Ambulance UK April 2023
Ambulance UK April 2023
Ambulance UK April 2023
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Volume 38 No. 2<br />
<strong>April</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
DEDICATED TO THE AMBULANCE SERVICE AND ITS SUPPLIERS
O)stJohn<br />
Join the heartbeat<br />
of Western Australia.<br />
Our paramedics are courageous, caring, confident and patient, putting themselves on<br />
the front-line of pre-hospital medical care every day. At St John WA paramedics work<br />
collaboratively across the organisation to provide quality, patient centred care to the<br />
Western Australian community.<br />
The part you'll play<br />
Our paramedics are trained to Advanced Life Support<br />
(ALS) level, which allows them to provide exceptional<br />
emergency care to patients. They are able to insert an<br />
intravenous and intraosseous cannula (drips), administer a<br />
variety of medications, perform advanced airway<br />
management, give intravenous drug therapy for cardiac<br />
arrest patients, and intravenous fluids.<br />
Above all, our paramedics are responsive to the needs of<br />
the patient, administering time-critical interventions and<br />
transportation to specialist definitive care.<br />
St John WA Paramedic eligibility<br />
We currently have an exciting opportunity for Qualified<br />
Paramedics that do not have current Australian working<br />
rights, to be sponsored by St John WA!<br />
• Recent experience employed and working within<br />
a jurisdictional ambulance service in Australia or<br />
internationally (St John New Zealand or London<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service for example) as a paramedic<br />
for at least two years.<br />
• Hold a full driver's license with no restrictions.<br />
Successful candidates are required to obtain a light<br />
rigid driver's license within the first six months of<br />
employment. Costs associated with obtaining the<br />
required driver's license are the responsibility of the<br />
candidate.<br />
• Candidates that do not hold current Australian working<br />
rights, must meet the visa eligibility requirements, as<br />
outlined by the Department of Home Affairs.<br />
• Be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and Influenza.<br />
For candidates to successfully be employed as an<br />
ambulance paramedic, they must meet the following<br />
minimum requirements;<br />
• Professional registration as a paramedic with the<br />
Paramedicine Board of Australia.<br />
• Degree in Paramedicine from a recognised AHPRA<br />
approved programs of study course provider or<br />
recognised international education provider.<br />
Ready for a new adventure?<br />
To find out more information and to submit<br />
your application:<br />
search stjohnwa.com.au/directentry<br />
Scan to learn more:
CONTENTS<br />
CONTENTS<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> <strong>UK</strong><br />
36 EDITOR’S COMMENT<br />
38 CASE STUDY<br />
Now Offering Apprenticeships<br />
40 NEWSLINE<br />
60 COMPANY NEWS<br />
COVER STORY<br />
Introducing the PAB MP1 Paramedic Helmet<br />
Vimpex Ltd. has launched the all new PAB MP1 Paramedic helmet to the <strong>UK</strong><br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Sector that’s been specifically developed to meet the stringent<br />
requirement of NHS <strong>Ambulance</strong> trusts in terms of full and complete certification to<br />
EN 16473 Safety Standard for Technical Rescue Helmets - the highest levels of eye<br />
protection - and wearer comfort and safety.<br />
This competitively priced and excellently designed product features a high quality dipped<br />
anti-fog eye guard and a 100% UV Stable Thermoplastic Shell, and is supplied with a<br />
free <strong>Ambulance</strong> helmet bag. With high quality pad printed trust decal on the front, very<br />
clear ‘AMBULANCE’ decal and NHS Logo to the rear, the product is available from our<br />
<strong>UK</strong> stock and ready for immediate supply.<br />
The MP1 scores on all measures of safety, independent and verified safety certification,<br />
product availability and speed of supply.<br />
This issue edited by:<br />
Dr Matt House<br />
c/o Media Publishing Company<br />
Greenoaks, Lockhill<br />
Upper Sapey, Worcester, WR6 6XR<br />
ADVERTISING:<br />
Terry Gardner, Samantha Marsh<br />
CIRCULATION:<br />
Media Publishing Company<br />
Greenoaks, Lockhill<br />
Upper Sapey, Worcester, WR6 6XR<br />
Tel: 01886 853715<br />
E: info@mediapublishingcompany.com<br />
www.ambulanceukonline.com<br />
PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY:<br />
February, <strong>April</strong>, June, August,<br />
October, December<br />
COPYRIGHT:<br />
Media Publishing Company<br />
Greenoaks<br />
Lockhill<br />
Upper Sapey, Worcester, WR6 6XR<br />
PUBLISHERS STATEMENT:<br />
The views and opinions expressed in<br />
this issue are not necessarily those of<br />
the Publisher, the Editors or Media<br />
Publishing Company.<br />
Next Issue June <strong>2023</strong><br />
• 100% tested and certified to EN16473<br />
• High quality dipped anti-fog eye guard<br />
• 100% UV Stable Thermoplastic Shell<br />
• Free <strong>Ambulance</strong> Helmet Bag<br />
• Durable printed Paramedic helmet decals<br />
Designed in the <strong>UK</strong> by me&you creative<br />
Vimpex is the established specialist supplier of PPE accessories to the NHS, Nongovernmental<br />
and Private <strong>Ambulance</strong> Sector. After many years of reliable and consistent<br />
supply to the <strong>UK</strong>’s <strong>Ambulance</strong> sector, Vimpex’s move to a partnership with manufacturer<br />
PAB comes after an extensive and detailed global study of all suitable professional<br />
helmet manufacturers. The MP1 scores on all measures of safety, independent and<br />
verified safety certification, product availability and speed of supply.<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
Do you have anything you would like to add or include? Please contact us and let us know.<br />
35
EDITOR’S COMMENT<br />
EDITOR’S COMMENT<br />
Before I start this editorial, it would be remiss of me not to mention the retirement<br />
of an ambulance stalwart, and my co-editor, Sam English. Sam began his career<br />
in the then Lancashire <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service in 1988. He started in PTS, and later<br />
moved to the emergency side of work, and eventually becoming a Clinical<br />
Paramedic Tutor. Then under NWAS, Sam became one of the Country’s first<br />
Advanced Paramedics before becoming NWAS’ first Consultant Paramedic for<br />
EOC and then finishing his career with us as Chief Clinical Information Officer.<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
“There<br />
appears to<br />
me from<br />
various<br />
sources<br />
that a lot of<br />
ambulance<br />
workers<br />
don’t feel<br />
valued<br />
at work<br />
now.”<br />
After a long and varied career, Sam now takes his well-deserved retirement, with his wife, Karen. I wish Sam<br />
all the best for his retirement from the ambulance service but know that he still has plenty of irons in the fi re,<br />
including as co-editor of this publication, so I’m sure we will still see Sam’s infl uence in years to come!<br />
Sam, like many of our generation has spent a career in the ambulance service. These days more people<br />
seem less likely to make the ambulance sector their career. Over the last couple of months, I have had a lot<br />
of conversations with managers and leaders within the service and with front-line crews. There has been a<br />
common theme to these talks, and that is about whether our people feel valued by the service they work for.<br />
There appears to me from various sources that a lot of ambulance workers don’t feel valued at work now.<br />
I think it would be fair to say that the whole of the NHS has undergone some diffi cult and challenging times<br />
recently and this might have something to do with the people feeling undervalued. However, I don’t think<br />
this is the whole story. Many of our people are of a generation that is far more career-mobile than we have<br />
seen in the past, and both the NHS and others are offering Paramedics a wide variety of opportunities.<br />
There is nothing wrong with that. To the contrary, it is excellent for the Paramedic profession. However, the<br />
ambulance sector needs to recognise this and work to make sure we provide the challenge, opportunity<br />
and development that means that our ambitious and motivated people see the ambulance service as a<br />
career in the same way that Sam did when he joined all those years ago.<br />
Dr Matt House, Co-Editor <strong>Ambulance</strong> <strong>UK</strong><br />
Publishers Statement<br />
For nearly 40 years, thanks to trade support, we have been able to provide <strong>Ambulance</strong> <strong>UK</strong> FREE OF<br />
CHARGE in the knowledge that those receiving our dedicated bi monthly publication enjoy having<br />
something to read during their free time however, return on investment seems to be the buzz word<br />
amongst <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service Suppliers these days, therefore if you enquire about a product advertised,<br />
please mention <strong>Ambulance</strong> <strong>UK</strong> as it will help us confi rm to the trade that we are reaching the right<br />
people and providing advertisers with value for money. In respect of our current edition we would<br />
like to thank the following companies for their support as without their contribution towards our print<br />
and postal costs this issue would not have been published - Blue Light <strong>UK</strong>, DS Medical, Ferno,<br />
Intersurgical, Ortus, Smarter Defibrillators, St John’s Western Australia, Synergy and Vimpex.<br />
Terry Gardner<br />
Publisher<br />
36<br />
For more news visit: www.ambulanceukonline.com
AMBULANCE<br />
STRETCHER & LOADI<br />
DING SYSTEM<br />
l Mechanical loading system – no power required, no electrics<br />
to go wrong<br />
l Up to 30 kg lighter weight than other loading systems<br />
l Can be easily loaded on inclines, angles and uneven surfaces<br />
l Powered stretcher with unassisted lift capacity of 50 stone (320 kg)<br />
VENICE<br />
powertraxx CHAIR<br />
l Extensively used by NHS <strong>Ambulance</strong> Trusts and Private <strong>Ambulance</strong> Services<br />
l Lightweight compact design with a SWL of 36 stone (230 kg)<br />
l Easy to operate, eliminates the need to lift, and smoother handling<br />
improves patient comfort<br />
l One chair does ALL – powered track for up and down stairs, wheelchair,<br />
carry chair, and loading/unloading patient on and off the <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
For complete product information and specifications go to ferno.com email sales.uk@ferno.com call +44 (0) 1274 851 999<br />
Ferno (<strong>UK</strong>) Limited, Stubs Beck Lane, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, BD19 4TZ England.
CASE STUDY<br />
NOW OFFERING APPRENTICESHIPS<br />
Founded in 2008, MediPro is the largest independent provider of<br />
pre-hospital education in the <strong>UK</strong>.<br />
They have grown steadily over the last 15 years, but it was MediPro’s<br />
recent ability to offer apprenticeship provision in the pre-hospital care<br />
sector that has allowed for major expansion of their business.<br />
Today, they provide training to thousands of ambulance staff,<br />
paramedics, offshore medics and diver medics each year, helping their<br />
learners gain skills for life. To accommodate these learners, MediPro<br />
have expanded their number of training centres from one to three, with<br />
facilities located in Stockton-on-Tees, Newmarket and Dagenham.<br />
In terms of apprenticeship provision, their clients include NHS Trusts and<br />
independent businesses alike, including some of the largest ambulance<br />
services in the country.<br />
The apprenticeship training provision MediPro has to offer has<br />
already helped several organisations to attract, build and retain<br />
skilled, competent and patient-care-focused teams, whilst developing<br />
workforce skills that are relevant to these organisations.<br />
MediPro’s motto is `Education with a Purpose` and they believe in this<br />
wholeheartedly. The company work closely with employers to deliver a<br />
tailored training programme. By aligning themselves closely to employing<br />
organisations in the medical sector, they can provide a pipeline of talent,<br />
as well as qualifications that are accredited and genuinely useful.<br />
MediPro pride themselves on the quality of the service they provide.<br />
This includes considering individual learning needs, offering fair and<br />
consistent appraisal, and providing a supportive and safe learning<br />
environment where people are free to make mistakes and ask questions.<br />
A great example of the apprentice provision that MediPro can deliver<br />
comes from London <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service.<br />
MediPro were invited by London <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service to submit a<br />
bid to support their Trainee Emergency Medical Technician (TEMT)<br />
apprenticeship programme. After a competitive bidding process, they<br />
won the contract.<br />
London <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service is the only NHS provider to service the<br />
whole of Greater London, covering an area of 620 square miles,<br />
answering two million 999 calls a year and responding to 3,000<br />
emergencies a day. For London <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service, the TEMT<br />
apprenticeship pathway has been their biggest recruitment strategy to<br />
date.<br />
As part of their programme of learning, MediPro took the classroom to<br />
them, recruiting multiple clinical tutors and investing in mobile training<br />
vehicles to help deliver their high-quality training courses.<br />
MediPro can deliver training to cohorts of 40-100 learners because<br />
of their unique blended delivery model, with its mix of classroom and<br />
online supported learning. Because of this model, they were able to<br />
continue their education provision throughout the pandemic, minimising<br />
disruption to the training and talent pipeline.<br />
Their apprenticeship delivery was a joint approach with London<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service. They offered a customised approach, deciding on<br />
standardised assessment strategies and scope of practice. It worked<br />
exceptionally well.<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
Medipro recognise that an excellent learning stretches beyond the<br />
physical, and they provided a lot of enrichment activities for their<br />
learners – they work with external agencies on a regular basis such as<br />
Transport for London, and London Fire Brigade to develop students’<br />
skills that they will need in real life. Developing the knowledge, skills and<br />
behaviours learners will take with them for a lifetime.<br />
In terms of success rates, across all their apprenticeship programmes,<br />
99.6% of MediPro learners successfully pass their End Point<br />
Assessment (EPA). Of those who pass, 58.5% passed with distinction,<br />
with another 29.4% passing with merit. 87.6% of learners also pass their<br />
EPA on their first attempt.<br />
38<br />
For further recruitment vacancies visit: www.ambulanceukonline.com
CASE STUDY<br />
Meanwhile, at London <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service, 350 apprentices under<br />
MediPro tuition were able to complete their qualification in 14 to 15<br />
months, rather than the standard 18. To date the end point assessment<br />
success rates have been: 34% pass with distinction, 57% pass with<br />
merit and 9% pass in their first attempt.<br />
This academic success is reflected in the positive feedback MediPro<br />
receives regularly from their learners.<br />
Chris Hewson took part in a recent upskill course MediPro delivered for<br />
AAPs at London <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service. This upskill course allows AAPs to<br />
