In this issue

Volume 28 No. 6

December 2013

DEDICATED TO THE AMBULANCE SERVICE AND ITS SUPPLIERS

In this issue The Safe Approach to Consulting App Will Save Lives of Heart Attack Sufferers Paramedic Practice Conference update Newsline & In Person

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CONTENTS

CONTENTS 321

EDITORS COMMENT

322

FEATURES

322

The Safe Approach to Consulting

325

When the lights go out

Ambulance UK This issue edited by: Barry Johns c/o Media Publishing Company 48 High Street SWANLEY BR8 8BQ ADVERTISING & CIRCULATION: Media Publishing Company Media House, 48 High Street

328

NEWSLINE

= lives. use minutes 349 IN PERSON

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353

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

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SWANLEY, Kent, BR8 8BQ Tel: 01322 660434 Fax: 01322 666539 E: [email protected] www.ambulanceukonline.com PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY: February, April, June, August, October, December COPYRIGHT:

nt outcomes. The LIFENET® System and the LIFEPAK® 15 e more effective monitoring and care for STEMI and cardiac d dependably share 12-lead ECG reports, cardiac arrest data, tor/defibrillator. This information can speed up the care cycle, our equipment. The 15 combines clinical and operational noninvasive integrated monitoring of CO andyou 360-joule When you respond to emergencies, need the energy. most advanced monitor/

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Media Publishing Company Media House 48 High Street SWANLEY, Kent, BR8 8BQ PUBLISHERS STATEMENT: The views and opinions expressed in this issue are not necessarily those of the Publisher, the Editors or Media Publishing Company. Next Issue February 2014 Subscription Information – December 2013

The LIFEPAK 15 device balances sophisticated clinical technologies and supreme ease of use in a device that’s tough enough to stand up to your most challenging environments. The LIFENET System and the LIFEPAK 15 monitor/ defibrillator work together to help your system provide more effective monitoring and care for STEMI and cardiac arrest patients. The 15 continuously monitors all 12 leads in the background and alerts you to changes using the ST-Segment trend monitoring feature, after acquiring the initial 12-lead. Additionally, STJ values are now included on the 12-lead printout to help you identify changes.

Ambulance UK is available through a personal, company or institutional subscription in both the UK and overseas. UK: Individuals - £24.00 (inc postage) Companies - £60.00 (inc postage) Rest of the World: £50.00 (inc. surface postage) £75.00 (airmail) We are also able to process your subscriptions via most major credit cards. Please ask for details. Cheques should be made payable to MEDIA PUBLISHING. Designed in the UK by Hansell Design

AMBULANCE UK - DECEMBER

The 15 also works seamlessly with the web-based LIFENET System 5.0, so you can automatically share critical patient data with multiple patient care teams. The LIFENET® System is a comprehensive cloud-based platform that helps teams work more efficiently. Share critical patient data to help care teams reduce time-to-treatment for STEMI patients. Request a remote cardiology consult through the dedicated LIFENET Consult app. Rapidly distribute post-event review data to crews immediately after a code. Manage LIFEPAK device software and configuration fleet wide from a single website. The LIFENET System provides innovative tools to help teams work as efficiently as possible.

319 Do you have anything you would like to add or include in Features? Please contact us a let us know.

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It must be Christmas!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all

EDITORS COMMENT

EDITORS COMMENT Welcome to the December edition of Ambulance UK and it hardly seems possible that another 12 months have passed by – it somehow has a deja vous appeal, as the issues of operational winter pressures, excessive emergency demands, financial constraints, provider changes in the non-emergency patient transfer sector, health policy changes, austerity environment and public sector pay restraint, all continue to drive the day-to-day agenda. It is very difficult at times to think of something different to write, as the issues appear perpetual with no apparent end to the repetitive cycle. However, as always, we move forward into 2014 with optimism and an expectation that innovation, partnerships, technology and a continuation in the paradigm shift of delivering improved home care services for those patients with long term conditions and less serious illness/injury will eventually ease the existing pressures on the acute sector. The announcement by the Government that it will require weekly reporting/monitoring of Hospital A& E Departments, the Chief Medical Officer’s Report that ambulances should take patients to GP practices and Pharmacists, plus the BMA’s statement that about a third of A& E Registrar posts remain unfilled, all points to a potentially exceptional demanding winter period. Having spent some time working in Belize in Central America over the past month, then we can still celebrate, despite these pressures, the timeliness of our emergency response together with the excellence of our clinical interventions to the needs of our critically injured and seriously ill patients. Sadly, a very close friend and life-long ambulance professional, Patrick Durston, recently passed away whilst on holiday in China with his wife Barbara – Patrick is perhaps best remembered for his role as the Director of one of the Country’s former and highly regarded Regional Ambulance Training Centre at Markfield in the East Midlands. Throughout his career, Patrick did much to enhance the reputation of the role of the ambulance service in the pre-hospital setting, and together with others pioneered the development of today’s ambulance paramedic. It is sometimes easy to forget our history, and how in the UK, we have developed an ambulance service that continues to lead the way internationally, and to whom many developing Countries look upon to model their own EMS system. So as we prepare, for what is traditionally one of the busiest periods of the year for ambulance services, let us remember people like Patrick, and those other members, both serving and retired, who have passed away during the course of this year, and thank them for their unselfish contribution that had left a legacy that today’s members of staff can develop, in the continuing best interests of patients, a high quality and a cost effective emergency medical service. On behalf of everyone at Ambulance UK, may I wish you, your family, colleagues and friends a very enjoyable and peaceful Christmas as well as a prosperous and healthy New Year. Barry Johns, Co-Editor Ambulance UK

PUBLISHERS COMMENT Welcome to the latest edition of Ambulance UK, we hope you are enjoying our new style and format. The Ambulance UK website, which includes a “HAVE YOUR SAY” section, is being re-launched with this issue so please take a look at www.ambulanceukonline.com which is not a duplication of the magazine but has been designed to compliment the publication. Our plans for Life Connections 2014 are going well, over 50 paramedics have already taken advantage of our early bird registration offer by securing their places for our Paramedic Practice Conference which is taking place at the Kettering Conference Centre, Kettering, Northants on Wednesday 14th May - the final programme can be found on www.lifeconnections.uk.com. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our contributors, our editors for their continued assistance, everyone who has supported Ambulance UK as well as those who have attended our Life Connections event. On behalf of everyone involved with Ambulance UK, may we take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.


“We have developed an ambulance service that continues to lead the way internationally, and to whom many developing Countries look upon to model their own EMS system.”

Terry Gardner, Publisher

321 Do you have anything you would like to add or include in Features? Please contact us and let us know.

FEATURE

THE SAFE APPROACH TO CONSULTING Paul Silverston

Paul trained as a Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic in San Francisco, USA, in 1978, before attending medical school in Bristol. He was involved in teaching a number of different paramedic training programmes, along with ECP and nurse education programmes. He worked as a GP in Newmarket, Suffolk and is currently Visiting Senior Fellow in Medical Education in Primary Care at University Campus Suffolk and Hon. Visiting Senior Lecturer at The Postgraduate Medical Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, where he is involved in teaching Clinical Assessment.


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In this article, following that published in the February issue of Ambulance UK, the principles and practices involved in performing a symptom-based, patient safety-focused clinical assessment are discussed.

Introduction In the first article in this 3-part series, the author emphasised the importance of placing the consultation within the context of the illness, demonstrating this through the use of a simple visual Model of Illness. [1,2] There are 4 components to the consultation process, as follows: Informationgathering and information-processing, which together form the clinical assessment phase and decision-making and decision-implementation, which form the management phase. In this article, the principles and practices involved in performing a sympton-based, patient safety-focused clinical

What is the purpose of a clinical assessment? The most fundamental purpose of a clinical assessment is to identify the “Big Sick” patient as rapidly as possible, so that the appropriate treatment can be initiated, along with determining which patients need referral for either further inves tigations, or treatment, rather than those who can be safely managed by the person performing the clinical assessment. The same principle applies whether one is a doctor, paramedic, or nurse. This forms the basis of a patient safety focused approach to clinical assessment.

assessment are discussed. [3,4]

What is a Clinical Assessment? Although Clinical Assessment Skills are often taught as a stand-alone module, it is essential that they are viewed within the context of the consultation process as a whole. Clinical assessment should be regarded as the diagnostic tool that is used during the consultation process which connects the symptom that the patient presents with to the diagnosis and management plan that they leave with. The link between symptoms and clinical assessment is an important one, as it demonstrates the need to incorporate symptom-based learning into clinical assessment teaching. Students need to understand not only which parts of the clinical assessment to perform for which symptoms that they are being presented with by the patient but also how the clinical assessment is going to help them in making a diagnosis and formulating a management plan. An example of this would be the patient presenting with the symptom of breathlessness. Whilst this might be due to a problem that could be elicited by a respiratory assessment, it might also require a cardiovascular assessment, including an assessment for the presence of anaemia. This is why symptom-based learning in clinical assessment teaching is important.

However, clinical assessment teaching does not always reflect this, particularly when the emphasis is placed on acquiring clinical examination skills over clinical assessment skills. In clinical practice, there is a recognition that one can identify a “Big Sick” patient either from the symptom history, or from the observations performed, without necessarily either performing a clinical examination, or making a firm diagnosis. For example, a thorough examination of the chest in someone who is breathless may fail to elicit many of the serious causes of this symptom, which is why an assessment, rather than simply an examination, is required.

How is a clinical assessment performed? Clinical assessment is a complex process, requiring a combination of information-gathering informationprocessing skills. Information-gathering skills include communication skills, psychomotor skills and the ability to perform diagnostic tests and investigations. Information-processing skills involve acquiring complex, problem-solving skills, such as clinical reasoning, symptom-sorting and symptom-matching skills. [5] Information-gathering skills are relatively straightforward to teach, in terms of demonstrating how a patient history is taken, along with the psychomotor skills required to perform a clinical examination. Information-processing skills are

FEATURE more complex and develop over the duration of a career, with clinical experience in the field, or in the consulting room. It should be recognised, however, that a clinical assessment differs from a clinical examination in terms of those complex, information-processing skills. Information-processing requires more in-depth background knowledge of the medical sciences, especially pathophysiology but also a greater knowledge of the patterns and presentations of illness. It should be recognised that in medicine, there is a role for both informationgatherers and information-processors in the care of the patient. In practice, the roles of information-gatherer and information-processor can be separated such that one person is trained to become an expert information-gatherer and supplies the information to someone with additional information-processing skills. This can be seen in the team approach taken during the assessment and management of an acutely ill or injured patient. Here, members of the team are allocated information-gathering and medical intervention tasks by the team leader, whose role it is to information-process and decision-make. It also forms part of the basis for the saying that the pre-hospital care team is the “eyes and ears” of the emergency department. We are the informationgatherers when it comes to conveying information about the scene, from the scene.

