemic<br />
in March 2020, there have been<br />
at least 36 incidents where an<br />
emergency worker has been<br />
deliberately coughed at.<br />
Assaults on police account for two<br />
thirds (67%) of the total number,<br />
gave him a lift home – and in<br />
return both were physically<br />
injured.<br />
“The psychological impact on<br />
both officers is something they will<br />
take time to recover from.<br />
“In the same month alone, three<br />
officers carrying out their duties<br />
suffered injuries in an unprovoked<br />
attack at the hands of the man<br />
they were trying to arrest.<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
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195
NEWSLINE<br />
“Despite the offender’s efforts, the<br />
officers were able to arrest him<br />
although they were left with injuries.<br />
“The offender appeared in court<br />
the day after his arrest, where he<br />
was sentenced to 12 months in<br />
prison.<br />
“Assaults such as these stay with<br />
the victims for the rest of their<br />
careers, and none of my officers<br />
and staff should have to go to<br />
work serving the public and be<br />
afraid of being assaulted.<br />
“With the upcoming season of<br />
goodwill, please respect and<br />
protect our emergency workers.”<br />
Although fewer in number – 22<br />
incidents over the six-month<br />
period – March <strong>2021</strong> saw an<br />
unexplained rise in assaults on fire<br />
service colleagues, especially in<br />
South Wales.<br />
Chief Fire Officer Huw Jakeway<br />
QFSM from South Wales Fire<br />
and Rescue Service said: “Our<br />
emergency services work hard<br />
every day keeping the public safe<br />
and should not have to deal with<br />
abuse.<br />
“Attacks on crews while protecting<br />
our communities and keeping<br />
people safe is completely<br />
unacceptable.<br />
“Our blue light services come<br />
to work to serve and protect the<br />
public and the impact of such<br />
assaults can lead to life-changing<br />
consequences for those involved.<br />
“This type of behaviour is, of<br />
course, carried out by a very<br />
small minority, and we once again<br />
thank our communities for their<br />
continued support in working<br />
with us this festive season to stay<br />
safe.”<br />
Under the Assault on Emergency<br />
Workers (Offences) Act, the<br />
definition of an emergency<br />
worker includes police, fire and<br />
ambulance staff, as well as prison<br />
staff and NHS workers.<br />
Judith Paget, Chief Executive<br />
of NHS Wales, said: “Our<br />
emergency workers provide<br />
life-saving and life-changing<br />
care every day in often difficult<br />
circumstances.<br />
“Our NHS staff are preparing for a<br />
challenging Christmas period so<br />
now, more than ever, they deserve<br />
to be treated with respect.<br />
“Any form of attack on<br />
our emergency workers is<br />
completely unacceptable and we<br />
are doing everything we can to<br />
work with NHS Wales employers<br />
and our partner agencies to<br />
eradicate physical or verbal<br />
assaults on staff.”<br />
Last week, <strong>UK</strong> Government<br />
announced that it was<br />
introducing a new law that will<br />
mean a mandatory life sentence<br />
for those who kill an emergency<br />
worker in the course of their<br />
duty.<br />
The Ministry of Justice said it<br />
would aim to pass ‘Harper’s<br />
Law’ in England and Wales – in<br />
memory of Thames Valley Police<br />
PC Andrew Harper, who was<br />
killed in the line of duty in 2019 –<br />
as soon as possible.<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
The With Us, Not Against Us<br />
campaign was launched in May<br />
<strong>2021</strong> by the Joint Emergency<br />
Service Group in Wales to try<br />
and reduce the number of<br />
assaults on emergency workers.<br />
Pledge your support on social<br />
media using the hashtag<br />
#WithUsNotAgainstUs or<br />
#GydaNiNidYnEinHerbyn.<br />
196<br />
For more news visit: www.ambulanceukonline.com
IN PERSON<br />
SECAmb News<br />
SECAmb appoints new<br />
Executive Director of Quality<br />
and Nursing<br />
South East Coast <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service NHS<br />
Foundation Trust (SECAmb) is pleased<br />
to announce the appointment of a new<br />
Executive Director of Quality and Nursing.<br />
Robert Nicholls will join the Trust in February<br />
replacing current Director, Bethan Eaton-<br />
Haskins, who announced her decision to leave<br />
the Trust earlier this year.<br />
A nurse since 1993, Robert has held a number<br />
of senior roles in the NHS, most recently in his<br />
current position as Director of Nursing Division<br />
of Medicine and Integrated Care at Imperial<br />
College Healthcare NHS Trust.<br />
Prior to this he was seconded to the role of<br />