further develop their clinical skills to become EMTs.<br />
“It can be daunting starting a new training course but from the first<br />
minute, we were made to feel welcome. The course was well structured,<br />
informative and full of useful information for transitioning into our new role.<br />
“The course was intense and there was a lot of commitment and hard<br />
work to be put in, but with the support of our trainers and our fellow<br />
delegates, we felt prepared to take on our written exams and OSCEs.<br />
“The pastoral care and the holistic approach taken was perfect for me<br />
as an individual to flourish in the learning environment.<br />
“The content of the course was informative and interesting and I feel<br />
that having completed the course, I am now equipped with the new<br />
knowledge and skills to transition seamlessly into my new role as a<br />
trainee emergency medical technician.”<br />
LIKE A FREE COPY?<br />
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simply visit www.ambulanceukonline.com wait 5 seconds and sign up by<br />
submitting your email address on the <strong>Ambulance</strong> <strong>UK</strong> website, your details<br />
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opportunity to receive your own personal copy.<br />
Terry Gardner, Publisher<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
Do you have anything you would like to add or include in Features? Please contact us and let us know.<br />
39
NEWSLINE<br />
WAS<br />
Dill helps ambulance<br />
staff stay paws-itive<br />
The Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service<br />
“For the past six years, Dill has<br />
been, and still is, an operational<br />
search and rescue dog with<br />
SARDA South Wales, and she<br />
is a member of Central Beacons<br />
Mountain Rescue Team.<br />
engagement especially when<br />
connecting with young, elderly or<br />
vulnerable audiences.”<br />
Sgt Garry Botterill, Wellbeing and<br />
Trauma Support Dog Project Lead<br />
“I would like to thank Katie,<br />
Dill and the Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service for being the first in the<br />
ambulance service to pilot this<br />
scheme and wish them every<br />
success.”<br />
has welcomed its first wellbeing<br />
and trauma therapy dog.<br />
Border collie Dill and Katie<br />
McPheat-Collins, Service Manager<br />
for the Emergency Medical<br />
Services across Central Wales,<br />
have become affiliated with the<br />
Oscar Kilo 9 (OK9) wellbeing and<br />
trauma therapy scheme, a <strong>UK</strong><br />
ambulance first.<br />
OK9 was launched in 2019 by<br />
The National Police Wellbeing<br />
Service, which aims to build on<br />
local police wellbeing dog services<br />
to make them available to all<br />
forces who wish to introduce a<br />
dog as part of their wellbeing<br />
provision.<br />
Dill has passed the assessments<br />
set by OK9 and achieved all of the<br />
criteria to become a wellbeing and<br />
trauma therapy dog for the Trust.<br />
Katie said: “Dill is a 10-year-old<br />
border collie, who was shared<br />
with me by a shepherdess, when<br />
Dill’s natural affinity to humans, not<br />
sheep, was identified.<br />
“However, her exceedingly gentle,<br />
calm nature and affinity to people<br />
lead to the recent assessment<br />
and subsequent role within the<br />
Trust.”<br />
Dill’s integration is part of a<br />
broader programme of work to<br />
improve the health and wellbeing<br />
of staff and volunteers, providing a<br />
furry addition to the wider toolkit.<br />
Katie continued: “We currently<br />
have police dogs affiliated to OK9,<br />
who visit stations and sites across<br />
South and North Wales, but there<br />
was a gap throughout the Central<br />
region.<br />
“With Dill, we are able to focus<br />
on Central Wales, where crews<br />
especially from the smaller satellite<br />
stations may not be on base for<br />
a number of hours, and therefore<br />
not have the shared benefit of a<br />
canine visit.<br />
“Dill’s support can be in the<br />
form of station visits to help with<br />
morale and stress, a presence<br />
during debriefs, or community<br />
with the National Police Wellbeing<br />
Service, said: “The OK9 scheme<br />
has proved to be extremely<br />
popular within the Police and<br />
Fire Service, and the number of<br />
Wellbeing and Trauma Support<br />
Dogs has grown to over 175 in<br />
the last 18 months.<br />
“We are delighted to welcome<br />
the Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service<br />
into the scheme, so that they can<br />
enjoy the many benefits of this<br />
structured, proven and effective<br />
wellbeing initiative.<br />
“All emergency services deal<br />
with traumatic events and highly<br />
stressful situations.<br />
“The Wellbeing Dogs help to bring<br />
some light relief to colleagues,<br />
especially following difficult<br />
incidents.<br />
“We have found they help people<br />
talk more openly, and as the<br />
handler is a peer support trained<br />
colleague, they listen effectively<br />
and can sign post to the<br />
appropriate support if needed.<br />
Dr Catherine Goodwin, Assistant<br />
Director Inclusion, Culture and<br />
Wellbeing, said: “Dill has already<br />
been warmly welcomed by<br />
colleagues and I am so grateful to<br />
Katie for undergoing this training<br />
and introducing a wellbeing and<br />
trauma therapy dog to Team<br />
WAST.<br />
“Staff and volunteers across<br />
Wales work extremely hard<br />
and it’s great to see wellbeing<br />
initiatives also reaching rural<br />
areas.<br />
“Our workforce is constantly<br />
pushed to the limit, physically<br />
and emotionally, as is the nature<br />
of ambulance work, so having<br />
access to a range of support is<br />
vital.<br />
“We have significantly expanded<br />
our occupational health and<br />
wellbeing service to get our<br />
remarkable people the support<br />
they need.<br />
“I look forward to seeing Dill at<br />
events in the future.”<br />
The Trust continues to explore<br />
other forms of animal therapy, to<br />
help staff and volunteers when<br />
they are having a ruff day.<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
Red Cross NI and<br />
NI <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service launch new<br />
high intensity use<br />
programme<br />
Red Cross Northern Ireland and<br />
Northern Ireland <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service (NIAS) has launched a<br />
new High Intensity Use (HIU)<br />
partnership programme at The<br />
Mount in Belfast.<br />
40<br />
For more news visit: www.ambulanceukonline.com
NEWSLINE<br />
Funded by NHS Charities<br />
Together, the national charity<br />
caring for the NHS, the £188,000<br />
one-year pilot called ‘Interact’ will<br />
support vulnerable people who<br />
are falling through gaps in the<br />
system, resulting in regular access<br />
of urgent emergency care (UEC).<br />
The HIU programme, a successful<br />
model fi rst launched in Blackpool<br />
by Rhian Monteith and scaled by<br />
NHS England, will use a holistic<br />
health coaching approach to<br />
support people across the Belfast<br />
and the South Eastern Health and<br />
Social Care Trust areas.<br />
The service is for people whose<br />
current needs cannot be met by<br />
clinical services alone, people who<br />
may be isolated or experiencing<br />
health inequalities. Working<br />
closely with statutory partners, the<br />
Red Cross HIU team will advocate<br />
for what people need and seek<br />
to improve long term health<br />
and wellbeing outcomes and at<br />
the same time this will reduce<br />
pressures across UEC.<br />
British Red Cross are the <strong>UK</strong>’s<br />
leading provider of the HIU<br />
programme, but this is the fi rst the<br />
charity has launched in Northern<br />
Ireland and also the fi rst directly<br />
commissioned in the <strong>UK</strong> by an<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Trust through NHS<br />
Charities Together.<br />
support, we can relieve pressures<br />
on the health and social care<br />
system – a win-win situation.”<br />
Dr Nigel Ruddell, Medical<br />
Director with the Northern Ireland<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service, welcomed<br />
this initiative saying: “NIAS has<br />
long recognised that there is a<br />
large cohort of patients who turn<br />
to the ambulance service for help<br />
on a frequent basis. Experience<br />
has shown us that understanding<br />
the issues these people face, and<br />
working with them to address the<br />
root cause of problems, provides<br />
a meaningful lasting solution<br />
rather than just a quick and often<br />
temporary fi x.<br />
“This has clear benefi ts for the<br />
patient, some of whom have<br />
credited the NIAS Complex<br />
Case Team with “turning their<br />
life around”, and helps to<br />
reduce demand on not just<br />
NIAS, but also busy emergency<br />
departments where these patients<br />
have historically ended up, but<br />
which are actually the least<br />
equipped to resolve their longterm<br />
issues.<br />
“We look forward to further<br />
embedding this work, and<br />
partnering with agencies such as<br />
the British Red Cross to help an<br />
even greater number of patients<br />
going forward.”<br />
i-gel ®<br />
has evolved<br />
= i-gel ® Plus<br />
British Red Cross Executive<br />
Director of <strong>UK</strong> operations Lisa<br />
Hollins said: “When a person<br />
is regularly seeking help and in<br />
crisis, it’s important to look for<br />
what is missing. Unmet social<br />
needs are often an underlying<br />
cause for physical and mental<br />
health decline and in these<br />
situations, clinical interventions<br />
may not be enough. The HIU<br />
Programme can bridge that gap.<br />
“We are immensely proud of<br />
our work in this space. The<br />
programme is unique, it helps<br />
people who have nowhere else to<br />
turn and as a by-product of that<br />
Ellie Orton OBE, Chief Executive<br />
of NHS Charities Together,<br />
said: “We are incredibly proud<br />
to fund this much needed<br />
programme, working with the<br />
brilliant teams at Northern Ireland<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service and Red<br />
Cross Northern Ireland. As well<br />
as helping to alleviate pressures<br />
on our overstretched ambulance<br />
services, Interact will offer a much<br />
needed new, holistic approach<br />
for those with complex health<br />
needs. Crucially it will help some<br />
of those in society who are most<br />
vulnerable and in need of support,<br />
and we look forward to seeing the<br />
difference it can make.”<br />
Quality, innovation and choice<br />
lnteract with us<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
www.intersurgical.co.uk<br />
41
NEWSLINE<br />
SECAMB<br />
HART paramedics<br />
to benefit from<br />
confined-space<br />
training facility<br />
of purpose-built confi ned-space<br />
training facilities at its Gatwick<br />
HART base, but the newly-fi tted<br />
out container will reduce travelling<br />
time and expense for Kent-based<br />
staff who previously had to travel<br />
to Sussex for such training.<br />
increases opportunities for joint<br />
working with other agencies at<br />
the site. It’s vital that our HART<br />
paramedics train regularly for this<br />
type of incident, so they are wellversed<br />
in how to bring treatment<br />
to patients safely in challenging<br />
SECAmb Estate Technical<br />
Manager, Paul Kent, who<br />
managed the project, added: “I’d<br />
like to thank West Sussex Fire<br />
and Rescue for donating the unit.<br />
I’m also pleased that we were<br />
able to use a local company to<br />
South East Coast <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service’s (SECAmb) Hazardous<br />
Area Response Team, (HART),<br />
paramedics will benefit from a<br />
new confined-space training<br />
facility recently installed at their<br />
base in Ashford, Kent.<br />
The specialist container, previously<br />
used by and donated by West<br />
Sussex Fire and Rescue Service,<br />
has been repurposed to cater<br />
for the training requirements<br />
of SECAmb’s HART. HART is<br />
made up of teams of paramedics<br />
who have undergone additional<br />
specialist training to work and<br />
provide care to patients in<br />
hazardous environments.<br />
SECAmb’s HART have the use<br />
As well as providing the<br />
environment for confi ned space<br />
training the unit compliments the<br />
team’s Working at Height (WAH)<br />
training and can be integrated<br />
with a WAH rig to provide a<br />
greater number of training<br />
scenarios.<br />
The unit will also mean joint<br />
training with other organisations<br />
can take place at the Ashford site<br />
and allows the team to train to<br />
City and Guilds qualifi cation level.<br />
HART Operations Manager, Steve<br />
Dowdall, said: “The new training<br />
container is a really worthwhile<br />
facility to have at our Ashford<br />
base. It not only reduces the<br />
travel time for our teams but also<br />
environments.”<br />
Work to convert the container to the<br />
specifi cations required by SECAmb<br />
HART was carried out by local<br />
company LTR Welding Services.<br />
make the necessary changes and<br />
I would like to thank Lee and his<br />
team for all his help. The unit is<br />
a really benefi cial addition to our<br />
estate which will benefi t staff and<br />
patients.”<br />
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Registered deaths<br />
rose around 15%<br />
above average<br />
following ambulance<br />
strike, says expert<br />
A leading health testing expert<br />
says striking ambulance<br />
workers continue to maintain<br />
strong public support.<br />
However, new ONS data<br />
shows a noticeable increase<br />
in registered deaths over the<br />
five-day period following their<br />
11 January action.<br />
A new YouGov poll shows public<br />
support for striking ambulance<br />
workers is holding firm at 63%.<br />
However, a leading health testing<br />
expert says that there is potential<br />
reason for concern about the<br />
impact of the strikes. Government<br />
figures reveal a 19.5% rise in<br />
registered deaths over average<br />
levels during the week of the first<br />
ambulance strike this year.<br />
This increase was followed by<br />
an 11% jump over average the<br />
following week. That means a<br />
likely 15% spike in mortalities<br />
over expected levels during the<br />
mandatory five-day registration<br />
period for deaths, following the<br />
ambulance workers’ industrial<br />
action on 11 January.<br />
Dr Quinton Fivelman PhD, Chief<br />
Scientific Officer at London<br />
Medical Laboratory, says:<br />
‘<strong>Ambulance</strong> staff retained<br />
significant public support ahead<br />
of their scheduled strike on Friday,<br />
10 February. With a starting<br />
salary of just £27,000 for such<br />
a high-pressure job, there’s little<br />
wonder support for paramedics<br />
continues to be strong. However,<br />
Office for National Statistics (ONS)<br />
death registration figures, for the<br />
week ending 13 January and the<br />
week ending 20 January, show a<br />
significant increase in mortalities<br />
over the five-year average.<br />
‘Medical professionals have<br />
been anxious to establish if the<br />
ambulance strikes have had an<br />
impact on patient outcomes.<br />
While far from conclusive, this new<br />
data might be useful as one tool in<br />
helping to assess the effect of this<br />
industrial action.<br />
‘Around 2,600 ambulance workers<br />
were on strike on 11 January,<br />
including paramedics, ambulance<br />
technicians, emergency care<br />
assistants and other 999 crew.<br />
Action took place in the North-<br />
West, North-East, West Midlands,<br />
East Midlands and Wales.<br />
‘Looking at a <strong>UK</strong>-wide<br />
breakdown, there were 16,158<br />
deaths registered in England in<br />
the week ending 13 January, an<br />
18.8% rise above average for the<br />
time of year, and 1,183 registered<br />
deaths in Wales, a 28.7% rise<br />
above average. Similarly, for the<br />