The symptom-based clinical assessment In symptom-based clinical assessment, information-gathering relates specifically to the symptom that the patient is presenting with, rather than applying a generic information gathering approach. This requires the information-gatherer to learn the appropriate question cascades, clinical examination and investigations required to match the symptom with a recognised disease process. [5] Information is gathered from multiple sources during the information-gathering process, as is shown in figure 1. The information can either be processed once all the information has been gathered, or, preferably, as the information is being gathered. This forms the basis for the symptom-sorting approach to clinical assessment, during which clinical reasoning is applied to the information-gathering process. In practice, this process would work as follows:

It is important to recognise the relationship between the symptom and the patient that the symptom is arising in when considering these questions. The causes of abdominal pain are different between the sexes and in different age groups, which will have an effect on each of stops on the wagon wheel. For example, in a 19-year-old female, the potential for pregnancy and its complications will need to be considered and a gynaecological examination and pregnancy test may be required. In a middle-aged male, it may be necessary to exclude an acute myocardial infarction and in an older patient an abdominal aortic dissection.

The Patient Safety-Focused Clinical Assessment The patient safety focused clinical assessment involves always looking to exclude the worst, first when assessing a patient, the aim being to rapidly identify the “Big Sick” patient. When this is applied to the wagon wheel approach, it involves taking the symptom that the patient is presenting with and performing a risk assessment at each stop along the way. This approach requires a good knowledge of both the typical and atypical presentations and patterns of serious illness, along with the “red flag” findings that indicate that a serious condition needs to be considered. This database of knowledge is what we rely upon to feed our “medical antennae”. We are able to detect patterns of serious illness from the information that we gather and this is what makes our antennae “twitch” in response to something that we recognise as being an indicator of the potential for a serious illness being present: For example, a patient presents as follows: “I have this pain in my chest (antennae twitch)... ...that gets worse if I lift my arm (antennae droop) ...that gets worse if I have a spicy meal (antennae droop) ...that goes up into my neck and left shoulder (antennae twitch) ...that is worse if I breathe in and my leg is swollen (antennae twitch)


Case: You are called to a 19yo girl who is complaining of abdominal pain. Using the “wagon wheel” approach to this symptom: The patient: What are the causes of this symptom in a 19-year-old female patient? The history: Which question cascades are applicable for this symptom in this patient? Observations: Which observations are important to perform for this symptom? Clinical examination: Which clinical examinations are relevant for this symptom in this patient? Tests: Which tests can yield useful information for this symptom in this patient? Investigations: Which investigations are required for this symptom in this patient? Clinical input: What additional clinical input is required to ascertain the cause of this sympton in this patient?

Figure 1


FEATURE There are a number of resources available that can aid in the development of these symptom-sorting (antennae-honing) skills, such as the adult and paediatric versions of the excellent series of books, “Symptom Sorter”. [6,7] Atypical presentations of serious illnesses also need to be learned, such as the so-called “silent” presentations of serious illnesses. These include “silent” pulmonary embolus and “silent” acute myocardial infarction, so that these can be considered as conditions to exclude during a clinical assessment.

The Limitations of Clinical Assessment Clinical assessment is a diagnostic tool and as with all tools it is not without its limitations, particularly in the pre-hospital setting. The first limitation that needs to be considered is when patients are seen during the early stages of illness or injury, as is often the case in pre-hospital care. The criteria that we use for identifying the “Big Sick” patient often rely upon the disease process to have evolved to the point where there are positive findings in the symptom history, observations, clinical examination, and the like. However, for many serious conditions, these take time to evolve and may not be present when the patient is first seen and assessed. It may not be possible to identify the patient who is at the beginning of a “Red Line” illness and the management of these patients will be discussed in the next article.


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The pre-hospital environment can be a difficult place in which to perform a clinical assessment, due to the lack of ambient light and heat, or hostile environments (in every sense of the term), or the lack of access to the patient. Even simple clinical examinations can be difficult to perform and diagnostic equipment can be adversely affected by movement artefact, or cold peripheries. The time taken to prepare the patient and perform a clinical assessment has to be weighed against the need to transport the patient. Clinical assessment in the field is fraught with difficulties and dangers, as compared with clinical assessment in the hospital setting.

In summary: Reducing risk / improving safety in clinical assessment It is important to conduct a risk assessment when both assessing and managing a patient. In terms of the clinical assessment, the risk assessment should take the form of an assessment for the presence of, or the potential for, serious illness or injury. Whilst it is often possible to determine the presence of serious illness in the patient who is already “Big Sick”, it can require the presence of good medical antennae to identify those who are in the compensatory phase of illness or injury. Risk assessment also applies to those patients who are in the early stages of illness, when the limitations of a clinical assessment in identifying serious illness need to be considered. Equally, the risks of relying upon a clinical assessment that is being performed in circumstances which may be less than ideal for this need to be considered. The first step in improving safety during clinical assessment involves learning to identify the patterns of serious illness, so that a symptom-based, patient safety focused clinical assessment can be performed and so that medical antennae can be honed and ready to help us detect the patterns of serious illness are they are presented to us by our patients.

The pre-hospital environment can be a difficult place in which to perform a clinical assessment, due to the lack of ambient light and heat, or hostile environments (in every sense of the term), or the lack of access to the patient.

References 1. Silverston P. Reducing risk, improving safety: The safe consultation. Ambulance UK. 2013 Feb; 28(1): 7-9. 2. Silverston P. Using a model of illness to aid symptom-based learning in primary care. Educ Prim Care. 2012 Dec; 23(6): 443-445. 3. Silverston P. Teaching the mechanics of consulting in primary care. Educ Prim Care. 2013 Feb; 24(2): 125-127. 4. Silverston P. The safe clinical assessment: A patient safety-focused approach to clinicalassessment. Nurse Education Today. 2013. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j. nedt.2013.03.001 5. Bowen J. Educational strategies to promote educational diagnostic reasoning. N Engl J Med 2006; 355: 2217-25. 6. Hopcroft K, Forte, V. Symptom Sorter (4th revised edition); Radcliffe Publishing Ltd (2010); ISBN-10: 1846194539 7. Sahib el-Radhi A. Paediatric Symptom Sorter. Radcliffe Publishing Ltd (2011); ISBN-10: 1846194741

FEATURE

WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT The potential damage of the failure of the national grid David S Jones During some of my seventeen years as an Emergency Planner a large mug sat on my desk, regularly filled with tea or coffee. Around its sides it proudly proclaimed the words ‘The National Crisis Procedure.’

power stations. Neither does it own or operate any of the electricity distribution companies. Power stations and distributors are private companies. Currently the National Grid does not buy or sell power. Their role is only to transport that power around the country ensuring that supply and demand are matched 24/7. The grid consists of a high voltage electric power transmission network throughout the UK with additional

Beneath that title was the following advice; 1/ Take a deep breath, 2/ Put the kettle on, 3/ Cross your fingers, 4/ Make a cup of tea, 5/ Wait for it to pass, 6/ Sigh with relief.

undersea connections to Northern Ireland, the Irish Republic, the Isle of Man, France and the Netherlands. In Scotland the Grid is split into two sectors, one for central and southern Scotland and the other covering northern Scotland although they are interconnected.

Whilst I was thankfully never in a position to follow that message I sometimes wondered if others, perhaps much higher up the hierarchy of government planning, were tempted to do just that. I had attended meetings at regional and national level that were termed as ‘horizon scanning.’ The purpose of these meetings was to look at events or possibilities, including ‘out of the box’ thinking that could occur in the future with the potential to cause serious damage to the country’s infrastructure and/or loss of life. Over the years various potential scenarios assumed prime position. The arrival and our increasing dependence on the internet was one such example. However one scenario continually figured in the top ten

The Central and southern network is owned by SP Energy Networks, a subsidiary of Scottish Power and the northern sector is owned by SSE. At present many of the coal and oil generators are closing down either due to age or, in some cases, environmental legislation. Some gas generators are closing too. This decline in output reduces the margins between a supply of power and failure. To combat this very real problem it is possible that National Grid will be allowed to buy additional reserves. Whilst this measure is outside their current remit it is being considered and any decision would be subject to OFGEM approval. The National Grid has suffered two major incidents in the past ten years – August 2003 and May 2004. In

– the failure of the National Grid.

the 2003 incident ten percent of London experienced

Small scale local failures of short duration are not really

a transformer oil leak that had been left untreated

a problem. Hospitals, emergency control rooms etc all have, or should have, generators with the few seconds

a power cut. The cause was eventually attributed to coupled with a significant error in a relay setting. In May 2008 a power cut took place following a

with firms to supply larger generators in the event of a

protective shutdown by two of the UK’s largest power

prolonged disruption.

stations at Longannet if Scotland and Sizewell B in Suffolk due to a sudden loss of generating capacity.

But what if the UK suffered a catastrophic failure of the

The two stations ‘tripped’ within five minutes of each

power network?

other resulting in a sudden 1510 megawatt adverse change in the balance between generation and

The UK National Grid, a Cat 2 responder under the

demand on the grid. Whilst National Grid was not

Civil Contingencies Act 2004, operates all the electricity

responsible for these generation issues supply was

and gas networks that supply us with our power. The

affected although power cuts were limited to around

grid does not generate any power itself or own any

20 minutes.


shortfall covered by batteries. Contracts can be agreed

Over the years various potential scenarios assumed prime position. The arrival and our increasing dependence on the internet was one such example. However one scenario continually figured in the top ten – the failure of the National Grid.


FEATURE But what if the UK suffered an incident similar to the 2003 blackout that hit eight states in the US and part of Canada? Power generation was lost along with supply to the public and commerce. Transportation, communication and even the supply of water were affected. As the blackout continued looting began and general criminal activity increased. Fifty five million people were affected, eleven deaths and by the time power had been restored the cost of the blackout was estimated to be in the region of ten billion dollars. The blackout lasted just two days but caused such disruption that it is even believed to have been a contributory factor in the fall of the Ontario government in the next provincial election.


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supply of power. Whilst researching for this article I was surprised by the advancement and increasing use of solar power. I found that US Marines in Afghanistan have solar panels in their backpacks to charge their radios. Solar blankets are being developed using membrane technology able to capture up to 35% of the suns energy. In the US itself the Pentagon is able to go completely off grid using solar power safeguarding it from deliberate or accidental power cuts whilst the US Naval Weapons station in California receives a third of its power from solar panels.

You will note that I have used the term ‘blackout’ rather than breakdown. This is because of the commonly held belief that the failure was the result of hackers, possibly state sponsored, breaking into the power system that controlled distribution to the north east of the continent and disrupting it.

The production of cheap Chinese panels has produced a 25% fall in prices over the past year making solar competitive in the Far East and Australia with sales increasing in the Mediterranean and other areas of the world. In the UK a team at Oxford University is currently working on a cheap material named Perovskite that may produce a 75% reduction in the costs of solar panels.

So what is the answer? How do we keep the lights on? Obviously these questions form the mainstay of the ongoing debates around the world with many experts and others seeking to resolve the issue of an uninterrupted, reliable

Perhaps the day will arrive when Ambulance Stations, Headquarters and Control Rooms have roofs covered with panels generating all their requirements and protecting them from power cuts? You heard it here first!

The National Grid has suffered two major incidents in the past ten years - August 2003 and May 2004. In 2003 incident 10% of London experienced a power cut.

