Ambulance UK - June 2021

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NEWSLINE LAS London Ambulance Service holds memorial event held to remember colleagues who have passed away On Thursday 13 May staff and volunteers across London Ambulance Service came together to remember colleagues who passed away in the last year. At an event outside our headquarters building, Chief Executive Garrett Emmerson, our Trust Board Chair Heather Lawrence OBE, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer Khadir Meer and Chief Medical Officer Dr Fenella Wrigley joined a small group of staff in our new memorial garden. Garrett and Heather spoke of the immeasurable loss of our colleagues. A minute silence was then held. This was also an opportunity as a Service to reflect on what has been an extremely difficult year and to come together to support colleagues who have lost a loved one during the coronavirus pandemic. Due to the coronavirus restrictions on large gatherings of people, the event took place with a limited number of attendees – but it was live streamed to colleagues across the Service to watch inbetween taking 999 and 111 calls, responding to calls and carrying out other duties and was made available for staff and volunteers to watch back at a time of their choosing. Sadly, 19 members of London Ambulance Service staff and contractors have passed away in 2020 and 2021, some with COVID-19. The event was the first to be held in a newly-refurbished area outside our headquarters building, in a new memorial garden which was completed in recent weeks. The memorial garden was designed to be a space for our staff and volunteers to be able to reflect and to remember all colleagues we have lost over the years. A plaque in the garden reads: “There are special people in our lives who never leave us, even after they are gone.” London Ambulance Service’s Chief Executive, Garrett Emmerson, said: “The last year has been extremely difficult for us all, with the coronavirus pandemic taking a terrible toll on London and on communities across the country. “Sadly, our organisation has also experienced the immeasurable sadness of losing colleagues – who, as well as being colleagues, are muchloved and missed friends. “This afternoon we came together to remember them and to think of their loved ones and all who have lost someone over the past year. “Our new memorial garden will provide our hard-working teams a place for quiet reflection and to remember their late colleagues and friends for years to come.” SWASFT Assaults against ambulance colleagues rise during pandemic South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) workers are continuing to experience an escalating number of assaults and abuse by patients. SWASFT colleagues reported 1,747 incidents of violence and aggression from patients and other members of the public during the 12 months after the UK first went into lockdown last year. The figures, from 24 March 2020 to 23 March 2021, include 515 verbal abuse incidents, 447 aggressive behaviour incidents, and 322 physical assaults. They represent a 33% increase in reported incidents from the previous 12 months. Newly Qualified Paramedics Dan Williams and Kyiah Ellis were among those assaulted on duty by a patient. They responded to a potentially serious incident, involving a man who was reportedly unconscious on a bus, in the Weston area of Bath on 12 February. The man, who appeared to be under the influence of drugs, became physically and verbally aggressive soon after they arrived around 6.50pm. AMBULANCE UK - JUNE He exited the bus, headbutted its wing mirror and windscreen, and punched a parked car. Dan and Kyiah called for police assistance and retreated onto the bus for their safety. The man re-entered the bus and spat in Dan’s eye, while 84 For further recruitment vacancies visit: www.ambulanceukonline.com
NEWSLINE continuing to shout at him and Kyiah. He was arrested by police, taken into custody and charged. The man was convicted at Bath Magistrates’ Court on 15 February of three charges of assaulting emergency services workers, and one charge of criminal damage. He was sentenced to 32 weeks in prison and ordered to pay a total of £300 compensation to the victims. Dan and Kyiah said: “We welcome the prosecution, and thank the police and SWASFT for their support throughout this. We are disappointed that simply doing our job, and ultimately likely saving the life of the patient, resulted in us being assaulted and fearing for our own safety. Assaults against our ambulance colleagues are never acceptable, and leave a lasting effect on those there simply to help.” Another man was jailed for six months on 28 January following his assault on Paramedic Matt Bryant who was called to treat him in Plymouth. Matt said: “We are working so hard to help people during a global pandemic. But assaults are becoming more of a regular occurrence, and they have a significant impact on us.” Paramedic Mike Jones, who is SWASFT’s Violence Reduction Lead, said: “Sadly our people are victim every day to unacceptable behaviour from a minority of patients and other members of the public, while they are serving the communities of the South West and saving lives. Any such incident can have a lasting impact on them, their loved ones, and other colleagues. “We take whatever is necessary to protect our people from harm, including doing all we can to ensure offenders are prosecuted through the criminal justice system. “Please respect our people, and help them to help you.” The #Unacceptable campaign, launched in 2018, aims to highlight the abuse and assaults faced by emergency services workers while on the job. Bluelight UK Ltd When it comes to ambulance vehicles, there are very few with the expertise of Bluelight UK Ltd in their field. When the business started back in 2003, it’s purpose was to assist leasing companies in the disposal of their ambulance vehicles. They would arrange end of lease inspections, asset valuations and would purchase the vehicles from various leasing companies. They quickly developed a good reputation for their work ethic and became market leaders, having since provided ambulance and PTS vehicles to NHS Trusts, private ambulance services, major industries, charities and export markets. The business continued to grow. The Covid19 outbreak didn’t stop them. With their event cover rental fleet officially “out of service”, they assisted other private ambulance services with rental vehicles, and provided an outlet for leasing companies to dispose of their ageing fleets. Their no-nonsense ability to change with the times has helped future-proof their business model and will keep the wheels turning for many more years to come. MD, Simon Forster commented, “I love to see our customers’ vehicles on the road. For me, it’s a sign that we are doing something right. I’m proud too of our customer base. Most of our customers are so loyal and help us where they can. A favour goes a long way in this industry”. The family business is dedicated to “I have been working with the sales department at O&H for the last couple of years now and have never been as excited about future products as I am now,” added Simon. “Oliver and his team have managed to combine passion with engineering prowess. That is something this industry has been missing for too long. After all, the American box ambulance was brought in over 20 years ago to be remountable and was never really a success because of the lack of interest in re-engineering”. Venari’s all new Ford Transit 3.5 tonne box modular ambulance will be on show at the Emergency Services Show in September. With its roomy interior and class-leading build quality, this game-changer will be available in manual or auto with many of Ford’s options as standard. The diesel versions will be available first with hybrid and electric coming on line soon. If you are interested in new or used ambulance or PTS vehicles, you can contact Bluelight UK Ltd on 01942 888800 or sales@ bluelightuk.co.uk. Alternatively you can find them on www. bluelightuk.co.uk or meet Simon at Stand E51 at the Emergency Services Show 2021, NEC Birmingham. customer service and loyalty with a strong emphasis on value for money. Their site in Atherton near Manchester is ideally situated for service, paint and reconfiguring vehicles, whilst their wider network allows them to supply brand new vehicles through their exclusive agency agreement with Venari Group who are the parent company of O&H Vehicle Technology. O&H is still the NHS choice for patient transport service vehicles and is without a doubt the only truly British ambulance converter with any heritage. “I love to see our customers’ vehicles on the road. For me, it’s a sign that we are doing something right. I’m proud too of our customer base.” AMBULANCE UK - JUNE For the latest Ambulance Service News visit: www.ambulancenewsdesk.com 85
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 and 18: TESTED daylight. For me, the toughe
Page 19: NEWSLINE Jenna, who qualified as a
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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