week ending 20 January, there<br />
were 14,798 deaths in England,<br />
10.7% above average, and 974<br />
deaths in Wales, 15.3% above<br />
expected five-year levels.<br />
‘It’s perhaps relevant to note that<br />
at-home deaths in both England<br />
and Wales increased by 31.5%<br />
above average (there were 1,082<br />
excess home deaths) during<br />
the week ending 13 January<br />
and 28.7% above average (970<br />
excess deaths) during the week<br />
ending 20 January. This possibly<br />
indicates some complications or<br />
issues surrounding ambulance<br />
availability, although we must<br />
be careful not to draw any firm<br />
conclusions without further data.<br />
‘Other factors may also be at<br />
work in the increased number of<br />
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excess registered deaths above<br />
the five-year average. For example,<br />
Covid-related death registrations<br />
were 5.3% above average in the<br />
week ending 13 January and 4.9%<br />
for the week ending 20 January.<br />
Flu and Strep A outbreaks will also<br />
have played a part.<br />
LAS<br />
Autism Awareness<br />
Day: ‘I was placed<br />
in 27 different foster<br />
homes and only got<br />
my diagnosis as an<br />
adult’<br />
An ambulance medic who was<br />
placed in 27 different foster<br />
homes as a child, only received<br />
his diagnosis for autism as an<br />
adult because he never lived<br />
in one place long enough to be<br />
assessed when he was growing<br />
up.<br />
James Sweeney, 37, who has<br />
been an Emergency Medical<br />
Technician at London <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service for seven years, lived a<br />
turbulent childhood having to<br />
move around 25 different foster<br />
families and two children homes<br />
across the Midlands.<br />
Because of the unrelenting<br />
upheaval, he had to start and<br />
stop his autism assessment many<br />
times and was instead often<br />
labelled as “naughty”.<br />
He was officially diagnosed only<br />
six years ago – when he settled<br />
down in Maidenhead with his wife.<br />
On this year’s World Autism<br />
Awareness Day (Sunday 2 <strong>April</strong>),<br />
James took the brave step of<br />
sharing his story, in the hope he<br />
might encourage other autistic<br />
people to never give up on their<br />
aspirations.<br />
He said: “I grew up being very<br />
frustrated. I remember feeling<br />
misunderstood by all my foster<br />
parents but one – a woman I now<br />
call ‘mum’.<br />
“Back then people simply used<br />
to say that I had ‘naughty boy<br />
syndrome’.<br />
“I had so many foster placements<br />
in so many different areas of the<br />
region and every time I started an<br />
assessment for autism I was rehoused,<br />
so it would have to start<br />
all over again.<br />
“When I got my diagnosis, I could<br />
finally understand why I am the<br />
way I am.”<br />
James said that the lack of<br />
understanding from his carers<br />
often left him feel like he had few<br />
chances to succeed in life.<br />
He said: “Being dragged from<br />
pillar to post is bad enough<br />
when you’re neurotypical, but<br />
for an autistic person it can be<br />
detrimental to their aspirations.<br />
“It often made me feel like I had<br />
no hope of leading a normal life.”<br />
But despite the major challenges,<br />
James never stopped striving for<br />
a future where he would make a<br />
difference in people’s lives.<br />
After leaving school, he trained as<br />
an advisor with a London charity<br />
that helps care leavers take their<br />
next steps in life.<br />
He then applied for an<br />
apprenticeship at London<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service and passed<br />
his exams to become an<br />
Emergency Medical Technician.<br />
He said: “While I enjoyed the<br />
unpredictability of the call-outs,<br />
I used to really struggle with<br />
being paired up with a different<br />
crewmate each day, and always<br />
having different shift patterns.<br />
“My management team have<br />
been excellent and they made the<br />
adjustments I needed.”<br />
James works on a flexible rota<br />
and can pick the shifts that best<br />
suit him and a crewmate he<br />
knows.<br />
He commented: “These<br />
changes have been vital to<br />
my working life because now I<br />
know what to expect ahead of<br />
time and feel more comfortable<br />
knowing my crewmates well.<br />
“As for many other autistic<br />
people, it can also take me<br />
longer to process difficult<br />
situations.<br />
“After attending particularly<br />
traumatic jobs, it can be<br />
exhausting to try to process<br />
those emotions all at once, and<br />
that’s why it’s important for me<br />
to have a close colleague next<br />
to me, who understands me<br />
and can give me quiet time.”<br />
James, who is now father to<br />
a two year old, said that he is<br />
incredibly proud of where he is<br />
today: “I had nothing. Now I’ve<br />
got an amazing family and a<br />
great job.<br />
“I work in the busiest<br />
ambulance service of the world<br />
– despite leaving school at 14<br />
with no qualifications.<br />
“I think I’ve worked ten times<br />
harder than I would if I wasn’t<br />
autistic or didn’t grow up in<br />
care. But if it weren’t for my<br />
past, who knows where I’d be<br />
now.<br />
“If I could speak to my younger<br />
self, I’d tell him: ‘explore your<br />
passions and don’t feel like you<br />
have to fit in with everyone else<br />
for the sake of it!’”<br />
He would encourage autistic<br />
people to consider a career in<br />
the ambulance service:<br />
“I didn’t think I could ever work<br />
to save lives, but here I am –<br />
absolutely loving my job.”<br />
Darren Farmer, London<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service’s Director<br />
of <strong>Ambulance</strong> Operations, said:<br />
“I’m in awe of what James<br />
has achieved – not only as an<br />
ambulance crew member who<br />
has cared for countless patients<br />
over the years, but also for<br />
the inspiration he provides to<br />
people going through similar<br />
challenges.<br />
“I’m glad he was able to turn his<br />
life around and it’s great to see<br />
that he is proud of that too. I<br />
would like to encourage anyone<br />
who aspires to work in the<br />
ambulance service to consider<br />
applying for a role with us.<br />
“We know that every person is<br />
different and may have different<br />
support needs. We will listen<br />
to you and strive to make the<br />
arrangements that will allow you<br />
to succeed and thrive.”<br />
London <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service<br />
welcomes diversity and looks<br />
for people from all backgrounds<br />
who care about making a<br />
difference. Last summer, LAS<br />
was named top NHS employer<br />
for apprenticeships in the<br />
country in the Department<br />
for Education’s Top 100<br />
Apprenticeship Employers 2022.<br />
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45
NEWSLINE<br />
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‘Fledgling’<br />
paramedics get<br />
their wings from<br />
‘stress test’ ahead of<br />
graduation<br />
The ‘Green Fledgling’ exercise<br />
was designed to ‘stress-test’<br />
the skills and knowledge of<br />
third-year paramedic students<br />
ahead of graduation this<br />
Summer.<br />
22 third-year paramedic students<br />
took part in a two-day exercise<br />
at Halton Training Camp near<br />
Lancaster in January, designed<br />
to put the students through a<br />
series of escalating scenarios, the<br />
likes of which they are likely to<br />
encounter upon qualification.<br />
Named ‘Green Fledgling’, alluding<br />
to the iconic colour of paramedic<br />
uniforms and the students’ level<br />
of experience, the exercise was<br />
designed to ‘stress-test’ the<br />
skills and knowledge of third-year<br />
paramedic students ahead of<br />
graduation this Summer.<br />
Cumbria Constabulary and<br />
Lancashire Fire and Rescue<br />
Service also participated, not only<br />
to test students’ clinical abilities<br />
but also to strengthen their team<br />
and partnership working skills.<br />
The Army supported the exercise<br />
by facilitating use of Halton<br />
Training Camp, near Lancaster,<br />
enhancing the realism of the<br />
scenarios greatly.<br />
Senior Lecturer in Paramedic<br />
Practice, Darren Moss said;<br />
“The aim of the exercise was to<br />
collectively challenge our soonto-be-qualified<br />
paramedics to<br />
demonstrate their leadership,<br />
clinical decision-making, patient<br />
assessment, and management<br />
skills while working together with<br />
the student police officers and the<br />
fire service.<br />
“This is the first time we have put<br />
our third-year student paramedics<br />
through such a gruelling series of<br />
simulations, and we have done it<br />
to prepare them for the future. We<br />
are very grateful for the support<br />
from Cumbria Constabulary and<br />
Lancashire Fire and Rescue<br />
Service. Their involvement really<br />
enhanced the authenticity of the<br />
day.”<br />
Cumbria Constabulary sent their<br />
latest cohort of trainee police<br />
constables and Lancashire Fire<br />
and Rescue sent two full crews<br />
including a specialist fast-flowing<br />
water rescue team to assist with<br />
proceedings.<br />
The exercise involved five<br />
‘scenarios’ where the third-year<br />
paramedic students were tested<br />
on progressively complex kinds of<br />
resuscitation.<br />
Simulations ranged from an<br />
assaulted pregnant patient with a<br />
sudden and unexpected birth, to<br />
a near drowning and a gunshot<br />
wound.<br />
The finale involved the simulation of<br />
a five-vehicle road traffic accident<br />
with 10 patients displaying<br />
traumatic injuries. Like in a reallife<br />
accident, the student police<br />
officers attended first, followed by<br />
paramedics and the fire service,<br />
who aided the extraction of<br />
casualties from the vehicles.<br />
The multi-faceted exercise has<br />
strengthened ties and understanding<br />
between professional services<br />
supporting the event.<br />
Cumbria Constabulary’s police<br />
constables were only a few weeks<br />
into their twenty-two-week training<br />
programme and attending gave<br />
the new recruits a taste of how<br />
police respond to such incidents.<br />
PC Sam Butler, of Cumbria<br />
Constabulary’s training team, said:<br />
“We’d like to thank the university<br />
for organising this event. Our<br />
student officers got a lot out of<br />
this, providing them with some<br />
good experience of what they<br />
might encounter in emergency<br />
scenarios.<br />
“They were also able to gain extra<br />
insight into how other agencies<br />
work and the event challenged<br />
them to work effectively as a team<br />
and communicate with partners<br />
for the good of the public.”<br />
Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service<br />
participated in the exercise on the<br />
proviso that if a real emergency<br />
were called in, they would abandon<br />
the exercise to attend.<br />
Matt Armstrong, Station Manager<br />
at Lancaster Fire Station,<br />
Lancashire Fire and Rescue<br />
Service said:<br />
“We are grateful to the University<br />
of Cumbria for putting on a firstclass<br />
exercise which allowed our<br />
staff the opportunity to take part in<br />
a realistic scenario whilst providing<br />
experience to the student<br />
paramedics. The training allowed<br />
us to work in close conjunction<br />
with the police and paramedics.<br />
This will further develop our close<br />
relationships to help strengthen<br />
our response to incidents in the<br />
future.”<br />
In total, 45 student paramedics<br />
studying the BSc (Hons)<br />
Paramedic Science programme<br />
took part in the exercise at the<br />
end of January, including first-year<br />
students who played causalities<br />
and other supporting roles.<br />
This summer 22 paramedics<br />
on the undergraduate course<br />
will graduate from the University<br />
of Cumbria and will join the<br />
paramedic register to bolster the<br />
NHS workforce.<br />
The Centre for Excellence<br />
in Paramedic Practice is the<br />
principal provider of paramedic<br />
education in the <strong>UK</strong>. Based at<br />
The University of Cumbria, it has<br />
over 3000 students studying on a<br />
mixture of degree and professional<br />
qualifications, including the new<br />
paramedic apprenticeship scheme<br />
which is delivered in partnership<br />
with seven English <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
NHS Trusts.<br />
SECAMB<br />
New ambulance<br />
centre to become<br />
operational in the<br />
summer<br />
A new multi-purpose ambulance<br />
centre is expected to become<br />
operational this summer. The<br />
South East Coast <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service NHS Foundation<br />
Trust, (SECAmb) centre, in<br />
Bredgar Road, Gillingham,<br />
will consist of a Make Ready<br />
Centre, Emergency Operations<br />
Centre, (EOC), and NHS 111<br />
contact centre. It will be the first<br />
ambulance centre in the country<br />
to bring all three functions<br />
together under one roof.<br />
The first staff to move to the new<br />
centre will be field operational<br />
staff from the Trust’s Medway<br />
Operational Unit. From 5 June,<br />
ambulance crews currently<br />
starting and ending their shifts at<br />
Medway <strong>Ambulance</strong> Station in<br />
Chatham will, instead, start and<br />
finish at the new centre. They will<br />
then respond from ambulance<br />
community response posts across<br />
the region where there are suitable<br />
rest facilities for crews between<br />
calls and when on a break.<br />
Staff based in Sheppey will<br />
continue to start and end their<br />
shifts from the ambulance<br />
station on the island, which has<br />
undergone a major refurbishment<br />
and upgrade to provide new<br />
educational and training facilities.<br />
The road staff will be joined<br />
by colleagues from the Trust’s<br />
Ashford 111 contact centre from<br />
Wednesday 28 June, before EOC<br />
staff, currently based at the Trust’s<br />
46<br />
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control room in Coxheath, will<br />
begin relocating to the new centre<br />
from Wednesday, 13 September.<br />
SECAmb’s Make Ready vehicle<br />
preparation and maintenance<br />
system will occupy the two lower<br />
floors while staff currently based<br />
at the Trust’s East 999 Emergency<br />
Operations Centre (EOC) in<br />
Coxheath and Trust NHS 111<br />
staff, currently based in Ashford,<br />
Kent, will benefit from modern<br />
open-plan offices above.<br />
Integrating both 999 and 111<br />
services is a key part of SECAmb’s<br />
strategy to deliver more joined up<br />
integrated care and to increase<br />
efficiency. The development will<br />
also bring the east of SECAmb’s<br />
region in line with its West<br />
Emergency Operations Centre<br />
(including NHS 111), based in<br />
Crawley, which opened in 2017.<br />
The new centre provides the Trust<br />
with greater control room capacity<br />
and provides greater resilience<br />
with the ratio of staff more evenly<br />
split between the Trust two EOCs.<br />
It will also bring local recruitment<br />
opportunities for people across<br />
both 999 and 111 services.<br />
SECAmb’s Make Ready system,<br />
which involves specialist teams of<br />
staff employed to clean, restock<br />
and maintain the Trust’s fleet, is<br />
already in place across much of<br />
the Trust’s region.<br />
SECAmb currently operates<br />
from 10 Make Ready Centres.<br />
The latest centre to open was in<br />
Banstead in May 2022.<br />
SECAmb Executive Director of<br />
Operations, Emma Williams,<br />
said: “I’m really pleased that we<br />
are getting close to the point<br />
that the new centre will become<br />
operational. Our current buildings,<br />
including our Coxheath office, are<br />
outdated and no longer adequate<br />