CPD OPPORTUNITY

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NEWSLINE Internationally Accredited CPD Education Programmes Earlier this year, Medicall Ambulance Service in Ireland collaborated with the US National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) to roll out the Advanced Medical Life Support (AMLS) Course to Pre-Hospital Practitioners, and to the wider healthcare sector in Ireland. This Course has proven to be a spectacular success. So far this year, Medicall’s Education & Practice Development Department, led by Chris O’Connor, has welcomed practitioners from Ireland, the UK and Denmark. Chris and his team have also presented the AMLS Course in the UK and Spain in the past few months. “We knew there was a demand for this type of course but we never expected it to come from so far afield” he says. Accessible Medicall’s Headquarters and Education Centre are within five minutes of Dublin Airport and only ten minutes from Dublin City Centre. Short CPD programmes such as: AMLS, ACLS, ACLS-EP, PALS & PHTLS are easily accessible from the UK and offer excellent value for money. Given the frequency of


328

Of course, in Ireland, the social aspect is never ignored! “We always seem to manage to squeeze in a useful de-brief at the end of the course in a nearby hostelry, debating the finer points of prehospital emergency care from an international perspective!” Chris firmly believes that there is a demand for more of this type of course and is pressing on with plans to introduce further short NAEMT advanced and basic provider courses in 2014. We have recently been approved to roll-out PHTLS (Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support) early in the New Year, and we hope to add GEMS (Geriatrics for the Emergency Services) later on in 2014. Chris says, “as the national age profile increases we see a growing demand for this type of course. It is being upgraded at the moment and we hope to launch the new version here as soon as we possibly can.” What Next? Medicall will begin construction of a new purpose built Education Centre at its headquarters near

over and resuscitation in a typical

provides grants to NHS Hospitals

ED, and we can do this all without

across England to fund the

interruption.”

development of life-saving helipads,

www.medicall.ie

usual lecture rooms and break-out rooms. However, the plans include a ‘state of the art’ Simulation Centre featuring a typical living room, bathroom, kitchen and bedroom as well as a fully equipped

departments and thus significantly reducing patient transfer times.

Dublin Airport before the end of this year. The Centre will have the

providing direct access to A&E

More Major Trauma Centres receive funding for life-saving helipads

In the South, the HELP Appeal’s

HELP Appeal grants support the development of hospital helipads across England

HELP Appeal, has received an

A new helipad at St Mary’s Hospital,

second completed project at Southampton General Hospital, has just celebrated its second anniversary. The helipad, which received a £700k grant from the

cheap flights between UK Airports

Emergency Department with full

and Dublin, and the strength of

resuscitation facilities. These will

Sterling, Chris believes that Medicall

all be connected back to a Control

Training can deliver these courses as

Room where the students can be

economically as anywhere in the UK.

observed without interfering in the

In the midst of the current problems

“With the availability of on-campus

actual scenario. “We can then

with the NHS, there is some good

Isle of Wight, was officially opened

accommodation and proximity to

take the recordings back to the

news as the HELP (Helicopter

by The Duke of Kent in November,

Dublin airport, we can meet our

classroom and facilitate reflective

and Emergency Landing Pads)

with a grant of 250K from the HELP

visitors at Arrivals, transport, feed and

discussion of the sessions in greater

Appeal announces the completion,

Appeal. The new facility also allows

accommodate them, spend two

detail.” Chris says, “we want to offer

development and ongoing success

patients with life-threatening trauma

very rewarding days with them and

as much realism as we possibly

of a number of life-saving hospital

injuries to be flown from the Isle

have them back on the plane home

can, and deliver the most true-to-

helipads across England.

of Wight to Southampton General

complete with their certificates. This

life experiences for our students.

package takes care of all expenses,

The layout will allow us to take our

The charity, which was set up by

so you know in advance how much it

students right from arrival on-scene,

the County Air Ambulance Trust and

Work is well underway on a 25m

will all cost”.

all the way through to the hand-

relies solely on public donations,

x 25m helipad on the roof of the

average landing of one per day since opening in November 2011.

Hospital as quickly as possible.

NEWSLINE Our scheme offers guidance

and Burnley all feature in the top

and support in buying, storing

ten boroughs for heart disease,.

and using a defibrillator and is the first of its kind in the UK. The machines, which are easy and safe to use, are the only effective way to restart a heart if it stops. Ambulance Operations Manager Chris Hartley-Sharpe said: “In

Now the North West Ambulance Service [NWAS] is going into several schools, including Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Blackburn, to teach children some basic life support skills, including

2011 in London, 56 people died

cardio pulmonary resuscitation

from a fire compared to 10,000

and using a defibrillator.

people who suffered an out of hospital cardiac arrest, yet fire

Andy Redgrave, community

extinguishers are statutory in

engagement manager at NWAS,

St James’ Ward at St George’s

which has direct access to the

every building and defibrillators

Hospital in Tooting, South West

hospital’s A&E department, transfer

said: “Clearly every second

are not.

London, following the assembly of

times are significantly reduced

counts when an individual goes

the UK’s biggest crane on site. With

saving lives that could be lost

“Londoners’ chances of survival

the support of a £1million donation

through secondary road transfers. “

from a cardiac arrest could be

from the HELP Appeal, the helipad

doubled if they had a quick

into cardiac arrest and young people have a vital role to play in helping victims when incidents like this happen.

will be the second in London

Plans for 2014, in addition to

access to a defibrillator and

and the first south of the river,

completions in London and Bristol,

people knowing CPR. Our

significantly reducing transfer times

are progressing for new helipads

campaign will encourage more of

to the hospital’s Major Trauma

at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth,

the lifesaving machines and skills

actions could help to save a life,

Centre. The helipad is due to be

Northern General Hospital in

in the capital.”

potentially even within their own

open early next year.

Sheffield, Aintree University

The Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI) celebrated completion of a new helipad, with a £500K Grant from the HELP Appeal. The helipad, which becomes operational in the New Year, will form part of a redevelopment programme at the hospital involving the centralisation of specialist paediatric services at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children (BRCH). Airlifted patients from all over the south west requiring

prevent the need for secondary road transfers, dramatically reducing the time it takes to access the emergency treatments required.

Hospital in Liverpool and Hull Royal Infirmary.

thanks to a defibrillator at London

“The younger an individual learns

Bridge station. He said: “Most

such a skill, the greater the

people don’t survive a cardiac

potential benefit.

Robert Bertram continues: “Out of the 20 Adult Major Trauma Centres in England, almost every single one will have a helipad by the end of next year. “

For further information on the HELP Appeal, visit: www.helpappeal.co.uk

at County Air Ambulance Trust, commented: “Our research has revealed that many Major Trauma Centres and key A & E hospitals

arrest but I was lucky. My heart stopped near a defibrillator and someone who knew how to use it.” Network Rail Station Officer Eddie McDermott, who helped to save

would benefit from a safe on-site

skills and if more defibrillators are placed in public places, up to half of the deaths by cardiac arrest

defibrillators across London to

could potentially be prevented.”

encourage more people to use them and save lives.”

The London Ambulance Service is launching a campaign to have more defibrillators in public places and save more lives.

people were trained in life saving

Steve’s life, said: “We need more

LAS

Call for more defibrillators to save more lives

“We are confident that if more

If you would like to get a defibrillator, please visit www. londonambulance.nhs.uk/defib.

QEGS pupils also created a giant collage of their hand prints on a specially-prepared ‘Your Hands Can Save Lives!’ campaign poster, and watched a video from the British Heart Foundation

NWAS

Ambulance staff launch CPR training in East Lancs schools AMBULANCE staff have launched

helipad facility. When a critical injury

Defibrillators – machines that can

a series of CPR sessions in

or accident takes place, every

restart a heart if it stops – should

Lancashire schools, in a bid to

second is vital in getting the patient

be like fire extinguishers in every

reduce some of the worst heart

to the often life-saving treatment

public building or office and people

disease rates in the country.

they require. With a helipad on-site,

working there trained to use them.

Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn

called ‘Mini Vinnie’, which is linked to the charity’s television campaign of last year fronted by former footballer Vinnie Jones.

To find out how to receive training you can visit the Cardiac Smart website at http://www.cardiacsmart.nwas. nhs.uk or visit www.nwas.nhs. uk for more information


Robert Bertram, chief executive

school. Steve Hodder’s life was saved

the services of either hospital will benefit from the helipad, which will

“By learning basic skills their

329 Do you have anything you would like to add or include in Newsline? newsline? Please contact us and let us know.

NEWSLINE New cars for Community First Responders Investment to help save more lives in the community Five new Community First Response (CFR) cars will be ‘hitting the streets’ across the region as part of an initiative being launched by East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS). On Friday 18 October, CFR Scheme Co-Ordinators from Beeston & District and Mansfield (Nottinghamshire), Matlock (Derbyshire) Castle Donnington (Leicestershire) and South Northamptonshire took delivery of the cars at a handover event. CFR volunteers play a vital role in saving lives. They attend lifethreatening 999 calls in their local area and, by being so close, are able to arrive within minutes of the call for help being made. This means patients can be treated whilst frontline paramedics travel to the scene.

grateful of support from local people and businesses. Members of the community won’t fail to see our responders out and about doing their great work.” The cars are all Skoda Fabia’s and in addition to the medical kit that’s carried, they’ve been fitted with new communications equipment such as a two-way radio, telephone, hands-free kit and satellite navigation system. These will all streamline the response process leading to vital seconds being shaved off the time taken to respond to lifethreatening incidents. Steve Farnsworth, Head of Fleet Services at EMAS, said: “The vehicles we’ve selected are reliable, economical and have low carbon emissions. They’re

and we want to say thanks to everyone for attending. “A special thank you has to go to everyone who has put in a lot of hard work to make this happen. “HART is a vital asset to Essex,

ideally suited to the job and I’m

the whole of the East of England

sure the volunteers who use them

and indeed the whole country.

will appreciate the investment we’ve made.”

“It is reassuring to know that should there be a major incident,

Michael Barnett-Connolly added,

we have highly skilled medics

“We’ll be monitoring the success of

who can reach patients quickly

this new approach over the coming

and safely.”

months with a view to introducing 10 more cars in 2014 / 2015.”

“HART also carries out important work on a daily basis, from

Michael Barnett-Connolly, Head of Community Response at

EEAST

carrying out urban search

EMAS, said: “The investment

Braintree: New ambulance base officially opened

and rescues in collapsed and

will allow volunteers to travel to

The East of England Ambulance

incidents in a marked and fully

Service Trust (EEAST) has built a

EEAST now has two HART

equipped car.

new base for its Hazardous Area

demonstrates a firm commitment to our CFR schemes and shows the hard work of our volunteers

damaged buildings, to providing medical assistance in difficult to access locations.”

is highly valued. The vehicles

Response Team (HART) in Great “Currently, responders use their AMBULANCE UK - DECEMBER

330

Notley.

own vehicles to attend calls and have to transfer the equipment

An opening ceremony was

to a fellow volunteer when their

attended by guests including

time ‘on call’ is at an end. This will

Braintree MP Brooks Newmark

make the transfer process faster

and Essex Fire Chaplain, the Rev

and simpler.”

Rob Binks.

teams - groups of paramedics and emergency medical technicians who have specialist training and equipment that allows them to provide emergency patient care faster at the scene of a major incident. The base in Great Notley will be manned 24 hours a day, 365 days

“The cars have high-viz markings

Rob Flute, Head of Resilience and

of the year and will be staffed

to give our volunteers a much

Special Operations for EEAST,

by a team of six specialist HART

higher profile – as charity

said: “We are delighted to have

medics, with 42 members of

organisations the schemes are

opened this state of the art facility

HART being based there in total.

“HART also carries out important work on a daily basis, from carrying out urban search and rescues in collapsed and damaged buildings, to providing medical assistance in difficult to access locations.”

