Ambulance UK - June 2021

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NEWSLINE NWAS Meet Team NWAS siblings Gene and Lewis Quinn on their clinical knowledge in an emergency setting and seeing them put it into practice. I act as an extra arm of support – a terribly exciting and daunting thing all at the same time. demand is really key to making good decisions. Do you ever get to work together on anything or see each other on duty? on the back of an ambulance where older people are not afraid to tell me how much they do not like it, which keeps me humble! It is a wonderful vocation that I can no longer see my life without. AMBULANCE UK - JUNE From the armed forces to life in performance and singing, brothers Gene and Lewis Quinn started their careers on very different paths! Fast forward 16 years and they are both very much pillars within our green family. Lewis (LQ) joined Team NWAS in 2015 as a full-time practicebased educator in our Education and Training Team. Lewis keeps connected to his emergency practice by also working shifts on the road as a qualified emergency medical technician (EMT). Gene (GQ) joined the ambulance service in 2005 and was the first direct entry paramedic into the then- Merseyside Regional Ambulance Service and has enjoyed many roles within his career. Gene has recently moved roles from interim head of service for Cheshire and Merseyside to interim head of service for Cumbria and Lancashire. Many ambulance crew colleagues will see Gene doing the job they do as he is a qualified paramedic and also works a shift on the road each month in addition to his responsibilities as head of service. What do you like about your roles? LQ – It’s being with the new learners, helping them to build In terms of being an EMT, I consider it a privilege to do the work that we do as we help people at their most vulnerable moments. I’m now pursuing further training to become a paramedic, but the EMT experience as a foundation for pursuing paramedic training is incontrovertible! GQ – I love working with our teams across the organisation to provide support for all. As a paramedic doing my best for patients, but also seeing how all the varied parts of NWAS connect to enable us to deliver our services. What can be tough about your role? LQ – The notion that I can’t be with every learner all at once, as much as I would like to be! So much of my role involves making sure that learners have the right support and so I reinforce this as much as I possibly can. GQ – Decisions can sometimes be tough, you have to consider lots of competing demands on the situation you are faced with and manage any unintended consequences. So taking time to sit and think through complex matters at times when we are dealing with high levels of activity/ LQ – We have worked together twice! One was an interesting shift in the heart of Liverpool when I first was on the road. Gene was my boss and I felt really nervous as I wanted my emergency response driving to be good! The second time I was much more relaxed as we worked together to provide emergency cover at a football match. From my perspective it has been a really wonderful thing to see how much respect Gene has as a clinician on the road. He was a clinical mentor first and foremost and he takes that with him wherever he goes and in whatever role he operates within. Gene has predominantly worked in Cheshire and Merseyside throughout his career and I am based in Cumbria and Lancashire which has meant we have seen less of each other in work. However with Gene’s new position as interim head of service for Cumbria and Lancashire, our paths may cross a little more! GQ – Communication plays such a big part of teamwork between crews. Working with my brother is ace, I know from a look or expression if something isn’t right or if he needs something. I enjoy working with family members and I’m sure now we’re in the same area of the North West, we will team up again. Did you both always want to join the ambulance service? LQ – No. I had a life before in education and training in performing and singing; I have sung in America, Europe, and the UK. I am an operatic tenor and so get to sing all of the romantic/heroic roles which I love. I often used my singing skills GQ – I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do when I left school, other than being a wildlife filmmaker! I found myself qualifying as a paramedic in the Royal Navy and it felt a natural progression to join the ambulance service when I left the armed forces. I have loved all my roles in the ambulance service since the first day I joined and I would advocate NWAS as a brilliant employer. SECAMB Medway paramedic recognised for outstanding service A South East Coast Ambulance Service, (SECAmb), paramedic from Kent has been recognised with an Outstanding Service Award at this year’s Ambulance Leadership Forum (ALF). Jenna Gibson, based at Medway ambulance station, picked up the award at the annual conference which was held virtually on Tuesday 18 May. Jenna, who has a hearing impairment, was recognised for her work at SECAmb developing a new way of informing colleagues and other emergency services of her and others disability when working. Jenna came up with the idea which sees SECAmb staff with a hearing impairment able to request a specially-designed pin badge to wear on their epaulettes. The badge will mean any SECAmb staff with hearing issues can be identified easily at the scene of an incident or in the workplace potentially without having to explain their impairment each time. 82 For more news visit: www.ambulanceukonline.com
NEWSLINE Jenna, who qualified as a paramedic eight years ago, was diagnosed with chronic middle ear disease prior to starting university and has had to undergo several surgeries meaning that she now requires hearing aids in both ears. award for her work in raising awareness and improving the working environment for her colleagues. It’s really well deserved and I was pleased to present Jenna with her award last week ahead of today’s virtual event. It’s also fitting that a SECAmb paramedic has been recognised in the year that we mark 50 years since the UK’s first paramedics began responding to patients in Brighton.” Jenna said: “I am very proud to receive this award and would like to thank my colleagues for their help in making this idea come to life. I really hope the badge along with increased awareness can make communicating at work easier for staff, our partners and in turn our patients.” Jenna produced a short video to explain how communication with people with hearing impairments can be improved – especially given the difficulties wearing a mask during the pandemic creates. The video can be viewed on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=wxR9JGGa8Sg. A further short film focusing on why Jenna came up with the idea can also be viewed on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=vP98ZUGjF3A SECAmb Chief Executive, Philip Astle said: “I’m delighted Jenna has received this prestigious C M Y CM MY CY CMY K AMBULANCE UK - JUNE Do you have anything you would like to add or include in Newsline? Please contact us and let us know. 83
Page 1 and 2: Volume 36 No. 3 June 2021 DEDICATED
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS CONTENTS Ambulance UK 68 E
Page 5 and 6: FREE EDUCATIONAL PODCASTS In the kn
Page 7 and 8: FEATURE AMBULANCE UK - JUNE Do you
Page 9 and 10: NEWSLINE NWAS Colleagues remembered
Page 11 and 12: EFFICIENCY, CONTROL AND KNOWLEDGE.
Page 13 and 14: DS Medical in partnership with Rock
Page 15 and 16: through his work as the local repre
Page 17: TESTED daylight. For me, the toughe
Page 21 and 22: NEWSLINE continuing to shout at him
Page 23 and 24: NEWSLINE multiple improvements in p
Page 25 and 26: NEWSLINE LNAA Lincs & Notts Air Amb
Page 27 and 28: IN PERSON EEAST News EEAST appoints
Page 29 and 30: IN PERSON He retired from the role
Page 31 and 32: COMPANY NEWS xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xx

Ambulance UK - June 2021

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