for our requirements. Bringing our<br />
999 and 111 services under one<br />
roof will ensure we further optimise<br />
functions between these services.<br />
“The new Make Ready system<br />
is more efficient and the new<br />
building will provide staff with<br />
access to modern facilities for<br />
training. We do understand any<br />
change has an impact on staff<br />
and we will continue to fully<br />
engage with everyone affected<br />
ahead of the move.”<br />
What is Make Ready?<br />
• SECAmb’s Make Ready<br />
initiative significantly enhances<br />
and improves the service it<br />
provides to the community.<br />
• It minimises the risk of crossinfection,<br />
frees up front-line<br />
staff – who traditionally cleaned<br />
and re-stocked ambulances<br />
– to spend more time treating<br />
patients, and keeps vehicles on<br />
the road for longer.<br />
• The initiative ensures that<br />
specially-trained operatives<br />
regularly deep-clean, restock<br />
and check vehicles for<br />
mechanical faults.<br />
• Make Ready Centres are<br />
supported by a network<br />
of <strong>Ambulance</strong> Community<br />
Responses Posts (ACRPs)<br />
across the area with staff<br />
beginning and ending their<br />
shifts at the new centre.<br />
• During their shifts, staff will<br />
respond from the ACRPs which<br />
will provide facilities for staff.<br />
These are located based on<br />
patient demand.<br />
• Crews continue to respond from<br />
the same towns under the system<br />
but begin and end their shifts at<br />
staggered times with a vehicle<br />
that is fully prepared for them.<br />
• The system ensures crews have<br />
access to improved training<br />
facilities and opportunities<br />
and increased support from<br />
managers.<br />
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NEWSLINE<br />
NEAS<br />
Cardiac arrest<br />
survivor meets the<br />
ambulance workers<br />
who helped save his<br />
life<br />
A Northumberland grandfather<br />
who is enjoying a new lease<br />
of life after surviving a cardiac<br />
arrest last year has been<br />
reunited with some of the<br />
ambulance workers who saved<br />
his life.<br />
Chris Browitt suffered a cardiac<br />
arrest in bed at his home in<br />
Ellington in <strong>April</strong> 2022.<br />
Thankfully, his wife Alice was<br />
woken by the rasping sound and<br />
immediately dialled 999, where<br />
health advisor Charlotte Saul was<br />
able to talk her through CPR until<br />
the arrival of the ambulance crew.<br />
CPR is a key part of the chain of<br />
survivability for anyone in cardiac<br />
arrest, allowing oxygen to keep<br />
flowing and ultimately increasing<br />
a person’s chances of survival.<br />
Early CPR can more than double<br />
a person’s chances of survival.<br />
Charlotte was only four months<br />
into her role at North East<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service (NEAS) when<br />
she took Alice’s call and Chris<br />
was one of her first CPR calls.<br />
“Alice did an amazing job calling<br />
999 and doing exactly what I<br />
needed her to,” she said.<br />
“It’s so important that the caller<br />
listens carefully to what I’m<br />
asking and advising - I know it’s<br />
an awful situation to be in but<br />
I’m here to guide them through<br />
what you need to do while we<br />
get a crew to them, and I was<br />
with Alice the whole step of the<br />
way until the crew arrived to take<br />
over.”<br />
Alice said: “I didn’t know what<br />
to do but Charlotte was so calm<br />
and calmed me down so I could<br />
help Chris. She told me to start<br />
CPR and then talked me through<br />
it and supported me until the<br />
ambulance crew arrived, telling<br />
me when they were only two<br />
minutes away.”<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> dispatcher Hollie<br />
Hicks, who has worked within<br />
the dispatch team at NEAS for<br />
seven years, was responsible<br />
for ensuring all the resources<br />
reached Chris quickly.<br />
She said: “We have to act fast<br />
and find the closest possible<br />
resource to the patient and<br />
either divert them or try and get<br />
someone clear off another job, or<br />
from the hospital or off their meal<br />
break.<br />
“On this occasion, it was a really<br />
busy night and I only had one<br />
ambulance crew available so I<br />
went out to a general broadcast,<br />
which means we speak to all<br />
the crews over their radios and<br />
advise them we have a category<br />
1 call and where it’s located<br />
to see if anyone can make<br />
themselves available to assist.<br />
“Doing this, I managed to<br />
get a paramedic crew from<br />
Cramlington to also run up to<br />
the job and set the specialist car<br />
off from Newcastle. I was aware<br />
the run time for the specialist<br />
was quite long due to incident<br />
location but they are the most<br />
qualified resources for dealing<br />
with cardiac arrests so it would<br />
be beneficial for the patient<br />
that they attended, especially<br />
if the crew got a successful<br />
resuscitation, which thankfully in<br />
this instance they did.”<br />
Paramedic Louise Fawcus, who<br />
joined NEAS three years ago,<br />
was one of those first crews on<br />
scene.<br />
“Going to cardiac arrests we<br />
always talk through it as a team,<br />
how we are going to proceed<br />
once we arrive depending if we<br />
are first on scene or second,<br />
which helps everyone understand<br />
their roles and helps it run<br />
smoother,” said Louise.<br />
“Alice was very calm and made<br />
sure we had all information we<br />
needed to help her husband<br />
despite it being early hours and the<br />
fact her husband was so critical.”<br />
Working as a team, the crews<br />
managed to successfully<br />
resuscitate Chris, prior to the<br />
arrival of specialist paramedic<br />
Graeme Cutty.<br />
Graeme, who joined NEAS in<br />
2002 before qualifying as a<br />
paramedic in 2006, has been<br />
part of the specialist paramedic<br />
team since it launched at NEAS<br />
in 2019.<br />
Together, they provide additional<br />
clinical and leadership at an<br />
incident, and are able to improve<br />
outcomes for patients who are<br />
critically unwell.<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
He said: “When I arrived, Chris<br />
had already been successfully<br />
resuscitated by the crews, but<br />
was still critically unwell and<br />
unconscious. The crew reported<br />
that he had recently been<br />
diagnosed with some severe<br />
heart problems and had been<br />
informed by his GP that his<br />
outlook was “bleak”.<br />
48<br />
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NEWSLINE<br />
“I undertook an Ultrasound<br />
of his heart, which showed<br />
that the ventricles were not<br />
contracting as they should.<br />
I made sure that he was as<br />
clinically stable as he could be<br />
before rapidly transferring him<br />
to hospital, being aware that<br />
he was at high-risk of having<br />
a further cardiac arrest. I had<br />
to intervene and manually<br />
assist his ventilations enroute<br />
to hospital as his breathing<br />
deteriorated.”<br />
The retired geophysicist was<br />
placed in an induced coma and<br />
spent three days on life support,<br />
but has gone on to make a full<br />
recovery. The grandfather of<br />
Evie (12) and Esther (9) is now<br />
making the most of retirement,<br />
returning to an active life,<br />
which sees him enjoying family<br />
holidays with Alice and even<br />
taking up paddleboarding.<br />
Having seen fi rst-hand the<br />
difference it has made to<br />
them, Alice and Chris are now<br />
passionate about spreading the<br />
word about the importance of<br />
carrying out CPR.<br />
And, as he approaches his oneyear<br />
anniversary, he has now<br />
been able to meet back up with<br />
some of his life-savers to thank<br />
them.<br />
“I am so pleased that I have<br />
managed to maintain the healthy<br />
and active lifestyle following my<br />
cardiac arrest - all as a result<br />
of the excellent response and<br />
actions from the ambulance team<br />
and the care provided in the<br />
intensive care unit,” said Chris.<br />
Alice added: “I was initially<br />
told that he was unlikely to<br />
pull through so I am incredibly<br />
relieved that he has made a full<br />
recovery and is back doing all<br />
the activities he enjoyed prior to<br />
his cardiac arrest as well as new<br />
ones.<br />
“The ambulance team were<br />
amazing and we just wanted to<br />
be able to thank them all for the<br />
part they played in saving Chris’s<br />
life. We had already been able to<br />
thank all the hospital staff who<br />
cared for him but without these<br />
guys I wouldn’t have had the<br />
opportunity to do that.<br />
“It’s been wonderful to meet them<br />
all and to realise just how lucky<br />
Chris was.”<br />
“It’s great to know the outcomes<br />
of patients we take into hospital,<br />
especially when it’s positive and<br />
something as serious as this,”<br />
said Louise. “It’s nice to know<br />
he’s used this time after his event<br />
to travel enjoying living his life.”<br />
Charlotte said: “I’m used to<br />
taking consecutive emergency<br />
calls and have never had the<br />
pleasure of meeting any of those<br />
patients or their family, so to see<br />
him alive and standing in front<br />
of me laughing with Alice put a<br />
whole new perspective on my<br />
job.<br />
“I hope Chris and his family have<br />
a fab time celebrating his oneyear<br />
post-cardiac birthday in <strong>April</strong><br />
and wish them well on their future<br />
adventures.”<br />
Hollie added: “I’m over the moon<br />
that we were able to help Chris<br />
when he needed us and save his<br />
life and I’m really grateful to get<br />
to meet him. It’s nice to actually<br />
see the outcome of our decisions<br />
and work that we do on a daily<br />
basis in real life; it just goes to<br />
show how precious life actually<br />
is. I hope he lives the rest of his<br />
life to the fullest and enjoys every<br />
moment with Alice.”<br />
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49
NEWSLINE<br />
HRH The Princess<br />
Royal unveils<br />
cornerstone for<br />
air ambulance<br />
charity’s new base at<br />
Alconbury Weald<br />
On Friday, 10th February Magpas<br />
Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> staff, clinicians<br />
and former patients welcomed<br />
HRH The Princess Royal to the<br />
site of the charity’s new base,<br />
to unveil a cornerstone for the<br />
new building which is mid-way<br />
through construction. The event,<br />
sponsored by Leonardo and<br />
supported by Special Aviation<br />
Services, had been postponed<br />
from September due to the<br />
funeral of Her late Majesty The<br />
Queen.<br />
The new, purpose-built airbase<br />
and headquarters at Alconbury<br />
Weald—being delivered by Lindum<br />
Group—will boast a dedicated<br />
state-of-the-art training centre to<br />
train the next generation of prehospital<br />
emergency doctors and<br />
paramedics; be equipped for 24/7<br />
operations with well-being and rest<br />
facilities for crew and clinicians;<br />
and provide new community and<br />
patient facilities on site.<br />
The charity’s new home is situated<br />
closer to the region’s major trunk<br />
roads, which will reduce vehicle<br />
dispatch times by up to 15<br />
minutes. This improved location<br />
that allows co-locating the<br />
charity’s operations and support<br />
staff—who currently work across<br />
two sites—will be more efficient;<br />
reducing charity overheads and<br />
improving environmental impact.<br />
HRH The Princess Royal became<br />
Magpas Air <strong>Ambulance</strong>’s Royal<br />
Patron after she visited the<br />
charity’s current operations base<br />
in February 2020, and heard<br />
about the pressing need for the<br />
service to find a new home. In<br />
2021, the charity’s 50th year of<br />
operations, she launched the<br />
Future 50 Appeal aimed at raising<br />
the funding needed to complete<br />
the building, with the unveiling of<br />
a cornerstone on Friday marking<br />
an important milestone in the<br />
development of the project.<br />
Speaking of the occasion, Daryl<br />
Brown MBE DL, the charity’s Chief<br />
Executive Officer, said “It was an<br />
honour to welcome our patron HRH<br />
The Princess Royal to the site of<br />
our new base at Alconbury Weald.<br />
After unveiling the cornerstone,<br />
which will become a treasured part<br />
of our building, we were delighted<br />
to hear a few words from The<br />
Princess Royal and see her passion<br />
for the service we provide, before<br />
welcoming her to a reception<br />
afterwards. Here, she met former<br />
patients, Magpas Air <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
clinicians and funders of the project.<br />
“It’s incredibly exciting to see,<br />
what has been a plan for a very<br />
long time, finally come into a<br />
fruition—especially as the building<br />
has now reached the major<br />
milestone of being watertight—<br />
and we can see the charity’s new<br />
home really coming together.”<br />
The charity, which is funded by<br />
donations, has been careful not<br />
to divert income from running<br />
the day-to-day lifesaving service.<br />
As Lucy Chapman, Magpas Air<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Director of Fundraising<br />
and Marketing explains,<br />
“We are extremely fortunate to<br />
receive fantastic support from the<br />
communities in which we work.<br />
As a charity, our service relies on<br />
donations from supporters and<br />
the public to raise the £6 million<br />
needed every year to operate and<br />
save lives 24/7, For this reason,<br />
we secured alternative and<br />
new sources of funding for the<br />
Future 50 Appeal. It’s fantastic to<br />
celebrate this important milestone<br />
in the project with HRH The<br />
Princess Royal, and we can’t wait<br />
to invite all our supporters to the<br />
new airbase once it is complete.”<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
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51
NEWSLINE<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
Coventry University<br />
plays key role<br />
in South Pole<br />
expedition research<br />
A challenging expedition to the<br />
South Pole has given Coventry<br />
University researchers the<br />
chance to study the effects of<br />
prolonged strenuous exercise in<br />
some of the harshest conditions<br />
on earth.<br />
Those taking part in the expedition<br />
were subject to tests before<br />
and after the expedition, as<br />
well as being monitored during<br />
the journey via body sensors.<br />
The research could have many<br />
applications useful to both<br />
medicine and the military.<br />
The Inspire 22 team skied<br />
more than 900km in 47 days,<br />
setting out in the polar summer<br />
in December and returning in<br />
January.<br />
Consisting of men and women<br />
from both the military and civilian<br />
life, the nine-person team were<br />
challenged physically and mentally<br />
on their expedition, experiencing<br />
temperatures as low as minus 45<br />
degrees celsius.<br />
Although team members were<br />
provided with all the food they<br />
wanted, sustained polar travel<br />
meant they were operating in<br />
energy deficit – burning more<br />
calories than they ate.<br />
Despite some team members<br />
consuming up to 6,000 calories<br />
per day, everyone taking part lost<br />
weight through travelling vast<br />
distances pulling equipment and<br />
supplies.<br />
Dr Doug Thake, Associate<br />
Professor at Coventry University’s<br />
Research Centre for Sport,<br />
Exercise and Life Science, said:<br />
“This is all about understanding<br />
the human body when it is going<br />
through sustained periods of<br />
exercise whilst being in energy<br />
deficit. Our evidence suggests<br />
that such people’s metabolism<br />
is elevated at rest and changes<br />
in response to exercise when<br />
they are exposed to cold<br />
environments.<br />
“This kind of research with fit and<br />