NEWSLINE EEAT

East Anglian Air Ambulance announces a full night-time service After battling to provide a full night time service for almost a year, the East Anglian Air Ambulance has announced an increase in its night time flying capability. The service will now operate a full night-time service across all six counties covered by the East of England Ambulance Service between the hours of 5pm and 1 am. EAAA says achieving night-flying capacity was a complicated process. It took almost a year to get final approval for night-time missions, and that was followed by pilots, paramedics and doctors receiving extensive training and

• The report calls for 50% of

the East Anglian Air Ambulance,

ambulance patients to be

of compliment we receive is

visit www.eaaa.org.uk or: call

treated at the scene.

testament to the high regard that the public hold our staff in.

08450 669 999 to find out about the wide range of volunteering

As an organisation, the number of

opportunities within the charity or

patients we are taking to A&E has

for help organising an event.

been falling consistently for many

WMAS

Response to Urgent and Emergency Care Report West Midlands Ambulance Service is welcoming the initial findings of Sir Bruce Keogh and his review into Urgent and Emergency Care. The report calls for “a fundamental shift in provision of urgent care, with more extensive services outside hospital and patients with more serious or life threatening conditions receiving treatment in centres with the best clinical teams, expertise and equipment.”

equipment being modified. WMAS Trust Chief Executive, Tim Page, chief executive of the

Anthony Marsh, said: “We very

EAAA said: “We are absolutely

much welcome the report and its

delighted to have trained enough

findings as it supports the views

doctors, paramedics and pilots

that we have been expressing for

to provide a full night-time

some time and in some cases

service across the whole of East

what we are already doing in the

Anglia. There has been so many

West Midlands such as the Major

things to consider and adapt

Trauma Network.”

to make this possible and we are enormously proud to have

“For us as an ambulance service,

achieved this in time for the

there are a number of key areas

clocks going back.”

highlighted:

• Enhance the 111 system

years. Ten years ago over 70%

There is widespread acceptance

went to hospital; now less than

that the NHS has to get better

60% travel and we are confident

at directing people to the right

that we can meet the suggested

service and the 111 system

figure of 50%.

can undoubtedly assist in that process. WMAS now provides the

• Turn ambulance services

NHS 111 service in the majority

into mobile urgent treatment

of the region and we believe that

services.

we can assist in making it an even better service where people can

The skills that our paramedic staff now possess would previously only have been available in a hospital. Those skills are taken to the patient on a daily basis. This includes everything from diagnosing urinary infections to ensuring stroke patients get to a hyper-acute stroke service far more quickly than ever before. • Ambulance staff should play a key role in urgent care services outside hospital. We have seen a number of innovative joint working schemes providing excellent care to patients outside hospital. This ranges from doctors working with paramedics on response vehicles to working with local authorities, the police and GPs. The additional training that we have been giving our staff now means they are better placed than ever to treat patients in the comfort of their own homes.


• Public hold ambulance services in high regard and have become a victim of their own success. Demand for the 999 service has been rising by around 5% each year for the last 15 years. Part of that is down to the public recognising the excellent job that our staff do in caring for their

332

needs. The number of letters

To learn more about the work of

get the assistance, reassurance and treatment options that they need in a timely manner which will reduce the pressure on A&E departments and the number of people calling for an ambulance. Mr Marsh continued: “As someone who has been part of the national group helping write the report, I know how important it is that we make the changes outlined, so that patients get the care they need and support our staff to continue to provide the very best treatment.” “We have been developing many of the key themes over the last few years which have undoubtedly brought tremendous benefits to patients e.g. increasing our paramedic skill mix to ensure that every patient is attended to by a paramedic, be it over the phone, or in person.”

Ambulance staff should play a key role in urgent care services outside hospital.

Change your thinking on communications Technical developments are stepping up a gear as the critical communications landscape readies itself for the next step of its evolution. With major changes looming on the horizon, communications staff are under pressure to prepare for the arrival of a new data-rich future that promises huge benefits – but also greater complexity. Focussing exclusively on technologies and services for the public safety sector, British APCO’s Annual Professional Exhibition and Conference is the only must-attend event of the communications professional’s calendar. Who should attend? • Control room and call centre staff from emergency services; local government; utilities and petro/chem sectors; road/rail/ air and mass transport industries. • Professionals in the emergency services with responsibilities for using and developing social media channels. • Software developers servicing the public safety sector. • Communications equipment suppliers • Service providers to the public safety market. Why attend? • Specifically for end users: British APCO 2014 is Europe’s leading free public safety exhibition aimed specifically at end user staff. • See what’s new: at Manchester Central visitors will discover the latest technologies and see at first hand the systems that could shape the future of front-line operations. • Join in the debate: visitors can discuss their issues with subject matter experts in the FREE Professional Development Workshops. • Network: the Annual Event Dinner is the perfect networking opportunity.

Where & when

BAPCO 2014 1st & 2nd April Manchester Central, Manchester.

www.bapco.co.uk

For more information contact: Jasvinder Sidhu on +44 (0) 207 973 4700 or email [email protected]

Europe’s leading, free-to-attend multi-agency forum in public safety communications.

NEWSLINE ASBF

A Christmas and New Year Message from the Chairman “It is at this time of the year when I can reflect on the support that the charity has received from ambulance services, their staff and many other generous people. In all honesty though, I would dearly wish that all the services would give their support to the ASBF, the only country wide ambulance charity. This would not only ensure that we continue in the provision of care for ambulance staff now but will help the charity move forward and develop care programmes up to the same level as that provided to personnel from the charities of the Fire, Police and the Military.” My New Year message to all the UK Ambulance Services CEO’s is very simple. “I invite all Ambulance Trusts to pledge their

“On behalf of the ASBF Trustees I would like to sincerely thank everyone for their support and wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a Healthy and

her address and phone number while monitoring her mum’s consciousness and breathing, as Helen was now crouched on the stairs, not alert and in terrible pain.

Ali, Richard and Mark surprised

Ali, who was on the phone to Chloe for about 15 minutes, said: “She was incredibly calm and did exactly what I asked her to do.

Helen said: “I’m so proud of

award her with a certificate, and to speak to the children about calling 999 and performing basic first aid.

Prosperous New Year.” ASBF Chairman, Paul Leopold.

For further information please visit our website: www.asbf.co.uk Or email: [email protected] EEAST

Essex: Heroic Chloe reunited with ambulance crew A seven-year-old who made a 999 call which saved her mother’s life has been commended for her courage. When Helen Mansfield, 34, of

“We do get young callers now and again but I’m sure that most parents wouldn’t think of talking to their children about calling 999 at such a young age.” Chloe opened the front door and was trying to keep her mum awake when ambulance crew members Richard Mandy and Mark Wabe arrived to help, before Helen was taken to Broomfield Hospital. She had suffered a serious internal bleed and had lost more than six pints of blood.

Great Waltham, was feeling unwell on September 10, she

support to the ASBF in 2014 and

asked her daughter Chloe if she

encourage staff to raise funds

could walk round the corner to

by the many means available to

school on her own.

them. This will ensure that we can meet our planned future aims

But Chloe, who sensed something

and objectives of providing extra

was wrong, decided to call an

support to those members of

ambulance.

staff to deal with that unforeseen personal crisis or period of

She was able to tell East of

hardship. We would be delighted

England Ambulance Service Trust

to have the opportunity to meet

(EEAST) call handler Ali Latham

Helen now suffers bouts of memory loss and feels lucky to be alive. She said: “Chloe did brilliantly and basically saved my life. I’m diabetic so I’ve always told the children that if they can’t wake me up in the morning they need to call 999 and be able to tell them what’s happened.”

you to explain and discuss the

Chloe and glad that she had the chance to meet Ali and the ambulance crew.”

IOW

HRH The Duke of Kent formally opens Helipad at St. Mary’s Hospital, Isle of Wight The new Helipad at St Mary’s Hospital, Newport, Isle of Wight, was formally opened by HRH The Duke of Kent on Tuesday 12th November. The new Helipad became operational on the afternoon of Friday 17th May 2013 and was used for the first transfer of a patient by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance on 22nd May at 14:45hrs. The Helipad enables patients with life threatening injuries to be flown from the Trauma Unit at St Mary’s to the Trauma Centre at University Hospital Southampton or to other specialist centres. In an urgent situation the turn round time on the Helipad is around four minutes.

development plans we have for the future of the ASBF.”

St. Mary’s Hospital Emergency Department Consultant Robin

“I would also like to take this

Beal commented: “The Helipad


opportunity for thanking all the

means faster and better treatment

ambulance service magazines,

for patients. The Helipad enables

journals and newspapers for

us to fly patients from St. Mary’s

donating space for articles

instead of the old arrangement

promoting the ASBF, to the

of a transfer by ambulance to

ambulance manufacturers and

Seaclose, Newport before the

equipment suppliers for their

patient can be airlifted off the

continuing support and to the

Island which used to take around

event and show organisers for

45 minutes to complete. Patients

their generous donation of stand space. We are so grateful.”

334

Chloe at her school assembly to

Heroic Chloe reunited with ambulance crew

with trauma are now regularly flown to Southampton and cardiac

NEWSLINE after a motorbike accident in 2008

As one who commenced his

when his heart stopped.

career with a combined service, I am intimately familiar with the

Mum Beth Chesney-Evans

pros and cons of such an alliance.

welcomed the app, saying:

The government-directed ‘60s

“I think it’s excellent news as one

separation threw off the shackles

of the things we have been doing since we lost Guy is encouraging local communities to install their own defibrillators.” “They can be put in places like redundant telephone boxes or on village hall walls so they are available to help people in patients to Portsmouth. Some patients, for example those with burns or head, brain or spinal injuries may go further afield. The addition of the Helipad at

SCAS

John Perry, Chief Executive, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air

clinicians, prepared to think and act outside the box.

train selected firefighters as first responders and to use fire

iPhones and know where these

stations as emergency stand-by

things are and be able to use

points. Straightened times and

A MOBILE phone app has been

them, is good.”

the emergence of coterminous national and regional services

launched to show where the nearest life-saving defibrillator can

Didcot GP Dr Katie Barber was

also offers the opportunity

be found.

among East and West Hanney

to commission operational

villagers who raised £2,000 for a

emergency community hubs for all three services. The economic

NHS Foundation Trust is the first

Hanney Village Hall.

saving lives, and it is crucial that

ambulance trust in the country to

the patient is conveyed to the

launch such an app.

make all the difference.’

and trainers and, leading

the younger people who have

the essence when it comes to

save those vital minutes that can

was achieved by career managers

Naturally, it makes sense to

device to be installed outside East

The new Helipad will allow us to

ethos. Such hard won progress

Anything that can help, particularly

South Central Ambulance Service

needs, as quickly as possible.

and led to the ‘80s paramedic

collapses with a heart attack.

Ambulance said ‘Speed is of

most appropriate hospital for their

unionised manual worker status

App will help save lives of heart attack sufferers

St. Mary’s will make the transfer easier for patients and staff.”

the community when someone

of a ‘Cinderella Service’ with

She said: “There’s a fair amount of them around, but people have

Defibrillators are located at public

no idea where they are, and so it’s

points around the county and 999

most important.”

callers are given a code to access them.