Programme Director of Clinical Workforce<br />
at Kent and Medway Sustainability and<br />
Transformation Partnership (STP) and he has<br />
held a variety of deputy director of nursing and<br />
deputy chief nurse roles at NHS organisations<br />
including North Somerset Community<br />
Partnership and Medway NHS Foundation Trust.<br />
He is a member of the Chief Nursing Officer<br />
for England male BAME advisory group,<br />
supporting the Chief Nursing Officer on the<br />
national equality, diversity and inclusion<br />
agenda.<br />
In his role for SECAmb, Robert will be<br />
responsible for all matters connected to the<br />
quality agenda, lead a wide variety of specialist<br />
teams and as well as the increasingly powerful<br />
cadre of nurses supporting the Trust’s 111 and<br />
999 services.<br />
SECAmb Chief Executive, Philip Astle said:<br />
“I am really pleased we have been able<br />
to appoint such a strong candidate to this<br />
important role. I would also like to thank<br />
Bethan for her dedication since she joined us<br />
in 2018 and in particular, for her expertise and<br />
leadership during the COVID pandemic.<br />
“Robert brings a great deal of experience<br />
with him across a variety of senior NHS roles<br />
and I am certain this will be of huge benefit to<br />
SECAmb and its strong Executive Team and<br />
Trust Board. I would like to take this opportunity<br />
to formally welcome him ahead of him joining<br />
us in February. I look forward to working closely<br />
with him in the months and years ahead.”<br />
Robert said: I am delighted to be offered such<br />
a privileged position and I am really looking<br />
forward to working with my executive and nonexecutive<br />
colleagues and our people who work<br />
diligently to deliver an exceptional emergency<br />
service across Kent, Surrey and Sussex.”<br />
WAST News<br />
Andy Swinburn appointed<br />
Trust’s first Director of<br />
Paramedicine<br />
The Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service has<br />
appointed its first Director of Paramedicine.<br />
Following a competitive recruitment process<br />
open externally to suitably qualified and<br />
experienced applicants, we are delighted to<br />
announce that Andy Swinburn QAM FCPara<br />
has been appointed to the role of Director of<br />
Paramedicine.<br />
Andy joined #TeamWAST in 2017 as Assistant<br />
Director of Paramedicine, later securing<br />
promotion to Associate Director in January 2020.<br />
moment in the Trust’s clinical journey and for<br />
the <strong>UK</strong> ambulance sector more widely.<br />
He said: “The Director of Paramedicine role is<br />
a first for the Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service and<br />
one which signals our commitment to the<br />
development of paramedicine as a profession<br />
in our organisation.<br />
“Andy will be a member of the Executive<br />
Team and Trust Board and will assume full<br />
responsibility for what has historically been the<br />
Medical Directorate from 01 January 2022.<br />
“In Andy we have found a passionate and<br />
innovative advocate for the profession who<br />
has already made a huge contribution to the<br />
organisation.<br />
“Having Andy in this role gives our paramedics<br />
and the profession more broadly their rightful<br />
seat at the Board table as we continue to<br />
evolve and develop as a provider of a range of<br />
clinically-based services.”<br />
Andy added: “I am truly elated to have been<br />
appointed to the role of Director of Paramedicine.<br />
“This has been a challenging selection process<br />
in which I am pleased to have been successful.<br />
“However, I am most excited about taking a<br />
lead role within our future strategic direction<br />
and play my part in shaping our service to<br />
deliver even better care to the people of Wales.<br />
“I’d like to take this opportunity to offer my thanks<br />
to the numerous members of #TeamWAST that<br />
have supported me since my arrival in 2017 and<br />
more latterly through the selection process.<br />
“We have great people here in Wales and I know<br />
that together we can take things forward in a<br />
progressive and positive manner – thank you.”<br />
During this period, he has been at the forefront<br />
of developments in clinical practice, including<br />
as a leading proponent of advanced and<br />
extended paramedic practice.<br />
Andy has more recently championed key<br />
elements of our future strategy.<br />
Chief Executive Jason Killens said the<br />
appointment to the role was a significant<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
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197
COMPANY NEWS<br />
NEW PRODUCTION LINE EXPANSION INCREASES<br />
RHINO PRODUCTS’ MANUFACTURING CAPACITY<br />
Rhino Products, Europe’s leading van accessory manufacturer,<br />