healthy participants may help<br />
give us a better understanding<br />
of disease processes, such as<br />
cancer, where patients experience<br />
a negative energy balance and<br />
lose weight. It may give us greater<br />
insight into how those living in<br />
human disaster zones cope with<br />
conditions where they may be<br />
doing a lot of physical exercise but<br />
not getting enough calories.<br />
“Our role is to carry out tests pre<br />
and post expedition and we’re<br />
well set up to do that here – with<br />
our environmental chamber we<br />
can simulate temperatures of<br />
minus 25 to plus 50 and altitudes<br />
from sea level to the summit of<br />
Everest. Prior to the expedition<br />
the participants used the chamber<br />
to see how they could do things<br />
like pitch tents in extreme cold<br />
environments.<br />
“It’s great to be part of a<br />
collaborative project such as<br />
this, working with world-leading<br />
experts in the field.”<br />
Major Natalie Taylor, who led the<br />
military team on the expedition,<br />
said: “All the participants were<br />
given the choice to take as<br />
much or as little food as they<br />
liked. I chose to take slightly less<br />
because it is extra weight to carry,<br />
it’s not about whether you are<br />
carrying enough food, it’s about<br />
deciding on balance how much of<br />
it is worth carrying.<br />
“It is an inevitability on polar<br />
expeditions that people tend<br />
to enter calorie deficit and lose<br />
weight, however if you’re losing<br />
fat and not muscle for example,<br />
that’s not necessarily a bad thing,<br />
in fact you could argue that you’re<br />
actually getting fitter.<br />
“One of the most interesting<br />
features of the research for me<br />
was the use of sensors to take<br />
measurements when we’re out on<br />
the ice and the potential role in the<br />
military that could play.”<br />
Chris Imray, Visiting Professor<br />
at Coventry University and<br />
leader of the civilian team on the<br />
expedition, added: “We have<br />
undertaken previous research<br />
expeditions involving all male and<br />
all female teams but one of the<br />
issues with those studies was that<br />
it was difficult to compare how<br />
different sexes reacted, as the<br />
expeditions took place at different<br />
times with potentially different<br />
conditions. Having a mixed-sex<br />
expedition team gives us a much<br />
better understanding and this<br />
time we’ve also been able to<br />
take measurements during the<br />
expedition itself.”<br />
To find out more about Inspire 22<br />
visit https://www.inspire22.co.uk/<br />
LAS<br />
International<br />
Women’s Day <strong>2023</strong>:<br />
London <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service doubles<br />
number of women<br />
recruited to “highrisk”<br />
team<br />
London <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service<br />
(LAS) has doubled the number<br />
of women who are specially<br />
trained to work in the most<br />
dangerous environments,<br />
after a targeted recruitment<br />
campaign.<br />
Hazardous Area Response Team<br />
(HART) paramedics respond to<br />
patients in the most perilous of<br />
situations including fires, collapsed<br />
buildings, people trapped under<br />
trains or vehicles, people in water,<br />
or those in hard-to-reach places.<br />
HART are also trained to respond<br />
to chemical incidents, terror<br />
attacks and other high risk jobs.<br />
LAS has been so successful<br />
in recruiting women to HART<br />
that they are now sharing their<br />
approach and methods with other<br />
ambulance trusts across the<br />
country.<br />
Paramedics Rae Childs and<br />
Natalie Cole have over 10 years’<br />
experience with LAS between<br />
them but are new to HART. They<br />
still treat ill or injured patients but<br />
now face an extra challenge of<br />
responding to them in dangerous<br />
conditions.<br />
Rae said: “We’ve been going<br />
through a lot of training which<br />
includes working at height on<br />
scaffolding, off-roading utility<br />
terrain vehicles and water rescue.<br />
“It’s intense and challenging but<br />
I love it and I can’t believe I have<br />
the opportunity to learn all these<br />
new skills.”<br />
As well as being trained to use<br />
their life-saving clinical knowledge<br />
in hazardous environments, HART<br />
paramedics also spend time<br />
training alongside emergency<br />
service colleagues in the police<br />
and fire services.<br />
Natalie said: “We are working<br />
alongside some of the most<br />
elite and experienced units in<br />
the country. It’s taking us out of<br />
our comfort zones but actually<br />
it is so empowering to get this<br />
opportunity -knowing we are<br />
specially trained to help people in<br />
the most difficult, dangerous and<br />
challenging circumstances.”<br />
Previously the team of 98 HART<br />
paramedics only included 11<br />
women. That number now stands<br />
at 22 with more women already<br />
applying.<br />
Natasha Wills is the Director of<br />
Resilience and Specialist Assets<br />
52<br />
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NEWSLINE<br />
at LAS and HART paramedics<br />
are one of the specialties in her<br />
department.<br />
She has worked hard to improve<br />
diversity and said: “This has<br />
traditionally been a maledominated<br />
team – and this is true<br />
of HART across the country – so<br />
we made a deliberate effort to<br />
change that.<br />
“We held awareness days and<br />
encouraged female paramedics<br />
to come along and try out some<br />
of the training activities for<br />
themselves.<br />
“So rather than being intimidated<br />
by the gear, the uniform, the<br />
physical activity, when women saw<br />
an opportunity to apply, they found<br />
it a rewarding way to progress their<br />
careers. I would encourage any<br />
paramedic not to rule themselves<br />
out, but to give it a go.”<br />
LAS and Yorkshire <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service were the first ambulance<br />
services to set up HART, in<br />
response to the 2005 London<br />
terror attacks.<br />
Their specialist training means<br />
paramedics can enter a “warm<br />
zone” – an area where there is<br />
a potential threat to life, such as<br />
an active terrorist attack – and<br />
NWAS<br />
Paramedic<br />
apprentices graduate<br />
and hit the roads of<br />
the north west<br />
Forty-seven newly qualified<br />
paramedics hit the roads across<br />
the region at the beginning of<br />
March with 11 more joining<br />
them at the end of the month.<br />
They are part of North West<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Services’ (NWAS) firstever<br />
cohort of emergency medical<br />
technician (EMT) staff to study the<br />
paramedic apprenticeship and<br />
complete the course.<br />
The BSc (Hons) Paramedic<br />
Science (Apprenticeship) Degree<br />
was launched in February 2021 in<br />
partnership with Cumbria University.<br />
As apprentices on the programme<br />
are EMTs, it takes them just two<br />
years to complete compared to<br />
three years for a traditional degree<br />
in paramedic science.<br />
Emergency Medical Technician<br />
1/Paramedic Apprentice Tom<br />
Wilkes, says: “The journey has<br />
been challenging, in a good way.<br />
It has been great to develop<br />
my clinical skills whilst growing<br />
individually, especially with<br />
putting my skills into practice<br />
to help patients. For me being<br />
a paramedic means having<br />
the autonomy to make critical<br />
decisions whilst forming part of<br />
the wider multidisciplinary team to<br />
benefit patients and colleagues.”<br />
All ambulance trusts in England<br />
are developing new paramedics<br />
through this apprenticeship route.<br />
NWAS is one of seven ambulance<br />
trusts that teamed up with<br />
Cumbria University for this exciting<br />
progression programme. It has<br />
seen around 1000 paramedics<br />
trained in the last two years<br />
nationally, significantly increasing<br />
the country’s paramedic workforce.<br />
Within NWAS, the programme<br />
is open to our existing EMTs<br />
that hold the Level 4 Associate<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Practitioner Diploma<br />
to enable them to become fullyqualified<br />
paramedics.<br />
This means the highly respected<br />
profession is open to our<br />
existing workforce. They can<br />
continue to work as an EMT<br />
whilst gaining a full BSc (Hons) in<br />
Paramedic Practice, allowing each<br />
ambulance service to develop its<br />
staff and grow its own workforce.<br />
The apprenticeship offers recruits<br />
blended learning to allow them<br />
to continue their normal frontline<br />
roles while studying. This involves<br />
a mixture of classroom and online<br />
learning, practical sessions,<br />
tutorials and non-ambulance<br />
placements within NWAS.<br />
Carol Offer, NWAS Assistant Director<br />
Workforce and Organisational<br />
Development, says, “This<br />
apprenticeship has given our existing<br />
EMT staff a new pathway to develop<br />
their careers as paramedics. It<br />
also enables us to develop our<br />
workforce, and nurture and shape<br />
the talents we already have.”<br />
Redferd Ashcroft, NWAS Senior<br />
Learning Development Advisor<br />
who has supported all the<br />
cohorts on the programme so<br />
far, says: “I am immensely proud<br />
of the hard work, resilience and<br />
dedication displayed by all of our<br />
apprentice paramedics. It has<br />
been an absolute privilege to<br />
watch their skills and confidence<br />
grow throughout the programme.<br />
I look forward to seeing how they<br />
continue to develop within the<br />
paramedic profession”.<br />
There are now seven cohorts on<br />
the paramedic apprenticeship<br />
within NWAS, with three new<br />
groups starting every year.<br />
begin treating patients as soon as<br />
possible, rather than waiting for fire<br />
and rescue crews to bring patients<br />
out of the dangerous area.<br />
Since joining the HART team, Rae<br />
and Natalie have found that other<br />
women are now more likely to<br />
sign up to join them.<br />
Rae added: “By having a more<br />
diverse team means there will be<br />
different ideas, better problem<br />
solving and more innovative<br />
thinking when it comes to<br />
approaching complex jobs.<br />
“It’s good for women to be part<br />
of the team but it’s even better for<br />
our patients.”<br />
L to R - Leanne Boon, Newly Qualified Paramedic, Tom Wilkes, Apprentice Paramedic and Amy Evans,<br />
Newly Qualified Paramedic<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
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53
NEWSLINE<br />
WAS<br />
Bowls player<br />
reunited with offduty<br />
paramedic who<br />
saved his life<br />
A Newtown man who had a<br />
cardiac arrest while playing<br />
bowls has been reunited with<br />
the off-duty paramedic who<br />
saved his life.<br />
When Terry Dury, 73, began<br />
having chest pains at a bowls<br />
competition in Aberhafesp, it was<br />
the quick-thinking actions of offduty<br />
paramedic Sion Breese who<br />
helped save his life.<br />
Terry was in the middle of<br />
competing when he first started<br />
experiencing discomfort. When the<br />
match finished, he went into cardiac<br />
arrest only a few moments later.<br />
He said: “I’m usually pretty good<br />
at playing bowls, but my accuracy<br />
was all over the place.<br />
“I remember feeling the discomfort<br />
in my chest, but I just kept playing.<br />
“As soon as the game was<br />
finished, I sat down straight away,<br />
kicking my bowls under the chair<br />
and that was it.<br />
“I don’t remember anything else,<br />
but I have been told I had turned<br />
blue and was clutching my chest,<br />
thrashing about and gasping for<br />
air.”<br />
At the time, Sion Breese,<br />
paramedic and locality manager<br />
in North Powys at the Welsh<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service, had just<br />
finished his bowls game before<br />
being called into action.<br />
Sion, who only started playing<br />
bowls three months prior, said:<br />
“With the help of the bowls<br />
Chairman, Nick Jones, we<br />
managed to get Terry onto the floor.<br />
“I immediately assessed him and<br />
started giving cardiopulmonary<br />
resuscitation (CPR).<br />
“I phoned 999 and got Nick to<br />
locate the defibrillator and after<br />
one shock, Terry’s rhythm came<br />
back.<br />
“Nick was excellent in the<br />
situation.<br />
“Because I didn’t have my usual<br />
kit, the couple of minutes that we<br />
waited for Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong>s<br />
Service colleagues felt longer.”<br />
Help arrived in the form one<br />
emergency ambulance, a<br />
duty operations manager and<br />
community first responder from<br />
the Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service,<br />
along with colleagues from the<br />
Emergency Medical Retrieval and<br />
Transfer Service and Fire Service<br />
Co Responders.<br />
Terry said: “I recall very little of the<br />
journey to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd,<br />
but I do remember them asking<br />
if I was allergic to anything, with<br />
my response being ‘I’m allergic to<br />
hospitals’.<br />
“I was transported on blue lights<br />
to the hospital, where they<br />
performed an angiogram.<br />
“I’m not sure how, but I had<br />
somehow managed to tell the<br />
paramedics my phone password<br />
so they could call my partner<br />
Jenny, who was able to meet us in<br />
the hospital.”<br />
other for the next game.<br />
“The determination he showed,<br />
without any equipment – just his<br />
knowledge saved me.<br />
“People like Sion who work in the<br />
NHS and ambulance service are<br />
the salt of the earth.”<br />
Terry remained in hospital for five<br />
days and has 12 weeks of rest<br />
before he can play bowls again,<br />
but that hasn’t stopped him from<br />
reuniting with Sion and cheering<br />
on his bowls team.<br />
Sion said: “It was great to meet<br />
up with Terry again, and he looked<br />
very healthy for someone who had<br />
a cardiac arrest and triple bypass.<br />
“I’ve also seen him supporting his<br />
bowls team.<br />
“Since the emergency, plans have<br />
been made to run a defib and<br />
CPR awareness session for all the<br />
bowls clubs that attend the next<br />
competition.<br />
“It will be a great opportunity to<br />
educate the players about the<br />
importance of early CPR and<br />
defibrillation.”<br />
After Terry’s angiogram, it was<br />
decided that he would need<br />
immediate intervention and was<br />
transported to the Broadgreen<br />
Liverpool Hospital to undergo a<br />
triple bypass.<br />
February marked the Welsh<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service’s monthlong<br />
Defibuary campaign, which<br />
is designed to educate the<br />
public about the importance of<br />
bystander CPR and defibrillation.<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
The father-of-two said: “I was told<br />
the risk of survival was slim, but I<br />
remember looking at the clock in the<br />
theatre which read 9:45am, and the<br />
surgery being complete by 2:15pm.<br />
“I was sedated for hours and<br />
recovery was painful, but the<br />
hospital staff were fantastic.<br />
“If Sion hadn’t swapped his shift<br />
to play that day, I’m not sure what<br />
would have happened.<br />
“It was very strange as we were<br />
scheduled to play against each<br />
SCAS<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> initiative<br />
helping 50,000<br />
patients a year<br />
avoid emergency<br />
department transfers<br />
A pioneering initiative led by<br />
South Central <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service (SCAS) is helping more<br />
than 50,000 patients a year<br />
receive the right treatment more<br />
quickly - often avoiding transfer<br />
to emergency departments.<br />
54<br />
For further recruitment vacancies visit: www.ambulanceukonline.com