Trust spokesman Gill Hodgetts said: “There are so many

benefits with shared support services would also enhance operational efficiency, mutual respect and understanding and, without compromising legitimate organisational and managerial boundaries. The front-line emergency

A defibrillator is used to give the

defibrillators around and now

HRH also opened the hospital’s new

heart a controlled electrical shock

the public can tell us where their

unique Integrated Care Hub call

during cardiac arrest.

nearest one is. It’s about getting

recognised as a world-class

communities involved really, so

benchmark for Emergency

For every minute that passes

we can get a picture of where all

Medical Services. Incidentally,

without defibrillation, a person’s

the defibrillators in Oxfordshire are

as originally envisaged and more

chances of survival decrease by

located.”

recently demonstrated, it is also

centre which will manage and co-ordinate all emergency, urgent and unscheduled care for the Island. St. Mary’s Hospital is now part of

arm of the NHS is now widely

about 10 per cent.

more that capable of handling The app, for Android and Apple,

24 hour NHS communications.

Users of the free app – also

and the Emergency Department

is expected to be available from

available for tablet devices – tap

That it has earned this reputation

at the hospital is one of seven

in where they are to find out the

November 4.

by taking innovative initiatives

designated trauma units which

location of the nearest device. The

will stabilise some patients prior

app also gives advice on what to

to rapid transfer to a major trauma

do when someone suffers cardiac

centre, or treat less serious

should bring considerable LETTER TO EDITOR

comfort to those within, those it

Fire with Fire

serves - and those charged with

arrest and a button to transfer the

determining its best interests.

user to 999.

Dear Editor,

Long Wittenham installed a

The currently revived politically

defibrillator in its former BT phone

inspired debate about combined

John Wilby, OStJ

network is University Hospital

box last year. It was in memory of

Fire & Ambulance Services needs

(Former Chief Executive, Scottish

Southampton Foundation Trust.

villager Guy Evans, 17, who died

to be seen in context.

and London Ambulance Services)

injuries such as fractures and minor head injuries. The major trauma centre in the Wessex

Yours sincerely


the Wessex major trauma network

335 Do you have anything you would like to add or include in Newsline? Please contact us and let us know.

NEWSLINE LAS

Heroic medics commended by the London Ambulance Service Medics were commended for their bravery, skill, dedication and heroic actions at an awards event in central London. Three members of London

Chief Executive, Ann Radmore, said: “I am proud to work alongside and to honour these members of staff for their bravery and dedication. “Our staff and colleagues in our partner organisations work hard to deliver the best care to Londoners and as these cases show, they often go above and beyond the call of duty.”

Ambulance Service staff and a volunteer from St John Ambulance

WAS

were awarded the Chief Executive

Pioneering new vehicles join Welsh Ambulance Service fleet in £450,000 investment

Commendation which recognises highly exceptional actions. Paramedic Paul Kelly, who is based in Kenton, was commended after he put himself in danger to

Patrick Rees, an Emergency

They are strategically based along

Planning Officer for the Trust,

the M4 and A55 corridors so that

and who was operational lead

they can respond to incidents

for the project, said: “These

across Wales, and compliment

state-of-the-art units are equipped

similar vehicles already used by the

with the very best satellite and

Hazardous Area Response Team

communications technology, and

(HART) and the Special Operations

CUTTING edge new vehicles

can function as a standalone

Response Team (SORT).

designed to help manage major

command and control facility.

treat police officers who had been attacked in a shop in Harrow. Paul did not hesitate to go into the

incidents have been introduced

butchers shop to treat the officers

into the Welsh Ambulance

“They will play a crucial role

of these vehicles demonstrates

despite the attacker still being on

Service fleet.

in the support of our incident

the Trust’s commitment to

commanders, who are tasked with

ensuring it is prepared to respond

The Trust has invested more He said: “The man was still inside

making sometimes very difficult

to major incidents.

than £450,000 in two Command

with a knife but I knew that there

decisions in challenging and

Support Units which will be

were people in there who needed

dynamic circumstances.”

dispatched to major incidents,

scene with a knife.

help quickly. “I went into the shop and made my way over to one of the injured officers and started to treat him; he was very calm but it was a chaotic scene, thankfully some of his colleagues as well as my own crewmate were there to help. “It is a real honour to be given this award although I am sure any paramedic would have done the same in that situation.” AMBULANCE UK - DECEMBER

336

Two other medics from the Service were commended for their brave

Patrick added: “The introduction

“After several months in the making, we are delighted that

such as large-scale flooding,

The units, which went into

our Command Support Units are

chemical incidents and serious

operation in September, can

finally in operation.”

transport collisions.

also be dispatched to prolonged incidents or high-profile events,

Each unit can accommodate

Each unit can accommodate up to

like major sporting fixtures, pop

up to five staff, including

five staff, including ambulance and

concerts and cultural events such

ambulance and medical incident

medical incident commanders,

as the Royal Welsh Show and the

commanders, dispatchers and

dispatchers and a loggist.

National Eisteddfod.

a loggist.

They act as a base for incident commanders, who can then manage multiple resources at the site of an incident, freeing control rooms to continue managing dayto-day operations.

actions after they rushed to the aid

A satellite dish on the roof allows for

of a patient, who was drowning in

access to critical Trust databases

a canal in Enfield, and a volunteer

and websites, as well as the latest

with St John Ambulance was

news via live satellite TV.

recognised for stopping at the scene of a serious traffic collision

Vehicles also come complete with

whilst off duty and providing first

an awning to provide a sheltered

aid until an ambulance arrived.

area for briefing staff.

One of two Command Support Units introduced into the Welsh Ambulance Service fleet.

NWAS

NWAS Resuscitators win UK Heart Safe Awards The North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust (NWAS) has been awarded ‘Emergency Services Team of the Year’ at the UK Heart Safe Awards 2013. NWAS’s Community Resuscitation Team has won the award for the overall work they have done in the community. Andrew Redgrave, NWAS Community Engagement Manager said: “The Team has done a brilliant job in helping communities to sustain life before the ambulance service arrives and these awards recognise this. Across the North West, the team has linked up with charities, communities and stakeholders to improve the chances of people surviving. They have been involved in teaching young and old alike how to use defibrillators and placing them in areas where cardiac arrests are most likely to occur. They have also shared good practice within diverse groups. “ The Heart Safe Award is the UK’s first nationwide awards competition to celebrate organisations and employers which invest in creating Heart Safe environments as well as the acts of individuals who have saved lives while at work or leisure. A Heart Safe environment is one where life-saving equipment and training are provided for staff or customers so that, should a sudden cardiac arrest occur, people are fully prepared to perform resuscitation and life support immediately. The Community Resuscitation Team has worked with The British Heart Foundation to offer Heartstart - the Emergency Life Support training course - regularly across the North West. This trains people to recognise Cardiac Arrest, perform effective

Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), as well as deal with other immediately life threatening events such as choking and serious bleeding. It has also taught people how to do Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), and how to use Automated External Defibrillators (AED) to treat sudden cardiac arrests – teaching people how to save lives. 95 per cent of people who have SCA die from itmost within minutes. Rapid treatment of SCA with an AED can be lifesaving. The use of an AED on a person that has suffered a sudden Cardiac arrest can increase their chance of survival by up-to 40 percent. The Team has also worked closely with charities to raise funds to place Public Access Defibrillators in local schools, colleges, communities and businesses which can be used by untrained people to save lives. These portable devices check heart rhythms and can send an electric shock to the heart to try to restore a normal rhythm. For every minute a defibrillator is away from a patient, their chances of survival decrease by 7-10 per cent and without a defibrillator the chances of survival are 5-6% with CPR. Bailie Kershaw – who was awarded a CardiacSmart Life Saver Award by the Trust earlier this year and won a Pride of Britain Award in September – also won ‘Heart Safe Life Saver of the Year’ at the awards. 12 year old Ballie saved his Dad’s life earlier this year after he suffered a cardiac arrest by performing CPR with guidance from an NWAS 999 call taker. Baillie lives in Millom, Cumbria.

O2

NEWSLINE Life Connections 2014 - Update Kettering Conference Centre, Kettering, Northants

have already registered for the 2014 Conference which is taking place on Wednesday 14th May. On Thursday 15th May Exmed will again be running a Difficult

Wednesday 14th May and Thursday 15th May 2014

Airway Course which was also well

The 2014 Paramedic Practice

VAT is again being offered.

Conference Programme has now been finalised and the following presentations will be given to those in attendance: Why Trauma Patients Die? Professor Sir Keith Porter Advancing Airway Practice for UK Paramedics Jamie Todd Away from the Numbers Quality Issue in Survival from Cardiac Arrest Ken Spearpoint The Importance of Clinical Navigation in Integrating Emergency and Urgent Care Mark Newton Trauma - Cardiac Arrest Dave Bramley Striving for New Best Practice Spinal & Pelvic Pre-Hospital Care Mark Bloch The Cycle of Life Alex Strong The College of Paramedics will also be hosting a Question and AMBULANCE UK - DECEMBER

338

surprise that over 50 delegates

Answer session at the end of the Programme.

attended this year and for those wishing to attend a rate of £72 incl

“THE AMBULANCE SERVICES BENEVOLENT FUND IS CARING FOR THE CARERS AND TOGETHER WE WILL MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE”!

With over 60 trade stands

of people like Terry promoting

The ASBF was set up over 27

displaying the latest equipment

the ASBF it would be so much

and supplies those registering

years ago with the aim to Care

more difficult.”

for the Carers and continues

as delegates can be assured

to develop its future care

of a full and rewarding day. For

Terry expressed his surprise and

those purely wishing to attend the

delight with the shield saying:

exhibition admission is free.

”I’m proud to be a supporter of

and support for all ambulance

programmes to improve the help

the ASBF and pleased to provide

service personnel in their time

A number of other conferences are

complimentary stand facilities at

of need.

likely to be announced over the

our Life Connections event and

coming months and so to keep

promotion via Ambulance UK

abreast of what Life Connections

magazine to help promote the

has to offer or to register please

valuable work that the Charity

go to the dedicated website

undertakes in helping those

www.lifeconnections.uk.com or

ambulance service personnel to

alternatively call the organisers on

deal with their unforeseen crisis.”

01322 660434. We look forward to welcoming you to Life Connections 2014.

ASBF

Ambulance Charity Thanks Terry Gardner The ASBF has shown its appreciation to Terry Gardner, Ambulance UK, by presenting him with the ASBF wall shield. Presenting the shield during the Emergency Services Show at the Charity’s stand, ASBF Chairman Paul Leopold said: “We are so grateful to Terry for his continued support with the stand space

Over 150 delegates from Trusts

he donates to our Charity each

countrywide pre-registered for

year at the Life Connections

our 2013 conference and from

Conference and advertising to

feedback received everybody

promote the Charity in Ambulance

found it to be informative,

UK and it gives me great pleasure

interesting and value for money

to present him with a small token

and with delegate rates again

of our appreciation.” He went on

starting from just £36 it is no

to say: “Without the generosity

For further information please visit our website: www.asbf.co.uk Or email: [email protected]

NEWSLINE ASBF

Season’s Greetings Simon Weston OBE

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and a Healthy and Prosperous New Year.

to a computer for analysis, cost the Friends £1,800 and was handed over to the charity on Monday.