has expanded its production capacity by adding two new<br />
lines at its modern Ellesmere Port facility. The new lines are<br />
dedicated to the manufacture of the highly popular SafeClamp<br />
ladder clamping system, adding to recently enhanced<br />
production capabilities across the business.<br />
Rhino Products continuously invests in its infrastructure and personnel<br />
to meet customer demand for its high-quality commercial vehicle<br />
accessories. Recent upgrades include new manufacturing floors, offices<br />
and other facilities. As part of this, the business has also hired a number<br />
of new employees from the local area.<br />
Forming the latest round of investment, the addition of two new<br />
SafeClamp production lines has doubled production from 500 to<br />
1,000 pairs a day. The SafeClamp is a one touch ladder clamping<br />
system, featuring a composite beam structure and stainless-steel<br />
anchor hook. The device is five times quicker than traditional screw<br />
down ladder clamps.<br />
To support this increased manufacturing capacity, Rhino has hired three<br />
new production staff from the local area. The lines have been built on<br />
a dedicated mezzanine floor and employ LEAN principles, with racking<br />
and continuous improvement strategies in place to maximise efficiency.<br />
“When building Rhino House, we ensured that alongside modern<br />
office and factory spaces, we allowed for flexibility to facilitate our<br />
ambitious growth plans. This strategy has allowed us to quickly meet<br />
the growing market demand for our van accessories,” said Steve<br />
Egerton, Group CEO.<br />
As well as the SafeClamp, all of Rhino’s roof racks, bars, ladder handling<br />
systems, steps, pipe carriers and rear door ladders are manufactured at<br />
Rhino House. Furthermore, the modern factory facilities, which include<br />
two mezzanine floors, also include expansive racking and goods-in space<br />
for stock. All in all, this ensures product availability in the <strong>UK</strong>, Europe and<br />
other export markets to meet customer demand.<br />
Rhino has also hired a number of new employees from the local area.<br />
Beyond the shop floor, Rhino House features a three-storey office<br />
complex with modern facilities. With plenty of room for continued<br />
expansion, Rhino can deliver its exciting plans for future growth with<br />
confidence.<br />
About Rhino Products<br />
Rhino Products are Europe’s leading manufacturers of commercial<br />
vehicle accessories, supplying van roof bars, racks, rear steps and<br />
ladder handling accessories to both trades people and some of the<br />
biggest named fleets around the world.<br />
Headquartered in the <strong>UK</strong>, the Rhino brand has grown from humble<br />
beginnings less than 20 years ago, to an international group of<br />
companies with two <strong>UK</strong> factories and three further sites in the<br />
Netherlands, Sweden and Poland. The group also includes the AVS<br />
Steps Ltd brand, a leading manufacturer of ambulance and passenger<br />
vehicle side steps.<br />
For more information, visit www.rhinoproducts.co.uk<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
Rhino Products, has expanded its production capacity by adding two<br />
new lines at its modern Ellesmere Port facility.<br />
The new lines will produce the SafeClamp, a one touch ladder<br />
clamping system.<br />
198<br />
For further recruitment vacancies visit: www.ambulanceukonline.com
COMPANY NEWS<br />
STOP THE BLEED: 87% OF EMERGENCY RESPONDERS<br />
BELIEVE MORE LIVES COULD BE SAVED IF THE PUBLIC WERE<br />
BETTER PREPARED WITH TRAUMA RESPONSE TRAINING<br />
On World Trauma Day, Safeguard Medical is calling for the<br />
introduction of life-saving bleed kits across the <strong>UK</strong> and offering<br />
over 500 places on FREE bleed control training sessions for <strong>UK</strong><br />
public to help support emergency responders to save more lives.<br />
In a recent survey of <strong>UK</strong> Emergency Medical Services, Fire and Police<br />
commissioned by Safeguard Medical, 87% of respondents agreed that<br />
if the public were more aware of the immediate care required following<br />
major trauma, preventable deaths would decrease [1] . The majority of<br />
first responders (85%) believe that more lives could be saved with<br />
the introduction of bleeding control kits, placed alongside every<br />
public access defibrillator.<br />
The <strong>UK</strong> Government has released statistics that over 41,000 knife crime<br />
offences occurred in 2020/21, of which 224 were homicides [2] . Bleed<br />
kits contain lifesaving equipment including tourniquets to stop major<br />
bleeding and haemostatic bandages that can be ‘packed’ into a wound<br />
to stop haemorrhaging.<br />
With World Trauma Day on Sunday 17th October, Safeguard Medical<br />