NEWSLINE<br />
Launched as a pilot in 2019<br />
known as urgent care pathways, it<br />
sees ambulance service clinicians<br />
take a leading role in assessing<br />
and treating patients in their<br />
homes when handling 111 or 999<br />
calls and determining their next<br />
destination for ongoing care.<br />
Within just two years it had<br />
prevented more than 30,000<br />
patient journeys to emergency<br />
departments having created more<br />
than 120 different healthcare<br />
pathways for clinicians to refer<br />
patients to directly.<br />
As a result, many of these were<br />
admitted directly into a specialist<br />
hospital service covering medical,<br />
surgical, paediatric, respiratory,<br />
frailty or mental health needs,<br />
transported to a treatment centre<br />
or referred onto a community<br />
service or their GP to be managed<br />
at home.<br />
The project, which is now known<br />
as clinical pathways and is a core<br />
part of the SCAS service, focuses<br />
on moderately unwell patients<br />
with medical conditions, older<br />
patients who are frail with chronic<br />
conditions who are at risk of falls,<br />
those with respiratory conditions<br />
such as COPD and asthma,<br />
people in mental health crises or<br />
children who require a specialist<br />
paediatric assessment.<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> staff are supported<br />
to assess patients at home<br />
and take a lead role in working<br />
with consultants in hospitals,<br />
community teams and GPs to<br />
determine a patient’s next steps.<br />
This can include referrals to<br />
services including hospital<br />
same day emergency care units<br />
(SDECs), urgent community<br />
response teams (UCRs), acute<br />
respiratory hubs and virtual wards,<br />
where patients are safely treated<br />
and monitored at home.<br />
The system proved an invaluable<br />
asset during the COVID-19<br />
pandemic for managing residents<br />
in care homes and avoiding the<br />
need for hospital admissions<br />
through treatment at home,<br />
referral to community services<br />
or by-passing emergency<br />
departments.<br />
It is supported by a dedicated<br />
online directory - SCAS Connect<br />
- which was developed to<br />
categorise all urgent care options<br />
available across Berkshire,<br />
Buckinghamshire, Hampshire<br />
and Oxfordshire to assist staff<br />
with locating clinical and support<br />
services and making the right<br />
clinical decision in the community.<br />
Available as a smartphone and<br />
tablet app, SCAS Connect has<br />
inclusion and exclusion criteria<br />
for each service, opening<br />
hours, contact numbers, email<br />
addresses, what patients they will<br />
or won’t see, parking locations<br />
for ambulances, as well as links<br />
to current clinical guidance to aid<br />
decision-making.<br />
Due to its success the initiative<br />
has been backed by NHS England<br />
and similar models rolled out<br />
across other ambulance trusts.<br />
“The development of our clinical<br />
pathways service led by a<br />
specialist care team has been<br />
a revelation in opening up more<br />
appropriate treatment options<br />
to avoid patients being taken to<br />
hospital emergency departments<br />
as the default option,” said<br />
Chris Jackson, Assistant Senior<br />
Operations Manager and Clinical<br />
Pathway Team lead at SCAS.<br />
“The creation and effectiveness of<br />
SCAS Connect has been integral<br />
to the project as it gives clinicians<br />
everything they need to support<br />
them in making the right decision<br />
on care for the patients they are<br />
sent to. If crews are working outof-area<br />
then they still have access<br />
to everything they need to make<br />
the right clinical decision for every<br />
patient they see.”<br />
He added: “We are now truly<br />
realising the potential of our<br />
expert mobile clinicians to ensure<br />
patients get the right care as<br />
quickly as possible while reducing<br />
the burden on emergency<br />
departments.<br />
“More than 50,000 patients per<br />
year are now benefitting from the<br />
collaborations between SCAS and<br />
our system partners to support<br />
patients getting to the right care<br />
first time every time and we<br />
are delighted NHS England is<br />
supporting the rollout of similar<br />
models across ambulance<br />
services.”<br />
Dr John Black, Medical Director<br />
at SCAS, said: “This excellent<br />
initiative is integral to delivering the<br />
right care first time every time and<br />
supports the delivery of care in<br />
the community as close to home<br />
as possible when it is safe and<br />
appropriate to do so.”<br />
The Hospital<br />
Saturday Fund Gifts<br />
£10,000 To Local<br />
Lifesaving Charity<br />
The Hospital Saturday Fund,<br />
a national charity based<br />
in London has gifted a<br />
£10,000 grant to Midlands Air<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity’s advanced<br />
pre-hospital service.<br />
A £10,000 grant has been<br />
received by Midlands Air<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity at a recent<br />
visit from The Hospital Saturday<br />
Fund to its RAF Cosford airbase<br />
in Shropshire. The Hospital<br />
Saturday Fund is a charity which<br />
aids registered health charities,<br />
hospices and other medical<br />
organisations who need grants<br />
for specific medical projects.<br />
The grant is for the purchase of<br />
much-needed surgical training<br />
equipment. This new training<br />
equipment will enable the critical<br />
care clinicians at the charity to<br />
practice their enhanced clinical<br />
skills and will also help towards<br />
future-proofing the charity’s prehospital<br />
emergency service.<br />
John Randel, Trustee of The<br />
Hospital Saturday Fund, said:<br />
“The Hospital Saturday Fund<br />
were delighted to award<br />
Midlands Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity<br />
with a grant of £10,000. This<br />
grant will help fund essential<br />
surgical training equipment for<br />
its clinicians.<br />
“The service that the charity<br />
provides to the community is<br />
remarkable, and this advanced<br />
equipment will allow their team<br />
of highly skilled critical care<br />
paramedics and pre-hospital<br />
emergency medicine doctors to<br />
practice lifesaving and highrisk<br />
procedures. The Hospital<br />
Saturday Fund is pleased to be<br />
part of this initiative which will<br />
significantly increase a patient’s<br />
chance of survival in a real-life<br />
emergency.”<br />
Debbie Briden, grants and<br />
trusts manager for Midlands<br />
Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity, added:<br />
“We are so grateful to the<br />
Hospital Saturday Fund for<br />
their kind £10,000 grant to<br />
our organisation. The new<br />
training equipment we can<br />
now purchase will be used<br />
regularly as part of our service’s<br />
commitment to continuous<br />
improvement as the clinicians<br />
practise vital advanced skills<br />
needed in the pre-hospital<br />
environment.”<br />
To find out more about Midlands<br />
Air <strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity’s vital,<br />
lifesaving work in your local area<br />
visit midlandsairambulance.com<br />
and follow the organisation on<br />
social media.<br />
Visit hospitalsaturdayfund.org to<br />
find out more about The Hospital<br />
Charity Fund and how it has been<br />
helping health charities in your<br />
local community since 1873.<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
For the latest <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service News visit: www.ambulancenewsdesk.com<br />
55
NEWSLINE<br />
LAS<br />
Brave-hearted<br />
paramedic honoured<br />
by the King<br />
A paramedic who has<br />
dedicated his career to saving<br />
lives – including during the<br />
Westminster Bridge terror<br />
attack in 2017 – has been<br />
presented with a Queen’s<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Medal, in a<br />
prestigious ceremony hosted by<br />
His Majesty King Charles III.<br />
Richard Webb Stevens, a<br />
motorcycle paramedic from<br />
London <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service who<br />
was born with severe hearing loss,<br />
was nominated for the illustrious<br />
award during the Queen’s<br />
platinum Jubilee last June.<br />
He picked up his medal at<br />
Windsor Castle in a poignant<br />
ceremony which honoured<br />
his actions as first ambulance<br />
responder on-scene at the<br />
Westminster terrorist attack, as<br />
well as his lasting contribution to<br />
the deaf community.<br />
As he left the castle with his wife<br />
Marie, Richard commented:<br />
“Meeting the King personally<br />
to receive such an important<br />
award is something that I never<br />
envisaged. You hear stories<br />
about it, you read about it,<br />
but experiencing it was just<br />
phenomenal.<br />
“I was very fortunate to be<br />
nominated for this award and<br />
it’s been absolutely superb to be<br />
honoured in such an emotional<br />
ceremony.”<br />
On the day of the Westminster<br />
terrorist attack, on 22 March<br />
2017, Richard showed<br />
unparalleled bravery and devotion<br />
to duty when he was called<br />
to a road traffic incident on<br />
Westminster Bridge, which he<br />
soon realised was not a routine<br />
crash.<br />
Many people had been very badly<br />
injured, and Richard focused on<br />
assessing patients from one end<br />
of the bridge to the other and<br />
report back to the control room<br />
asking for backup.<br />
Remembering the day of the<br />
attack, Richard said: “22 March<br />
2017 is a day I will never forget,<br />
ever.<br />
“It’s a day when I had to put all my<br />
years of service into practice into<br />
one single call, but I hope I made<br />
a difference to people’s lives.”<br />
At Windsor Castle, Richard was<br />
also honoured for making an<br />
impact for the deaf community<br />
working in the emergency services.<br />
While serving in the London<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service Motorcycle<br />
Response Unit, he found the inhelmet<br />
earpiece used by motorbike<br />
paramedics to keep in contact<br />
while driving was incompatible<br />
with his hearing aid. Richard met<br />
with designers, audiologists and<br />
hearing aid companies and his<br />
new design has proved to be such<br />
a success that these updated<br />
communication systems have<br />
been taken up by police forces,<br />
medical professionals and military<br />
personnel around the world.<br />
Richard has been working at<br />
LAS for 24 years, and during<br />
that time he became the first<br />
deaf paramedic to work on<br />
London’s Air <strong>Ambulance</strong>. In his<br />
own time, he has been mentoring<br />
generations of paramedics with<br />
hearing impairments, committed<br />
to levelling the playing field in the<br />
emergency services for those with<br />
similar conditions to his.<br />
He has also striven to make it<br />
easier for deaf patients to make<br />
999 calls by supporting the launch<br />
of a BSL app allowing people<br />
with hearing or speech loss to be<br />
instantly connected to a video call<br />
with a BSL interpreter should they<br />
need life-saving help.<br />
Daniel Elkeles, Chief Executive<br />
at London <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service,<br />
commented:<br />
“I can think of no better person to<br />
be honoured for serving London.<br />
Richard has not only saved<br />
countless lives and responded<br />
to significant incidents in some<br />
very challenging circumstances,<br />
but also fought to make the<br />
emergency services more inclusive<br />
for all. We are very proud of him<br />
and for everything he has achieved<br />
over these 24 years with us.”<br />
SECAMB<br />
Reigate man reunited<br />
with lifesavers,<br />
encourages all to<br />
learn CPR<br />
A Reigate man has leant his<br />
voice to calls for everyone to<br />
learn CPR (cardio-pulmonary<br />
resuscitation) after being reunited<br />
with some of the ambulance<br />
team who help save his life.<br />
Michael Woolley, 80, suffered a<br />
cardiac arrest at his home on the<br />
afternoon of 14 December last<br />
year. His wife, Lynn, who joined<br />
him when he visited Banstead<br />
Make Ready Centre recently,<br />
immediately began CPR, called<br />
999 and followed the instructions<br />
of Emergency Medical Advisor,<br />
Barbara Trevena.<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
First to arrive at the scene<br />
in around five minutes was<br />
paramedic Lucy Thomson.<br />
Lucy commenced advanced life<br />
support and began delivering<br />
shocks with a defibrillator to<br />
restart Michael’s heart, before<br />
being joined by paramedics,<br />
Tracey Little, Millie Lowe, on<br />
her first shift as a fully-qualified<br />
paramedic, and Critical Care<br />
Paramedic, Lee Davis.<br />
Together the team delivered a<br />
total of eight shocks to establish a<br />
more normal rhythm for Michael’s<br />
heart as the Trust’s Hazardous<br />
56<br />
For more news visit: www.ambulanceukonline.com
NEWSLINE<br />
Area Response Team, (HART),<br />
joined them at the scene to lead<br />
what was a challenging exit from<br />
the couple’s top floor apartment.<br />
Michael was rushed to St<br />
George’s Hospital where he<br />
underwent an angioplasty<br />
procedure to open up his<br />
arteries. While initially given a<br />
further life-expectancy of just<br />
one to two years following his<br />
ordeal, Michael has since had<br />
an internal defibrillator fitted,<br />
increasing his life-expectancy by<br />
some five to 10 years.<br />
“The day of my collapse was just<br />
miracle after miracle”, explained<br />
Michael. “First the fact that I<br />
wasn’t on my own in the lift<br />
when I collapsed but instead<br />
in front of Lynn, then that Lynn<br />
began CPR so expertly directed<br />
by Barbara and then that<br />
Lucy and her colleagues were<br />
so quickly with us ensuring I<br />
received the treatment I needed.<br />
“Everything just fitted together<br />
so perfectly. I’m so lucky to<br />
be here and so grateful to the<br />
whole team for everything they<br />
did for me. It was very emotional<br />
meeting everyone but I’m so<br />
happy I’ve had the opportunity<br />
to say thank you face-to-face.”<br />
Emergency Medical Advisor,<br />
Barbara, praised Lynn’s<br />
calmness as she gave CPR to<br />
Michael ahead of Lucy’s arrival.<br />
“Lynn did everything right,” she<br />
said. “It’s so vital that CPR is<br />
commenced straight away to<br />
give any patient the best chance<br />
of survival. Lynn was brilliant.”<br />
The initial CPR and subsequent<br />
treatment was so beneficial,<br />
in fact, that hospital teams<br />
performed a second scan to<br />
check Michael’s brain when the<br />
first showed up so little damage<br />
had occurred.<br />
Lynn expressed her thanks to<br />
the clear instruction delivered<br />
by Barbara and added: “I will<br />
forever be grateful for how she<br />
talked me through everything<br />
I needed to do that day. She<br />
was a calming voice and I am<br />
so pleased to have been able to<br />
thank her and the whole team in<br />
person.”<br />
Lucy added: “It was a real team<br />
effort from start to finish. From<br />
the moment Lynn dialled 999<br />
and begun CPR so quickly. It<br />
was the perfect example of<br />
the chain of survival. We were<br />
all delighted to meet Michael<br />
and Lynn under far better<br />
circumstances and we’re so<br />
pleased to play our part in<br />
ensuring Michael can look ahead<br />
to the future and enjoy life.”<br />
Michael and Lynn have been<br />
together for more than 40 years<br />
and have two children, Lucia and<br />
Emma, who Michael is looking<br />
forward walking down the aisle<br />
next year.<br />
Last month, SECAmb published<br />
its annual cardiac arrest report<br />
which revealed more than threequarters<br />
of all resuscitations<br />
attempts undertaken by crews<br />
take place in the home.<br />