Simon Weston OBE Patron of the Ambulance Services Benevolent Fund

I have been so inspired with the fundraising activities that have taken place during 2013. The AUK_August_AUK_August_2013 11/10/2013 10:53 EEAST Pedalling Paramedics have again amazed everyone with IOM another marathon bike ride, which this year was from Blackpool Tower to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and all in six days, an incredible achievement! Also from EEAST, by St John Ambulance the lady athletes who competed in the National Emergency Services The Friends of St John Ambulance Triathlon and the lady from the Isle of Man have presented two Welsh Ambulance Service who important pieces of equipment to competed in the Cardiff marathon the charity they support. – collectively they have raised over £30,000! Can anyone else Ambu Airway Man, a highmeet or beat these challenges? tech training manikin, will give Please let us know. advanced first aiders practice managing a patient’s airway while These are all remarkable delivering CPR. achievements but there are also

Martin Blackburn, Director of Operations with SJA IoM, said the charity’s existing manikins didn’t allow Page 254 life-savers to practice both CPR and airway preservation at the same time.

Friends present training-enhancing equipment

many ambulance staff country wide who continually support us, selling badges, making regular contributions from donation from salary schemes, such as ‘Give As You Earn’, and many other fundraising activities. There have also been some very generous gifts from legacies, all in support of the ASBF. The ASBF is undertaking some important changes with its Moving Forward programmes to improve its operational activities and Caring for the Carers programmes and, we will shortly be appointing a full time Director to take the lead.

As Patron of the ASBF I want to thank all our generous sponsors and fundraisers and ask for your continuing support during 2014.

The Friends also handed over a wheelchair, which will enable St John Ambulance’s first aiders to move poorly patients at a large events like Tynwald Day. The total value of the donation was £2,500. The Friends are a small group of further supporters whoFor raise money to make provide information equipment for or theto charity. a reservation Their latest donations resulted please contact from events including the Hidden Maggie or Rachel Gardens of Port Erin and a Swing Tel: 01322 660434 into Summer evening at Lorne Fax: 01322 666539 House, Castletown.

email:

info@mediapublishing company.com

‘Ambu Airway Man is a highly developed instruction and training manikin that provides a remarkably lifelike representation of the human anatomy, particularly those

or by post to: Media House, 48 High Street Swanley Kent BR8 BQ

Life Connections 2014 Exmed Study Day

Theme: Difficult Airway Course EMS™ – An introduction Thursday 15TH May 2014 Kettering Conference Centre, Kettering NN15 6PB TIME: A.M 08.30 - 09.00

PRESENTATION

TIME: P.M

Registration

12.00 - 12.30

09.00 - 09.15

Introduction & History of the Course

09.15 - 09.45

The Airway Algorithms

12.30 - 13.30

Prediction of the Difficult Airway

13.30 - 14.00

10.30 - 11.15

BVM and Laryngoscopy Tea/Coffee, Exhibition

11.30 - 12.00

Skills Stations (4 rotations/30 min. each)

Skill Stations Rotation 2

09-45 - 10.30

11.15 - 11.30

PRESENTATION

Lunch, Exhibition Skill Stations Rotation 3

14.00 - 14.30


Group 1

BVM, ETI

14.30 - 14.45

Group 2

EGD’s & Rescue Airways

14.45 - 15.00

Group 3

Needle & Surgical Airway

15.00 - 17.00

Group 4

Video Laryngoscopy

17.00

Topics and Speakers correct at the time of press but may be subject to change

Airway Self Scope Video Tea/Coffee, Exhibition Practical Moulages Wrap up CPD certificate provider

Delegate Rate: £72.00 (inc VAT)

includes: delegate bag, refreshments and the opportunity to visit over 60 trade stands.

Places limited to 16 delegates– register early!!

To register call 01322 660434 or visit:

www.lifeconnections.uk.com


These are exciting and important moves for the Charity and we need your support to help us move forward with our plans. Please take up the ASBF fundraising challenge for 2014 and visit our website for further information.

The model, which can be connected

‘This is a superb addition to our training as some of our current range of resuscitation mannequins will allow us to do CPR but will not accept I-gels, and laryngoscopic masks (or even endo tracheal tubes for our health care professionals). To practice these skills they have to use our airway management manikins, which is simply a head and lungs model with no facility for chest compressions,’ he said.

features important to training in modern resuscitation.’


NEWSLINE LAA

London’s Air Ambulance wins Outstanding Contribution to London Award London’s Air Ambulance, the

incidents since 1989. Winning

He said: “We chose to raise

sponsored at www.justgiving.com/

the Outstanding Contribution to

funds for the Air Ambulance

kili13 or by texting tanz58 £5 or

London award is heart-warming

because a neighbour was

tanz58 £10 to 70070.

and will help to secure the

seriously hurt in an accident

ongoing support of the people

which resulted in the parents

The Sussex Air Ambulance first

and businesses in London so

of their child needing a miracle.

came into existence in 2007 and

boundaries in medicine and save

“A miracle happened because of

or travel through the counties of

even more lives together.”

the efforts of the Air Ambulance

East and West Sussex.

team and the fact that they carry a

charity that delivers an advanced trauma team to critically injured

With only one advanced trauma

specialist doctor and critical care

The team of doctors and

people in London, is the proud

doctor and paramedic on call

paramedic on board.

paramedics can arrive at the

winner of the ‘Outstanding

for critically injured people in the

Contribution to London’ award

capital, the charity is currently raising

“This was definitely one of the

in the London Lifestyle Awards

money for a second helicopter and

hardest challenges I’ve ever

2013. This recognition comes

extended flying hours.

done and the feeling of getting

a milestone in treating 30,000 patients. Due to celebrate its 25th anniversary in January 2014, the charity provides the only advanced trauma service available to the 10 million people who live, work and commute within London’s M25. Celebrating organisations that continue to define the standards

scene of most emergencies in

to the summit at sunrise was out

shortly after the service reached SECAMB

TWO Ashington fathers have completed the challenge of a lifetime this week by conquering Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa

of excellence in London, the

of this world.” “I almost succumbed to altitude sickness a couple of times but all

Sussex within 15 minutes.

IOM

New Community First Responders boost emergency cover

the time my legs were moving I

FIFTEEN new Community First

was determined to move them in

Responders (CFRs) have swelled

the right direction – up.

the ranks of the volunteers who can be first on the scene when

“The sleep deprivation was difficult

someone falls seriously ill.

and when we set off at midnight to attempt the summit I was literally

The recruits, who come from

falling asleep while walking.

all walks of life, responded to

award was granted to London’s

Brett Coleman and Scott Fegan

Air Ambulance for its contribution

decided to raise funds for the

“Coupled with the lack of oxygen,

life-saving Sussex Air Ambulance

John Ambulance and the Isle of

to safety in the Capital.

every few metres was draining my

helicopter after a neighbour

Man Ambulance and Paramedic

body and I would lean on my walking

was involved in a road traffic

Service and completed their

London’s Air Ambulance is

poles for a few seconds of shut-eye.”

collision in Ashington and was

training over two weekends.

an integral part of London’s emergency infrastructure. The

given emergency treatment at the

“There’s always that little voice in

road-side.

CFRs are trained in life-saving by

charity treats approximately seven

the back of your head reminding

St John Ambulance, the Island’s

you why you are doing it and

leading first aid charity. They are

critically injured people per day

an appeal for volunteers by St

and plays a leadership role in

She was then flown to a London

within our party of 18 people we

major trauma centre in just 16

dispatched at the same time as

responding to London’s major

each had a very personal story to

an ambulance, via the Emergency

incidents, including the 7th July

minutes – a journey that could have

tell and that is why I made it.”

Services’ Joint Control Room, to

bombings in London in 2005.

taken more than an hour by road.

attend emergency calls. These Mr Fegan, 43, said: “It was

include cardiac arrest, diabetic

Graham Hodgkin, CEO of

The 18-year-old is now back home

a fantastic achievement but

emergency, an unconscious

London’s Air Ambulance said:

and undergoing rehabilitation.

very hard work. At times I was

patient, a patient with breathing

struggling for breath and my lungs

difficulties and a patient who has had a seizure.

“We are thrilled to have been AMBULANCE UK - DECEMBER

340

serves the people who live, work

that we can continue to push the

recognised for our contribution

Mr Coleman, 35, has already

were hurting on the way up, but

to London, having looked after

completed two marathons in two

we both made it to the top.”

critically injured people on the

weeks – London and Brighton –

streets in the capital for nearly

but wanted to take on the world’s

The pair have so far raised £9,080

defibrillation in the case of cardiac

25 years, and at the same

tallest freestanding mountain,

from a number of fundraising

arrest, supply oxygen to those

time raising the standards of

which stands at 19,341ft.

events including the Ashington

with breathing difficulties, offer

Village Ball and by running the

reassurance to all patients and

London and Brighton marathons.

gather information from them

emergency medical care globally.

CFRs provide CPR and

We have served the 10 million

It took the friends six days to

people who work, live and holiday

complete the climb, despite Mr

within the M25 and have taken a

Coleman suffering from altitude

They are determined to reach their

paramedics when they arrive,

leadership role at London’s major

sickness.

£10,000 target and can still be

saving time and, potentially,

that will be of assistance to

NEWSLINE lives. They are trained to not only assess a situation but also to ascertain a patient’s medical history. They are a vital extra pair of hands to an ambulance crew when it arrives. Steve Crowe, Ambulance Clinical Manager with the Ambulance and Paramedic Service, said: ‘It is refreshing when you see the enthusiasm of the team. Each person bringing different life skills. For some CFRs, this is an extension of their existing medical training but for many responding is totally different to their normal day job.’ The latest training brings the number of CFRs to 50. The scheme, which operates in rural areas, is expanding and has been fortunate enough to attract donations to enable equipment to be purchased, increasing the hours’ cover responders can provide.

Mr Crowe said the volunteers’ assistance was vital to the Ambulance Service. ‘Although a small service with fewer than 45 staff, we are a busy service,’ he said. ‘Last year, we responded to more than 8,000 emergency calls and 2,000 urgent cases and this trend continues to see a steady increase. The partnership between St John Ambulance and ourselves is invaluable in helping us reach patients in a timely fashion, offering support to patients and assisting ambulance crews.’ Gerry Jones, CFR co-ordinator, said more sponsorship and donations would be welcome. ‘‘Each CFR kit costs in the region of £2,500 to purchase,” he said. “Last year, CFRs covered more than 18,000 hours on call and assisted the Ambulance Service by attending more than 450 calls. The calls we attend may require

little medical intervention, where we simply offer reassurance while awaiting the ambulance crew, or can lead to us assisting with a full cardiac arrest, performing cardio pulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation.”

‘We are extremely grateful for the volunteers, who give up so much of their time and effort – and sometimes encounter distressing situations – in serving the community and allowing us to build the scheme.”

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• Emergency Resuscitation Kits


NEWSLINE mix of tri-service arrangements

MAA

New Helicopter for Air Ambulance

with the police and ambulance

The Air Ambulance Service, which

“Successful operations during the

serves Gloucestershire, is to buy

floods of 2007 and more recently

itself a new helicopter.

during busy operations last

services which have proved themselves time and time again.

summer proved to us the value of

The Midlands Air Ambulance which

this approach.”

covers the county with Hereford and Worcestershire currently

SWAST

leases three helicopters form Bond Air Services – it bases them at Strensham, near Tewkesbury, Tatenhill in Staffordshire and RAF Cosford in Shropshire. The service is to replace the helicopter based at RAF Cosford with a new EC135T23 machine from March next year. Brendan Connor, chairman of the Air Ambulance Charity, said: “As part of our objective to reinvest charitable donations into helicopter emergency

The Tri-Service Emergency Centre in Waterwells, Quedgeley decisions have yet been made

Will Windsor-Clive,

regarding the potential plans to

Gloucestershire County Council

withdraw from the Gloucestershire

cabinet member for fire, wrote to

tri-services centre.”

