NEWSLINE AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL EEAST East of England <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service signs up to antiracism pledge The East of England <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service (EEAST) has become the first NHS trust to have signed up to UNISON’s new Anti-Racism Charter which aims to help tackle racism in the public sector. The charter commits organisations and their leaders to a raft of pledges designed to prevent all forms of conscious or unconscious racial bias. This includes championing a racially diverse workforce, recognising the impact of racism on staff wellbeing and regularly reviewing its strategies to improve racial equality, diversity and inclusion so that the organisation reflects the communities it serves. The charter also states that organisations should have a clear and visible anti-racism programme in place, while unconscious bias training should be provided for all staff and robust equality training for managers. Organisations will also report on their ethnicity pay gaps and monitor disciplinary and grievance processes to ensure outcomes are fair. Tom Abell, Chief Executive of the East of England <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service, said: “I am delighted that EEAST is among the first NHS trusts to have signed this important Anti-Racism Charter. It underlines our commitment to eliminating discrimination in all forms at the Trust. “Signing this charter is an important part of our inclusion work as we work to make EEAST a better place to work and receive care.” Paramedic and UNISON EEAST chair Glenn Carrington said: “Official figures show that Black and ethnic minority employees often have a different experience to their white colleagues, even in the public sector. By signing this charter, the ambulance service is making a real commitment to tackling the disparities which exist between different groups. “A fairer workplace is a better workplace so by actively combatting discrimination, EEAST will be ensuring a better ambulance service for people across the east of England.” LAS Calling Londoners to Save a Life London <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service is calling on Londoners to join a life-saving movement that will create 100,000 every day heroes, who–with some simple training–would be able to save a life. The London Lifesavers campaign aims to recruit and train 100,000 lifesavers who are able to perform chest compressions and use a defibrillator. Across the capital last year, London <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service responded to almost 14,000 cardiac arrests, and in the few minutes it takes for an ambulance crew to arrive at the scene, the actions of passers-by can make the difference between life and death. Without lifesaving intervention like CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and defibrillators the chances of survival decrease by about 10% with every passing minute. Dr Fenella Wrigley, Chief Medical Officer, said: “To save a life is an incredible thing. I speak from experience when I say that knowing you have helped bring an individual back to life will stay with you forever. With a bit of training, performing chest compressions and using a defibrillator is actually very straightforward and you will not harm a patient trying to help them. “We want to equip the people of London with the knowledge and the confidence to be able to help when it truly matters–training to do chest compressions and using a defibrillator doesn’t take long, but the impact it can have can last a lifetime” Attending a free public pop-up training session delivered by the ambulance service. The London <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service also offers support and advice on how to buy and use defibrillators for communities and organisations in London. In the longer term, as the number of recruits begins to grow, London <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service will consider other ways their London Lifesavers might help communities from checking in on the elderly and vulnerable in periods of extreme weather to collecting prescriptions or driving mobile patients to treatment centres. Prime Minister recognises St John <strong>Ambulance</strong> student volunteer with Points of Light Award St John <strong>Ambulance</strong> student volunteer Amy Hughes, 21, has been awarded a prestigious Points of Light award by the Prime Minister in recognition for her outstanding contribution to the health and first aid charity. Amy, a University of Portsmouth student, has volunteered tirelessly throughout St John <strong>Ambulance</strong>’s ongoing response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Working on the frontline, she cared for patients at the NHS London Nightingale Hospital for more than a month before volunteering in Accident and Emergency Departments where she regularly did 12-hour shifts. She also qualified as a volunteer vaccinator and gave hundreds of jabs. In addition to this extraordinary contribution, Amy, who comes from Abergavenny, South Wales, last year led her university student unit in training 300 members of the public in life saving CPR skills as well as qualifying as ambulance crew. She is now volunteering on ambulances responding to 999 calls across the south of England from London to Bristol. Amy, who has volunteered with St John <strong>Ambulance</strong> since she was 18 years old, said: “I am really honoured that the Prime Minister has written to me personally to thank me for my work as a volunteer. The last two years have been tough at times, and I have experienced unforgettable things 54 For more news visit: www.ambulanceukonline.com
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