The report, covering <strong>April</strong> 2021<br />
to March 2022, also showed<br />
that SECAmb responded<br />
to 8,005 patients who had<br />
suffered a cardiac arrest and<br />
that it was viable to commence<br />
resuscitation of 2,788 patients.<br />
Of the attempted resuscitations,<br />
a ‘Return of Spontaneous<br />
Circulation’ or ROSC was<br />
maintained to hospital 26 per<br />
cent of the time, while 11 per<br />
cent of patients (299 people)<br />
were alive 30 days after their<br />
cardiac arrest.<br />
For more details visit Trust<br />
publishes cardiac arrest report and<br />
urges public to learn to save a life -<br />
NHS South East Coast <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service (secamb.nhs.uk)<br />
The report is available to<br />
download in full here: Annual-<br />
Cardiac-Arrest-Report-FINAL.pdf<br />
(secamb.nhs.uk)<br />
WAS<br />
Steve’s sleep out for<br />
homeless veterans<br />
A soldier turned <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Care Assistant has taken part<br />
in a sleep out to raise money<br />
for homeless veterans.<br />
Steve Oliver, 53, took part in<br />
The Great Tommy Sleep Out,<br />
a fundraising challenge set by<br />
the Royal British Legion to<br />
raise awareness of and support<br />
the estimated 6,000 veterans<br />
experiencing homelessness.<br />
Steve, a former Army Sergeant,<br />
who toured Bosnia, Northern<br />
Ireland and Canada, now works<br />
as an <strong>Ambulance</strong> Care Assistant<br />
at the Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service,<br />
based in Bridgend.<br />
He said: “The Great Tommy<br />
Sleep Out encourages you to<br />
sleep out under the stars to<br />
fundraise for the most vulnerable<br />
veterans.<br />
“So, I set up my chair and<br />
sleeping bag and camped out<br />
for 24 hours.<br />
“I based myself at The Memorial<br />
Tommy Wall, St Anne’s in Neath<br />
from 10.00am Saturday until<br />
10.00am Sunday.<br />
“The challenge by no means<br />
replicated what some people<br />
experience every day.<br />
“But it did give me a very small<br />
idea of it.”<br />
Steve, a father of two and<br />
grandfather of one, was a<br />
member of the Armed Forces<br />
from 1989-2003, starting his<br />
career in the Royal Military<br />
Police, before moving into the<br />
Intelligence Corp and later<br />
becoming a Sergeant.<br />
He continued: “Being a veteran, I<br />
understand that not many people<br />
leave the Forces without some<br />
kind of scars.<br />
“I know that there is a very fine<br />
line from being where I am now to<br />
where others are, including those<br />
who find themselves homeless.<br />
“When I was discharged from<br />
the army, I found it really hard to<br />
adjust and suffered from mental<br />
health issues.<br />
“If it wasn’t for the support of<br />
the Royal British Legion and my<br />
family, I’m not sure what would<br />
have happened.<br />
“This was my small part to give<br />
back.<br />
“During the 24 hours, I was visited<br />
by over 60 members of the public,<br />
so I had plenty of donations and<br />
conversations about the Royal<br />
British Legion.<br />
“And best of all they ranged from<br />
10-years old to 91-years old.<br />
“The support I have received<br />
has been a truly humbling<br />
experience.”<br />
The Great Tommy Sleep Out<br />
continued throughout March, with<br />
all proceeds going to the Royal<br />
British Legion.<br />
Arwyn Thomas, Non-Emergency<br />
Patient Transport Service<br />
Operations Manager at the Welsh<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service, and Steve’s<br />
manager, said: “We are all very<br />
proud of Steve and his efforts to<br />
raise money and awareness of the<br />
thousands of homeless veterans.<br />
“Steve is ex-military and I know<br />
how passionate he is about this<br />
cause, and sleeping outside<br />
for 24 hours shows his sheer<br />
determination.”<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
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57
NEWSLINE<br />
SWASFT<br />
Peru trek to raise<br />
funds for South<br />
Western <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Charity<br />
Thirteen intrepid people from<br />
Bristol, North Somerset and<br />
South Gloucestershire (BNSSG)<br />
will set off on a 28-mile (45km)<br />
trek along Peru’s Inca Trail in<br />
May to raise £10,000 for the<br />
South Western <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Charity.<br />
The team, which includes 11<br />
paramedics from the South<br />
Western <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service NHS<br />
Foundation Trust (SWASFT), will<br />
climb as high 13,800ft (4,200m)<br />
on the legendary trail to the<br />
ancient Inca citadel of Machu<br />
Picchu.<br />
As well as tackling high mountain<br />
passes, they will hike through<br />
rainforest areas and subtropical<br />
vegetation in temperatures<br />
ranging between 30 degrees<br />
celsius during the day to 6<br />
degrees at night.<br />
Sponsorship from the self-funded<br />
adventure will go to the South<br />
Western <strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity to<br />
support the wellbeing of frontline<br />
crews, and the communities they<br />
serve, in the BNSSG area.<br />
The adventurers all come from the<br />
BNSSG area and include student<br />
paramedic Donna Jordan and<br />
paramedics Leanne Bessell, Tracy<br />
Jarrett, Sharon Swanborough, Abi<br />
Elliott, Gabriella Salmon, Dianne<br />
Fant, Richard Clark, Helen Field,<br />
Georgia Simpson, and Charlotte<br />
Cousins.<br />
Former SWASFT Emergency Care<br />
Assistant Vicky Turner, and Ian<br />
Hunt from Avon Fire & Rescue<br />
Service, are also in the team.<br />
Donna, whose idea the expedition<br />
was, says: “Back in August 2021,<br />
in the middle of the pandemic,<br />
thirteen of us decided to get<br />
together to try to raise £10,000<br />
for our local ambulance stations<br />
and colleagues as a thank you for<br />
everything they all do.<br />
“We’re funding the trip ourselves,<br />
getting ourselves into shape<br />
and training together, and we’re<br />
determined to complete the<br />
challenge.<br />
“I suggested trekking to Machu<br />
Picchu, which has been on<br />
my bucket list for years. I love<br />
history and can’t wait to walk in<br />
the footsteps of the people who<br />
created the Inca Trail hundreds of<br />
years ago.<br />
“We’d love any support you can<br />
offer. It doesn’t have to be much,<br />
as every penny will get us closer<br />
to our £10,000 target.”<br />
Zoe Larter, Head of the South<br />
Western <strong>Ambulance</strong> Charity,<br />
adds: “Our crews always go<br />
the extra mile but the Inca Trail<br />
is exceptional even by their<br />
standards. The money this intrepid<br />
team raises will go back into<br />
Bristol, North Somerset and South<br />
Gloucestershire. It will help the<br />
South Western <strong>Ambulance</strong> charity<br />
to enhance working environments,<br />
provide outdoor space for crew<br />
breaks at ambulance stations, and<br />
support the health and wellbeing<br />
of our people, who work so hard<br />
every day in what can often be<br />
stressful and challenging jobs.<br />
We owe a big thank you to all the<br />
expedition’s members and donors<br />
for their support.”<br />
SWASFT’s County Commander<br />
for BNSSG, Sarah Jenkins, says:<br />
“I am in awe of this amazing<br />
expedition and I wish the team<br />
the very best of luck. All of us<br />
in BNSSG are grateful for any<br />
funds that will be raised as part<br />
of this trip and we look forward to<br />
following their adventures”.<br />
Anyone who would like to support<br />
them can make a donation at<br />
https://www.justgiving.com/<br />
fundraising/swast-team.<br />
WAS<br />
Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Service appoints first<br />
midwife<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
The Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service<br />
has appointed its first lead<br />
midwife to improve care for<br />
women, birthing people and<br />
their babies.<br />
Bethan Jones, a midwife at<br />
Cardiff’s University Hospital of<br />
Wales, has been appointed Local<br />
Safety Champion for Maternity<br />
and Neonatal Care to ensure<br />
58<br />
For further recruitment vacancies visit: www.ambulanceukonline.com
NEWSLINE<br />
women, birthing people and their<br />
babies receive safe and effective<br />
care.<br />
The mother-of-two will work with<br />
other champions in local health<br />
boards to standardise services<br />
across Wales, as well as bolster<br />
training for staff.<br />
Bethan will also explore and<br />
develop the opportunity for the<br />
ambulance service to host a 24/7<br />
Labour Line.<br />
Bethan, who was a bereavement<br />
counsellor prior to training as a<br />
midwife, said: “This is a really<br />
exciting opportunity to improve<br />
the quality of care we deliver to<br />
mothers, babies and their families.<br />
“Women, birthing people and<br />
babies are at the heart of this<br />
work, which is designed to ensure<br />
that they and their families get the<br />
highest quality of care, wherever<br />
they are in Wales.<br />
“<strong>Ambulance</strong> staff cover a<br />
broad range of illnesses and<br />
emergencies, and having an<br />
appointed midwife means we<br />
can now have a specific focus<br />
on maternity and neonatal care,<br />
and there has already been some<br />
fantastic work in this space.<br />
“Everyone at the Welsh<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service has been very<br />
welcoming, and I look forward<br />
to seeing the difference we can<br />
make.”<br />
The Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service<br />
won two awards at the first ever<br />
PROMPT (PRactical Obstetric<br />
Multi-Professional Training) Wales<br />
awards ceremony.<br />
Paramedic Lisa O’Sullivan, Health<br />
Board Clinical Lead in Cardiff<br />
and Vale and a PROMPT Wales<br />
facilitator, was named winner of<br />
the Partnership and Collaborative<br />
Award.<br />
Meanwhile, Consultant Paramedic<br />
and Interim Regional Clinical Lead<br />
Steve Magee was the runner-up<br />
in the Supporting the PROMPT<br />
Wales National Team category.<br />
In 2021, Steve led the introduction<br />
of cuddle pockets so that stillborn<br />
babies can be transported to<br />
hospital with compassion.<br />
Bethan’s secondment into the<br />
ambulance service is part of<br />
Welsh Government’s Maternity<br />
and Neonatal Safety Support<br />
Programme to improve the safety,<br />
experience and outcomes for<br />
mothers and babies in Wales.<br />
Maternity and neonatal champions<br />
have been appointed to every<br />
health board in Wales as part of<br />
a new team which reports to the<br />
Chief Nursing Officer for Wales,<br />
Sue Tranka.<br />
They will be supported initially<br />
by Improvement Cymru, the<br />
improvement service for NHS<br />
Wales, to scope and prioritise<br />
their focus.<br />
Wendy Herbert, the Welsh<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service’s Assistant<br />
Director of Quality and Nursing,<br />
said: “This is an important role for<br />
the Welsh <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service and<br />
I’m delighted we’ve been able to<br />
appoint someone as experienced<br />
as Bethan into the position.<br />
“Our staff already do a brilliant<br />
job when it comes to supporting<br />
parents and looking after babies<br />
but we know that having to call<br />
999 when you’re expecting a baby<br />
can be a daunting experience.<br />
The Local Safety Champion role<br />
will allow us to look closely at<br />
how our staff are trained and how<br />
we respond to maternity-related<br />
incidents, ultimately improving<br />
care for mothers, birthing people<br />
and babies across Wales.”<br />
More than half<br />
ambulance workers<br />
have witnessed a<br />
death to delays –<br />
GMB survey shows<br />
Exclusive poll for Channel 4 also<br />
shows 50 per cent of ambulance<br />
workers have spent their entire<br />
shift waiting outside A&E.<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> workers have<br />
witnessed a death to delays, an<br />
exclusive GMB survey for Channel<br />
4 shows.<br />
The findings of the poll [1],<br />
shown in Channel 4’s Dispatches<br />
programme on 9 March <strong>2023</strong><br />
reveal<br />
• More than 3 in 4 [76%] say<br />
that delays have an impact on<br />
patient care on a daily basis.<br />
• More than half of ambulance<br />
crew workers (52 per cent)<br />
have spent a whole shift waiting<br />
outside A&E with a patient.<br />
• 8 in 10 [78%] say they have<br />
considered leaving the service<br />
for a less stressful role.<br />
• 87% believe the hospitals they<br />
work with are inadequately<br />
staffed.<br />
• 65 per cent say that every day<br />
they deal with cases that would<br />
be better dealt with by care and<br />
mental health services.<br />
The programme follows<br />
ambulance a crew member,<br />
who spent three months secretly<br />
filming his work against the<br />
backdrop of the NHS’s worst ever<br />
winter crisis.<br />
The resulting documentary,<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Undercover: NHS<br />
in Chaos- Dispatches vividly<br />
captures the disturbing reality of<br />
long ambulance delays, record<br />
A&E waiting times, and the<br />
consequences for patients.<br />
Laurence Turner, GMB Head of<br />
Research and Policy, said:<br />
“These findings are utterly<br />
terrifying - but chime perfectly<br />
with what GMB members tell us<br />
every day.<br />
“More than ten years of cuts while<br />
demand skyrockets and a flood<br />
of underpaid and demoralised<br />
ambulance workers leave the<br />
service has created a perfect<br />
storm.<br />
“<strong>Ambulance</strong> workers face a<br />
crushing workload, emotional<br />
trauma and even abuse - yet they<br />
had to spend months taking strike<br />
action before the Government<br />
would even talk to them about this<br />
year’s pay.<br />
“If we want horror stories like this<br />
to stop, we need to properly fund<br />
our health service - starting with<br />
the workforce.”<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
For the latest <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service News visit: www.ambulancenewsdesk.com<br />
59
COMPANY NEWS<br />
specialist supplier of PPE<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
A new choice of<br />
helmet for the <strong>UK</strong><br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> sector<br />
Vimpex Ltd. has launched<br />
the all new PAB MP1<br />
Paramedic helmet to the<br />
<strong>UK</strong> <strong>Ambulance</strong> Sector<br />
that’s been specifically<br />
developed to meet the<br />
stringent requirement of<br />
NHS <strong>Ambulance</strong> trusts in<br />
terms of full and complete<br />
certification to EN 16473<br />
Safety Standard for Technical<br />
Rescue Helmets - the highest<br />
levels of eye protection - and<br />
wearer comfort and safety.<br />
This competitively priced and<br />
excellently designed product that<br />
features a high quality dipped antifog<br />
eye guard and a 100% UV<br />
Stable Thermoplastic Shell, and<br />
is supplied with a free <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
helmet bag. With high quality pad<br />
printed trust decal on the front,<br />
very clear ‘AMBULANCE’ decal<br />
and NHS Logo to the rear, the<br />
product is available from our <strong>UK</strong><br />
stock and ready for immediate<br />
supply. The MP1 scores on all<br />
measures of safety, independent<br />
and verified safety certification,<br />
product availability and speed of<br />
supply.<br />
Vimpex is the established<br />
accessories to the NHS,<br />
Non-governmental and Private<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Sector. After many<br />
years of reliable and consistent<br />
supply to the <strong>UK</strong>’s <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
sector, Vimpex’s move to a<br />
partnership with manufacturer<br />