Ken Wenman, the Chief Executive of the Trust calling for public

“It is important for us to ensure

He said: “Gloucestershire’s Tri“It is for this reason that we are

Service Centre has been massively

currently undertaking a consultation

successful in helping all three

with the 29 staff members currently

medical services operations and

working at the Gloucestershire Tri-

extending pre-hospital patient

Services Centre.

care, we made the decision to purchase our own.”

“We are also looking very closely at the potential cost savings and

SWAS

Ambulance Service could pull out of Tri-Services Centre THE AMBULANCE Trust could pull out from Gloucester’s Tri-Service control centre. The centre in Waterwells, Quedgeley, currently homes all three emergency services and AMBULANCE UK - DECEMBER

342

consultation on any proposals.

staff are fully informed.

efficiencies that would be created, as this will be paramount in any decisions we make.” Emergency 999 calls are not answered from the county’s control room, but it is used to mobilise ambulances across Gloucestershire. Ms Stanes added: “SWASFT currently has four control rooms, which is twice as many as the

Prime Minister David Cameron has

other UK ambulance services

even popped in there for a visit.

so it is imperative we review these functions to ensure we are

emergency services work together more effectively – particularly during the 2007 floods.

Construction begins of Exeter specialist ambulance hub Paramedics are trained to deal with a range of hazardous incidents, such as collapsed buildings. Construction work has started on a new ambulance hub for the SouthWest of England. The Special Operations Centre (SOC) at Exeter’s Skypark is the base for the ambulance service’s Hazardous Area Response

“I would be really concerned

Teams (Hart).

about any proposal from South West Ambulance Trust that risks

Hart units are trained to respond

undermining that.

to incidents such as collapsed buildings, hazardous materials

“I know professionals I speak

and flooding.

to are increasingly concerned, particularly following the closure

If the building work remains on

of Durlsey Ambulance Station,

schedule, the centre should be

that South West Ambulance Trust is taking resources out of Gloucestershire in favour of other parts of the region.” Tory MP for Gloucester Richard Graham added: “I am concerned to hear of this plan by the Ambulance Service. They should be supporting the Tri-Service Centre.”

But rumours are rife the South

appropriately using public money

Western Ambulance Service NHS

to optimise services for patients

Cabinet Office Minister Francis

Foundation Trust could be leaving

and working conditions for staff.”

Maude was taken to the centre in

operational next year. South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust said the new base in Exeter, together with a base in Bristol, would provide cover for serious incidents across its area which includes Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. Trained personnel will also be

May 2012 and told about the joint

deployed to major national

in talks with the 29 members of

Gloucestershire’s Conservative

working which was taking place in

incidents elsewhere.

staff there.

councillors sent out a statement

the county to keep people safe.

before Christmas and it is currently

The proximity to the M5 made

expressing “significant concerns” Alice Stanes, Communications

about the trust looking to leave

At that time Chief Fire Officer Jon

Skypark an “ideal location” for the

Assistant at the Trust, said: “No

before Christmas.

Hall said: “We operate a unique

specialist hub.

NEWSLINE lives is being offered to people of

London Paramedic and volunteer

all ages.

Chris Wood said:”Community First Responders respond to certain

St John Ambulance Service is now recruiting new volunteers in Epping Forest who will be taught to administer first aid, resuscitate people and use a defibrillator.

will take place in Epping at St

trained in convoy driving, which

the ambulance trust, said the new

means up to four vehicles can

hub’s “ideal location” and proximity

respond to an incident without

to the M5 would “guarantee

causing too much disruption to

the delivery of an effective and

other drivers.

essential rapid response service

“Because they live or work nearby quickly - in most cases before an ambulance arrives, delivering lifesaving treatment before the

Margaret’s Hospital. Stuart Blatston, Hart manager at

in their local area.

they can get to the incident

Training is completely free and

Hart paramedics have also been

high priority 999 calls that happen

paramedics get there, and helping People of any age can volunteer as

the paramedics to treat the patient

long as they can drive.

during the event.”

for the South West”. The Exeter SOC will operate 24-hours-a-day and will also

ST JOHN AMBULANCE

be used as a training and administration facility for the trust. A rapid response ambulance service

St John Ambulance Service is looking for volunteer life savers

will also be provided for the local area, including the new town of Cranbrook.

An opportunity to learn to save

St John Ambulance volunteers

Hazmat 2014 –

have you booked your place yet?

(30 April – 1 May Eastwood Hall, Nottingham)

HAZMAT

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Visit www.the-ncec.com/ hazmat-event-2014 to book your place. Follow us at @ncec_uk for event updates.

Hazmat 2014 is organised by NCEC and Tactical Hazmat and is supported by media partner, Fire Times.


• Confirmed speakers include renowned safety orator, author and trainer, Mike Callan; Louise Uffindell, Environmental Public Health Scientist at Public Health England; Chris Case, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service; Steve Lamb, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service; James Price, West Midlands Ambulance Service; Jim Stewart-Evans, Public Health England; Brooke Rogers, Kings College London; and Dave Walton, Hazmat lead for CFOA & Assistant Chief Fire Officer West Yorkshire FRS.


NEWSLINE EMAS

The supersize ambulance: Health bosses reinforce emergency vehicles to cope with obese patients

equipped to deal with morbidly

The Welsh Ambulance Service

obese patients.

spent £4.5million between 2010

• NHS spends £13million to

that having only one ambulance

Dr Peter Holden, a GP in Matlock,

to deal very overweight people

Derbyshire, and senior member

was problematic as the vehicle

of the British Medical Association,

support patients weighing up to 55 stone • More space and motorised stretchers will help staff load heavier people • The obese are more likely to need ambulances due to health complications Ambulance bosses are paying millions to ‘supersize’ their vehicles to cope with the growing number of obese casualties.

and 2012 on equipment to cope This follows the service recently patient, who it took around two

And the Yorkshire Ambulance

hours to get into the vehicle.

Service spent nearly £10million on specialist bariatric vehicles in 2011.

A spokeswoman for EMAS said

may be some distance from their location so can take time to get to them. ‘That’s not fair on the patient,’ she said. ‘But the ambulances are not only built to deal with obese patients. It is generally better for staff to have more space inside a vehicle to work in.’ ‘There is also a range of other

The East Midlands Ambulance

new features to be included in the

Service (EMAS) is to introduce a

vehicles, which have nothing to

fleet of 128 larger ambulances,

do with obesity.’

each capable of dealing with patients who weigh up to 55st.

said: ‘None of us do enough exercise and, as a nation, we are getting bigger. Obesity is a growing concern.

Its fleet of bigger vehicles,

of us do enough exercise and, as

known as ‘bariatric ambulances’,

a nation, we are getting bigger.

have larger doors and more

Obesity is a growing concern’.

space inside. The spokeswoman added that the They have also been fitted with

total cost of the new ambulances

specially-strengthened stretchers

includes features unrelated to

capable of expanding to take

obesity - such as better lighting.

extra weight, motorised stretchers to help staff lift heavy patients,

Pete Bainbridge, clinical quality

wider ramps and larger chairs.

manager for EMAS, said normal

Direct Line are appealing to partygoers to help prevent Christmas tragedies by standing up to designated drivers who break their promise by drinking alcohol. other road users at risk.

this is that obese people are more likely to need the ambulance

Research released today by

service as well, because of health

Brake and Direct Line, shows

problems associated with weight.

a huge shift in public attitudes towards drink driving over the

‘Ambulances are complicated

past decade. While the vast

vehicles and paramedics need

majority of drivers now subscribe

safe, working tools to be able to

to a zero tolerance approach

help patients. It is also important

to alcohol and driving, in line

we offer seriously obese patients

with Brake’s advice, a minority

the same sort of care as others.’

continue to cause enormous risk by driving after drinking - and

YAS

Air ambulance named YABA partner Yorkshire Air Ambulance has been chosen as the partner charity for the Yorkshire Asian Business Association’s (YABA) inaugural Annual Gala Dinner.

ambulances are only capable of

YABA, which launched in June,

The new ambulances will cost

handling patients weighing up

is designed to bring Asian and

the taxpayer a total of more than

to 28st.

non-Asian businesses together


to expand relationships and allow

£13million – or around £106,000

Road safety charity Brake and

This puts their passengers and ‘One of the main problems with

Dr Peter Holden, of the British Medical Association, said: ‘None

344

with obese patients.

having to deal with a 55stone

Christmas party-goers urged to help save lives by standing up to ‘designated drivers’ who drink, as survey shows we’re still too timid

passengers are struggling to stand up to these drivers. In 2012, 280 people were killed and 1,210 suffered serious injuries in crashes caused by drivers over the drink drive limit. It’s estimated a further 65 deaths are caused annually by drivers who have been drinking but are under the limit. These deaths and injuries cause a huge amount of pain and suffering to those involved and the families left behind, many of whom are supported by Brake’s support services for bereaved and injured road crash victims.

‘It’s well known there is an obesity

businesses across all sectors to

epidemic in the UK,’ he said.

reach their full potential.

ambulance for heavier patients

‘And we have to respond to a

The association already has more

research and public attitudes by

in each of the five counties it

number of calls where a patient

than 2,000 members across all

reducing the legal limit to 20mg

operates in, from Derbyshire

requires a bariatric-capable

sectors of business and is working

alcohol per 100ml of blood -

down to Northamptonshire.

ambulance.’

in conjunction with government

effectively zero tolerance. This

bodies and large corporations

would send a clear message, in

per vehicle. EMAS used to have just one

Brake is calling for the government to catch up with

But by next year, just under half

EMAS isn’t the first service to

to deliver valuable guidance and

line with research, that driving

its ambulances will be fully

provide such ambulances.

support to its members.

after any amount of alcohol

NEWSLINE significantly increases your crash risk. Evidence indicates lowering our limit would help reduce the casualties that continue to result from drink driving. Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive, Brake, said: “Public attitudes towards drink driving have shifted dramatically, yet people are still being killed and injured by those who continue to take this inexcusable risk. We need action from government to rectify this and put a stop to the carnage that continues to result. Our current drink drive limit is a dangerous relic: research has shown a lower limit is far safer; hence almost all other countries in Europe have reduced theirs. Most people are on board with zero tolerance on drink driving, and the government must respond. Reducing the limit to 20mg would send a clear message that any amount of alcohol before

driving is a dangerous risk that’s never worth it. “We are also appealing to everyone to look after themselves, family and friends this festive season, by planning ahead to get home safely and speaking out against drink driving. If you drive, pledge to never drink any alcohol before getting behind the wheel, and if you have a designated driver, make sure they stay completely off the booze.”

Facts One in six deaths on UK roads are caused by drink drivers over the current legal limit, but drivers with even 20-50mg alcohol per 100ml of blood are at least three times more likely to die in a crash than those with no alcohol in their blood. This is because even small amounts of alcohol affect

drivers’ reaction times, judgment and co-ordination. Alcohol also makes it impossible for drivers to assess their own impairment because it creates a false sense of confidence and means drivers are more inclined to take risks and believe they are in control when they are not.