is appealing to raise greater awareness of the vital skills that help to<br />
preserve life following a trauma incident. During the COVID pandemic,<br />
emergency responders reported increased pressures, with 95%<br />
agreeing they have responded to an increased number of trauma<br />
incidents. Almost half of those surveyed (48%) agreed that the public<br />
could be better prepared to respond while waiting for professional<br />
ambulance assistance to arrive on scene.<br />
“In addition, the demand for advanced medicines and equipment<br />
coupled with specialist care on scene delivered by our critical care<br />
paramedics and flight doctors continues to rise annually, with a 1.3<br />
per cent rise in trauma-related incidents compared to 2020, which was<br />
already an extraordinary year with additional Covid pressures.”<br />
The emergency responders surveyed agreed that since the pandemic,<br />
certain trauma incidents have increased considerably. For example, as<br />
more people have been upgrading their homes, DIY accidents have<br />
increased (28%), as have falls from height and sporting incidents (25%).<br />
Professor Richard Lyon MBE, Chief Medical Officer at Safeguard<br />
Medical and a practising NHS Consultant in Emergency Medicine<br />
& Pre-hospital Care, said: “Even with an air ambulance travelling in<br />
a straight line at over 130mph to an incident, patients can bleed out in<br />
under 5 minutes in some circumstances. Minutes are critical when you<br />
are bleeding. This is why a tourniquet or haemostatic trauma bandages<br />
in bleed kits give the public the chance to intervene and save a life. Our<br />
rapid response teams can then focus on keeping the patient stable and<br />
preparing them for medical intervention once at the hospital.”<br />
Professor Lyon agreed that during the <strong>UK</strong> lockdowns, the number of<br />
callouts to incidents reduced but added: “There’s been a significant<br />
increase in recreational incidents following the lifting of lockdowns.<br />
Accident from sporting incidents, DIY, road traffic collisions, falls from<br />
heights, as well as an increase in mental health-related incidents and<br />
assault-related trauma – particularly knife crime – have all increased.”<br />
Emergency responders are also dealing with the mental health impact<br />
of witnessing and experiencing trauma, with 94% agreeing that their<br />
mental health had suffered because of the increased pressures<br />
placed on the emergency medical services during the pandemic.<br />
Safeguard Medical believes that if the public were better prepared to<br />
deal with medical and trauma emergencies, this immediate support<br />
could help reduce mental health pressure on emergency medical<br />
responders, whilst also directly saving lives.<br />
One of Safeguard Medical’s partners, the Midlands Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity,<br />
will host a training session on World Trauma Day at Merry Hill Shopping<br />
Centre in the West Midlands, delivered by Safeguard Medical’s training<br />
division, Prometheus Medical. At this free, open event, the public can learn<br />
vital first aid skills that could save someone’s life. These include how to<br />
perform CPR, use a defibrillator and how to manage major bleeding.<br />
Ian Jones, air operations manager for Midlands Air <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Charity, said: “World Trauma Day is an important awareness day for<br />
us. With more than 63% of the charity’s missions being trauma-related,<br />
it’s important to use this day to shine a light on the enhanced critical<br />
care our crews provide, and what bystanders can do to help the patient<br />
before medical expertise even arrives.<br />
Safeguard Medical is dedicated to equipping responders at every<br />
skill level to saving life, in any environment. Which is why its training<br />
arm, Prometheus Medical, is providing over 500 free places on its<br />
medical training courses across the <strong>UK</strong> to help prepare the public and<br />
businesses to respond better to medical emergencies by understanding<br />
bleed control.<br />
To find out more and register your interest for the free training sessions,<br />
visit www.prometheusmedical.com<br />
To learn about how Safeguard can supply bleed kits for general public<br />
use, visit https://safeguardmedical.com/en-gb/products/haemorrhagecontrol/prometheus-bleed-control-kit-daniel-baird-foundation/.<br />
A demonstration of how to use the Bleed Control Kit can be viewed<br />
here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRmt5E8b1lg<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - DECEMBER<br />
For the latest <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service News visit: www.ambulancenewsdesk.com<br />
199
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