PAB comes after an extensive<br />
and detailed global study of all<br />
suitable professional helmet<br />
manufacturers. The MP1 scores<br />
on all measures of safety,<br />
independent and verified safety<br />
certification, product availability<br />
and speed of supply.<br />
Revolutionary<br />
Smart Defibrillator<br />
Monitoring System<br />
to Ensure Your<br />
Defibrillators are<br />
Always Ready to Use<br />
Research has shown that the<br />
use of a defibrillator three to<br />
five minutes from the time of<br />
a cardiac arrest increases the<br />
chance of survival by 40%.<br />
Defibrillators save lives – and<br />
smart defibrillator monitoring<br />
ensures this critical<br />
equipment is locatable and<br />
in good working order in an<br />
emergency.<br />
Smart defibrillator monitoring,<br />
powered by Internet of Things<br />
(IoT) technology and Orion, The<br />
Real-Time Data Network TM , offers<br />
a solution to the challenges<br />
of monitoring, locating and<br />
maintaining defibrillators.<br />
Here are some of the benefits of<br />
smart defibrillator monitoring to<br />
maximise the effectiveness of<br />
these important devices:<br />
• Real-time monitoring of the<br />
location, status and condition<br />
of defibrillators and cabinets,<br />
including temperature, battery<br />
levels, location, and faults, with<br />
an optional internal camera for<br />
verification of maintenance and<br />
usage. The data is accessible<br />
remotely, providing instant alerts<br />
and enabling immediate action.<br />
• Digitally transform the<br />
management of your<br />
defibrillators. Simplify the<br />
maintenance, reduce the need<br />
for manual inspections, and<br />
mitigate the risk of oversight<br />
and human error. Continual<br />
condition monitoring will alert<br />
you when the unit needs<br />
maintenance. The tracking<br />
platform allows for constant<br />
location visibility and can record<br />
and evidence maintenance<br />
events and real-time status.<br />
• Smart defibrillator monitoring<br />
can be retrofitted to different<br />
models, making it a versatile<br />
and accessible technology.<br />
Defibrillator monitoring is a<br />
powerful, inexpensive solution that<br />
saves lives, reduces the risk of<br />
equipment failure, and minimises<br />
the need for manual inspections.<br />
In a cardiac emergency,<br />
every minute counts. Smart<br />
defibrillator monitoring ensures<br />
that defibrillators are always<br />
operational, allowing them to<br />
perform their life-saving function<br />
when they are needed most.<br />
Learn more at https://<br />
smarterdefibrillator.com/.<br />
Celebrating 20 years<br />
of growth<br />
Bluelight <strong>UK</strong> has long-time<br />
been the go-to place for<br />
pre-owned ambulances.<br />
Their stock today consists<br />
of a multitude of front line<br />
emergency ambulances,<br />
high dependency units,<br />
patient transport service<br />
vehicles, rapid response<br />
vehicles, driver training<br />
units, wheelchair accessible<br />
vehicles and even paramedic<br />
motorcycles.<br />
With a brilliant reputation as a<br />
family owned business and a<br />
forward thinking, can-do attitude;<br />
the company has a breadth<br />
of knowledge in its markets.<br />
Customers include FTSE100<br />
companies, NHS Trusts, charities,<br />
universities, private ambulance<br />
60<br />
For more news visit: www.ambulanceukonline.com
COMPANY NEWS<br />
services, surgeries, export and<br />
relief aid to name but a few.<br />
“It’s not what you know, it’s<br />
who you know in this industry,”<br />
comments Bluelight <strong>UK</strong>’s<br />
Managing Director, Simon Forster.<br />
“In my 36 years in the motor trade<br />
and over 25 years of specialist<br />
work with ambulances, I have<br />
met a lot of very experienced<br />
professionals in this industry.<br />
They each have immense levels<br />
of expertise and we’re committed<br />
to fostering and building upon<br />
these relationships. Our shared<br />
values and extensive knowledge<br />
base enables us to react and<br />
service issues quickly to keep<br />
the wheels turning with minimal<br />
downtime. In this industry, there<br />
has and will always be a need<br />
to service specialist vehicle<br />
customers with rapid turnaround.<br />
We pride ourselves on our ability<br />
to advise on project set-ups and<br />
will always go above and beyond<br />
to accommodate. Working<br />
closely with our partners, we<br />
have also developed products<br />
and processes which save our<br />
customers both time and money.<br />
None of this would have been<br />
possible without the people we<br />
know and work with, so thank<br />
you. You know who you are,” he<br />
feel free to get in touch.”<br />
If you have a vehicle which needs<br />
remarketing or you are looking at<br />
new vehicles, give the team a call<br />
on 01942 888800 or visit www.<br />
bluelightuk.co.uk to view their<br />
current stock.<br />
World-first personal<br />
defibrillator,<br />
CellAED ® available in<br />
the <strong>UK</strong> with CorMed-<br />
DX Ltd.<br />
Unique, innovative technology<br />
to save lives from sudden<br />
cardiac arrest.<br />
CorMed-DX Ltd have partnered<br />
with Rapid Response Revival ®<br />
as an authorised re-seller of<br />
CellAED ® , the world-first personal<br />
defibrillator, created to make AEDs<br />
(automated external defibrillators)<br />
affordable and easy to use for<br />
people with no medical training.<br />
Weighing just 300grams and<br />
the size of a bar of chocolate,<br />
CellAED ® can be carried with you<br />
or stored very easily.<br />
Sudden cardiac arrest is<br />
the world’s biggest cause of<br />
premature death, killing between<br />
seven and nine million people<br />
every year i . This is similar to<br />
the lives lost from all cancers<br />
combined. ii<br />
More than 80 per cent of sudden<br />
cardiac arrests occur in the home.<br />
iii<br />
Before now, AEDs have been<br />
too expensive to be a realistic<br />
option for the households of<br />
people at risk of sudden cardiac<br />
arrest, and too complicated to<br />
use.<br />
Rapid Response Revival ® has<br />
solved these problems. By<br />
designing a miniaturised AED that<br />
is easy to use, the Sydney-based<br />
start-up was also able to reduce<br />
the cost to consumers of owning<br />
this life-saving technology.<br />
“CorMed-DX are delighted to be<br />
working with Rapid Response<br />
Revival ® , out of hospital sudden<br />
cardiac arrests (OHSCA) are a<br />
time-sensitive, life threatening<br />
emergency that occur too often in<br />
the <strong>UK</strong>. Until now, public access<br />
AEDs have been too complicated<br />
for a bystander to use confidently,<br />
and haven’t been accessible<br />
enough. CellAED ® is a game<br />
changer and resets the clock<br />
when “time is everything”; we are<br />
100% certain that this product will<br />
save lives, the device is so simple<br />
to use, anyone can do it, even a<br />
child. We can’t wait to show off<br />
this life saving device in the <strong>UK</strong>.”<br />
– Craig Hall, MD and Founder of<br />
CorMed-DX.<br />
The unique CellAED ® Snap Peel<br />
Stick design allows the AED<br />
to be applied in seconds, buying<br />
time to save lives from sudden<br />
cardiac arrest.<br />
These achievements will improve<br />
availability of defibrillators where<br />
it’s needed most – in our homes,<br />
businesses and communities.<br />
Rapid defibrillation is the only<br />
effective treatment for sudden<br />
cardiac arrest. iv An AED applied<br />
within minutes of a sudden<br />
cardiac arrest buys the patient<br />
time until emergency services<br />
arrive. v<br />
Someone experiencing a sudden<br />
cardiac arrest requires rapid<br />
defibrillation. For every minute<br />
without defibrillation and CPR, the<br />
chances of being revived following<br />
a cardiac arrest drops 10 per<br />
cent. vi >>><br />
adds.<br />
Despite the pandemic, Brexit, a<br />
recession and many other factors,<br />
the business continues to grow<br />
with more financial institutions,<br />
NHS Trusts, private ambulance<br />
services and blue chip companies<br />
choosing Bluelight <strong>UK</strong> for both<br />
remarketing and purchasing<br />
both new and pre-owned<br />
ambulances. Current projects<br />
include repurposing vehicles for<br />
mobile community surgeries,<br />
multi-purpose HDU vehicles and<br />
a massive project in Ukraine to<br />
supply over 290 medical units.<br />
Simon is immensely passionate<br />
about Bluelight <strong>UK</strong>. He adds: “Our<br />
door is always open. If you feel<br />
you can add value to our service,<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
For the latest <strong>Ambulance</strong> Service News visit: www.ambulancenewsdesk.com<br />
61
COMPANY NEWS<br />
AMBULANCE <strong>UK</strong> - APRIL<br />
“Sudden cardiac arrest has a<br />
survival rate of less than one<br />
percent. vii This is because it kills<br />
so quickly, and because most<br />
witnesses to a sudden cardiac<br />
arrest don’t have the skills or<br />
access to an AED to help save<br />
a life,” said Rapid Response<br />
Revival ® Founder and CEO,<br />
Donovan Casey.<br />
“We created our easy-to-use<br />
CellAED ® to make our AEDs more<br />
affordable, smaller, portable and<br />
more accessible so more people<br />
have access to this life-saving<br />
technology in those critical fi rst<br />
few minutes following an out-ofhospital<br />
cardiac arrest.<br />
“It is gratifying to know that smart,<br />
innovative Australian technology<br />
will soon be saving lives around<br />
the world.”<br />
In addition to being easy to apply,<br />
CellAED ® is also fully automated<br />
and designed to detect a<br />
shockable heart rhythm and<br />
delivers shocks when needed to<br />
keep a patient’s heart beating in<br />
the time it takes for emergency<br />
fi rst responders to arrive.<br />
CellAED ® is ground-breaking<br />
medical technology that<br />
emergency fi rst responders,<br />
electro-cardiologists, fi rst aid<br />
trainers and others dedicated to<br />
saving lives from sudden cardiac<br />
arrest have been waiting for.<br />
Visit the CorMed-DX website<br />
and social media pages for more<br />
information:<br />
Website:<br />
https://cormed-dx.com<br />
LinkedIn:<br />
https://www.linkedin.com/<br />
company/cormed-dx/<br />
Facebook:<br />
https://www.<br />
facebook.com/profile.<br />
php?id=100090261890853<br />
Twitter:<br />
Get in touch with the CorMed-<br />
DX team to discuss your<br />
requirements:<br />
General Enquiries:<br />
hello@cormed-dx.com<br />
Product Information:<br />
info@cormed-dx.com<br />
Marketing:<br />
a.bowe@cormed-dx.com<br />
MD / Founder; Craig Hall is<br />
available for interviews.<br />
Please contact<br />
a.bowe@cormed-dx.com for<br />
further details.<br />
About CorMed-DX<br />
CorMed-DX Ltd is a privately<br />
owned business established<br />
by Craig Hall in 2022 after 25<br />
years of experience in providing<br />
NHS, Emergency Services,<br />
and Specialist Sectors with<br />
Technology and Services. With<br />
a Global network and a proven<br />
track record, we have the<br />
knowledge and connections<br />
to offer leading edge solutions<br />
and products to meet our<br />
customer’s needs. Based in<br />
Sheffi eld, South Yorkshire,<br />
we are specialists in medical<br />
technology, sales and marketing,<br />
product development, tender/<br />
bid management, and the large<br />
roll out of major equipment,<br />
software and training projects.<br />
About CellAED ®<br />
CellAED ® is a world-fi rst personal<br />
defi brillator using gamechanging<br />
technology developed<br />
by pioneering Australian medtech<br />
start-up, Rapid Response<br />
Revival ® .<br />
CellAED ® was created to make<br />
AEDs (automated external<br />
defi brillators) more affordable for<br />
households, and easy to use for<br />
people with no medical training.<br />
It addresses the problem that<br />
most deaths from sudden<br />
cardiac arrest occur in homes,<br />
where AEDs are currently<br />
unlikely to be available.<br />
CellAED ® ’s unique Snap Peel<br />
Stick design allows the<br />
personal defi brillator to be<br />
applied in seconds, buying<br />
time to save lives from sudden<br />
cardiac arrest.<br />
CellAED ® has medical device<br />
regulatory clearance for use<br />
in more than 70 countries<br />
worldwide, including the<br />
member states of the European<br />
Economic Union, the <strong>UK</strong>,<br />
Australia and New Zealand. It<br />
is the proprietary technology of<br />
Rapid Response Revival ® .<br />
CorMed-DX Ltd is a licensed<br />
CellAED ® distributor in the <strong>UK</strong>.<br />
About Rapid Response<br />
Revival ®<br />
Rapid Response Revival ® is<br />
a privately-owned Sydney,<br />
Australia-based start-up<br />
Company, established in 2017.<br />
Its mission is tackling the<br />
unacceptably low survival rate of<br />
out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.<br />
Rapid Response Revival ®<br />
was established by Donovan<br />
Casey, after his partner Sarah<br />
experienced a sudden cardiac<br />
arrest in their home. Sarah<br />
survived, unlike most people<br />
who experience out-of-hospital<br />
cardiac arrest.<br />
The Rapid Response Revival ®<br />
marquee product is CellAED ® ,<br />
designed to make AEDs easier<br />
to use, easier to carry, and more<br />
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References<br />
i World Health Organisation<br />
(WHO) – 2019 fi gures<br />
on deaths attributed to<br />
cardiovascular diseases<br />
(CVD) culminating in sudden<br />
cardiac arrest. https://www.<br />
who.int/en/news-room/factsheets/detail/cardiovasculardiseases-(cvds)<br />
ii World Health Organisation<br />
(WHO) – 2020 international<br />
fi gures on deaths attributed to<br />
cancer. https://www.who.int/<br />
news-room/fact-sheets/detail/<br />
cancer<br />
iii R M Norris, on behalf of<br />
the <strong>UK</strong> Heart Attack Study<br />
(<strong>UK</strong>HAS) Collaborative<br />
Group. Circumstances of<br />
out of hospital cardiac arrest<br />
in patients with ischaemic<br />
heart disease. Heart. 2005<br />
December, 91(12): 1537-<br />
1540.<br />
iv Kenneth G Spearpoint,<br />
C.Paula McLean, David A.<br />
Zideman. Early defi brillation<br />
and the chain of survival in ‘inhospital’<br />
adult cardiac arrest;<br />
minutes count. Resuscitation.<br />
2000, Volume 44, Issue 3: pp<br />
165-169.<br />
v Roger A. Winkle. The<br />
effectiveness and cost<br />
effectiveness of publicaccess<br />
defi brillation. Clinical<br />
Cardiology. 2010 July, Volume<br />
33, Issue 7: pp 396-399.<br />
vi Pier D. Lambaise.<br />
Reinforcing the links in the<br />
chain of survival. Journal<br />
of the American College of<br />
Cardiology. 2017, Volume 70,<br />
No. 9.<br />
vii Mehra R. Global public<br />
health problem of sudden<br />
cardiac death. Journal of<br />
Electrocardiology. 2007 Nov-<br />
https://twitter.com/cormeddx/<br />
Dec, Volume 40: pp 118-122.<br />
62<br />
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63
Seamless Synchronisation<br />
Hands Free Resuscitation with the<br />
corpuls3 and corpulscpr.<br />
In the <strong>Ambulance</strong><br />
Emergency transport carries risk<br />
for the patient and the responding<br />
team. With synchronised therapy,<br />
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In tight spaces<br />
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corpuls 3 monitor, defibrillator and<br />
CPR parameters of the corpuls cpr.<br />
In the air<br />
Patient access is extremely limited<br />
in air rescue. Thanks to the perfect<br />
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accept long hands-off times.<br />
• Shorter hands-off time.<br />
• Automated pre-shock compressions.<br />
• Can be used in manual and AED mode.<br />
• Increased safety & minimised interruptions.<br />
• Less resources required.<br />
• Easier operation.<br />
• Data transmission.<br />
• Post mission analysis.<br />
Learn more:<br />
Scan the QR code<br />
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