Brake’s advice Even very small amounts of alcohol affect drivers’ reaction times and hazard perception, making them much more likely to crash. This is the case even if the driver doesn’t feel drunk or even tipsy. So the only way to ensure you’re safe if you’re driving this festive season is not drink any alcohol before driving, and never drive the morning after having more than one or two drinks. And as a passenger, only accept a lift with a driver who’s had no alcohol at all.

Planning ahead to get home safely will help you avoid getting into an awkward or risky situation, such as having to refuse a lift from a driver who has had alcohol. If you’re getting a lift back from a night out with someone, make sure they are 100% on board with not having any alcohol at all. Always have a plan B just in case a designated driver lets you down, or arrange from the outset to get a taxi or public transport instead.

“Public attitudes towards drink driving have shifted dramatically, yet people are still being killed and injured by those who continue to take this inexcusable risk.”

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NEWSLINE NEWS

CCGs blocked from agreeing any new contracts for NHS 111 until April 2015 CCG leaders have been blocked from securing permanent

The NHS England letter, dated

using a 24/7 internal telephone

co-ordination agents for the

20 September, said: ‘In order

service operated by trained

‘Alternative Care Pathways.’

to maintain stability across the

referral agents.

system and to give time to agree

They enter details onto a bespoke

the optimum service specification


database then make the referral

for 111 in the future, NHS England

worked with local health boards

on the paramedic’s behalf

has decided that no other 111

to build on existing pathways and

contracts should be re-procured

to community teams for falls

redesign the system.

screening, or the patient’s GP

to start before April 2015. More than 2,100 referrals have

arrangements for NHS 111, after

‘As you are aware, we are currently

NHS England halted any re-

been made for non-urgent fallers

reviewing the National NHS 111

procurements of the service until

since the service launched

specification. This together with

April 2015.

last September. More than 440

the need to learn the lessons

contacts have been made with

from the initial procurement of NHS England said that no

patients’ GP’s to share information

NHS 111, the need to reflect

other 111 contracts should be

about resolved hypoglycaemic

the outcomes of the Urgent &

re-procured to start before April

episodes, and more than 270

Emergency review, and our desire

contacts have been made with

2015 in order to ‘maintain stability

to take on board the concerns

GP’s about resolved epilepsy

across the system’ and to give the

we have heard from many CCG

episodes. Thus, more than 2,820

body time to ‘agree the optimum

commissioners, has meant that

patients so far have benefited

service specification’ for the

we have concluded that we need

from a pathways referral.

urgent care line.

more time to be sure that the next

following a hypoglycaemic or epilepsy episode. NHS Direct Wales nurses who triage non-injured fallers on the telephone can also make referrals to community teams. Patients will then be given a ‘Stay at Home’ leaflet containing useful information about the referral process along with useful contact numbers.

round of procurements fully deliver

Paul Hughes, Medical Director

New statistics from NHS England

all we need to give patients the

at the Welsh Ambulance Service,

show that 93% of the English

best service.’

said: “Demand on our ambulance

reduce pressure on overburdened

service increases every year,

A&E departments, and ensure

population has access to NHS

Dr Hughes added: “Pathways

111. But 11 regions – including

Because of this, it added, ‘we

and it is becoming increasingly

patients receive the most

the North West and the West

have therefore agreed that

clear that transporting patients to

appropriate care, from the right

Midlands – only have interim

no NHS 111 contract re-

emergency departments who do

clinician, at the right time and in

contractural arrangements in

procurements should commence

not need to go there is not in the

the right place.

place following the withdrawal of

until after April 2014’.

best interests of the patient, nor

NHS Direct from all its contracts. It comes as commissioners in

sustainable for the health service.

“There are considerable benefits associated with alternative care

WAS

Welsh Ambulance Service on pathway to success

“Across Wales, there is a clear

pathways - not least for patients -

initiative to develop community-

and we will continue to work with

based services which can improve

our partners to accelerate their

the quality of life for patients, by

development as a priority.”

Solihull, the Black Country,


reactive to pro-active hospital

Shropshire, Herefordshire,

is celebrating the success of a

admission prevention.

Coventry and Warwickshire until

new system designed to reduce

April 2015.

unnecessary hospital admissions

“I’m very pleased with the

and support care closer to

enthusiasm and the uptake of this

patients’ homes.

service by our paramedics.”

after Dame Barbara Hakin,

Alternative Care Pathways for

The new system was first piloted

the deputy chief executive of

non-injured fallers and people

in Abertawe Bro Morgannwg

NHS England, told CCGs to

who have who have had epilepsy

University Health Board area,

refrain from undertaking any

and hypoglycaemic episodes

and later rolled out across Hywel

procurement processes until the

also aims to make better use of

Dda, Aneurin Bevan, Cwm Taf

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air

new specification was developed.

community-based services and

and Powys health board areas.

Ambulance much loved toy Pat

the West Midlands announced that West Midlands Ambulance Service would be providing the NHS 111 service in Birmingham,

But this looks to be one of the

re-focussing NHS resources from

last to be procured in this way,


346

when the patient is left at home

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance mascot Pat the Paramedic climbs Mount Kilimanjaro.

the Paramedic will be going in to

improve patient experience. GPC and commissioning leaders

IOW

To make a referral, paramedics

retirement at the end of the year,

have welcomed the move, stating

Instead of taking them to

call the 24-hour ‘Co-ordination

but before he finally disappears

that they believe ‘lessons have

hospital, paramedics can

Point’ number, and the existing

from the HIOWAA merchandise

been learnt’ by NHS England

refer patients to their GP or

Health Information team within

catalogue, he has one final

around 111.

an identified community team

NHS Direct Wales act as

mountain to climb.

NEWSLINE On December 28th, Pat and his companion, Peter Mainprice from Romsey, will be setting out to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in order to raise vital funds for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance. At 5,895m, Mount Kilimanjaro is not for the faint hearted and together Pat and Peter have spent months in training for their challenge. Come rain or shine, they are frequently seen climbing Danebury Hill near Stockbridge, with a collection tin in hand, hoping to raise as much sponsorship money as possible. Peter, who manages a business in medical conferences, was spurred on to take up the challenge by of the number of road traffic incidents that he has attended over the years. He is well aware of the importance of being able to convey patients to the most appropriate hospital for their needs, as quickly as possible. He commented ‘I am delighted to be raising money for such a worthwhile cause, and I shall take good care of the very last Pat the Paramedic as we undertake this exciting challenge together’. The enterprising pair will be sending regular updates from Mount Kilimanjaro and interested parties will be able to read about their progress on the Hampshire and Isle of Wight website, Facebook page and Twitter stream. In 2002, Peter ran the London Marathon and raised £3,500 in sponsorship money , and he is hoping that with Pat by his side, he will be able to beat his target and raise even more money for HIOWAA. Peter’s fundraising page com/pmainprice. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance receives no government funding for operational purposes, relying entirely on the generosity of the people and businesses of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to keep the Air


can be found at www.justgiving.

Ambulance flying and saving lives.


NEWSLINE Some of that will go into his

EEAST

website standupstaystrong.com,

Twitter agony uncle Sam Carvalho, 19, answer his 999 calling

but the rest will go towards buying a car so he can take up the volunteer post. He lives in Arbury and works at Cambridge Toy shop in the city

A teenager who has comforted thousands of troubled youngsters

The idea is that being in the

has found a new way to help

community they are able to

those in need – by getting to

get to the scene ahead of

medical emergencies ahead of

paramedics in the crucial first

ambulances.

few minutes of an emergency,

centre at the moment, but is likely to be operating in the Bar Hill or Whittlesford area. Sam, who already does some first

such as a cardiac arrest.

aid volunteering with the British

of some of his 43,000 Twitter

Sam, 19, who has battled

being the first to help somebody.

followers and the thousands of

health issues including

pleas for help on his website,

bulimia, depression and

“I have wanted to be a

Cambridgeshire YOPEY’s new

immunodeficiency, was crowned

paramedic for as long as I can

young person of the year Sam

young person of the year at an

remember and this is a good

Carvalho wants to be a community

awards bash last week in St

way to get experience.”

first responder.

Neots. He would often help

Not content with tackling the woes

others while bed-ridden himself. First responders are volunteers trained by the ambulance service

As well as £400 for mental health

to attend emergency calls in the

charity Mind he also won £400

area where they live or work.

for himself.

Red Cross, said: “I like the idea of

First responders are volunteers trained by the ambulance service to attend emergency calls in the area where they live or work.

IN PERSON EEAAT News

New Director of Corporate Services joins air ambulance charity

profile healthcare adviser, Dr Hilary Jones

A highly respected member of the NHS

to 1981, when he worked as an emergency

has joined a life saving charity to shape the

highly values the work of our charity. Dr Hilary’s engagement in emergency medicine and pre-hospital care dates back doctor for the oil industry at Sullom Voe in

development of the organisation now it has

Shetland for Offshore Medical Support. More

embarked on a new chapter in its history.

than thirty years later, Hilary aims to raise awareness about London’s Air Ambulance’s

Lorna Garner joined the East Anglian Air

clinical work and its need to fund a second

Ambulance as Director of Corporate Services

aircraft and extended daylight flying hours.

shortly after it began completing missions at night, becoming the first air ambulance

Dr Hilary Jones said: “I am passionate about

charity in England and Wales to be granted

supporting London’s Air Ambulance for lots

permission to attend HEMS mission in the

of reasons - previous visits to the helipad, an

dark, landing as close to the patient as

awareness of the dramatic and on-going work

possible at unknown and unlit sites.

it does, my own personal experiences as an

IOW News

Chairman hands over After a highly successful 5 year term, Chairman Barry Lipscomb will be handing over the reins of HIOWAA on 31 December. He originally took up the appointment shortly after joining the Board of Trustees in 2008, barely a year after the start of helicopter operations. Since then, the Charity has grown steadily to the point where we have flown in excess of 4700 missions – covering 12 hours a day, 365 days a year and delivering substantially enhanced services through our major contribution that now supports doctors within the crew. “It has been a great privilege to have been able to lead the fabulous team of Trustees, staff, and volunteers who have achieved all

emergency doctor, and the crucial role it plays Before joining the Charity Ms Garner’s career

this,” said Barry. “I am especially proud of our

in pre hospital medicine saving the lives of

in the NHS included the position of Director

aircrew - our paramedics, doctors and pilots

critically injured people from all over the world

of the Critical Care Network for Norfolk,

- who are all superb professionals to whom

who live in or visit London.”

many people quite literally owe their lives. I am

Suffolk and Cambridgeshire where she led

exceptionally grateful to all those who make

the strategic direction and quality of care

Graham Hodgkin, CEO of London’s Air

this possible through a myriad of fundraising

delivery for critically ill patients across the

Ambulance, said: “We are thrilled that Dr

efforts - a vital and heartening demonstration

three counties. She was also Chair of the

Hilary recognises the value of our work and

of the way that our services are valued by

Critical Care Networks of England, Wales and

we look forward to his patronage over the

those whom we support, across Hampshire

coming years. Having first-hand experience

and the Isle of Wight.”

Northern Ireland where she worked with the Department of Health and professional bodies as the lead representative of Critical Care. Upon her appointment Ms Garner said: “I have been involved with the East Anglian Air Ambulance since 2005 and have developed a strong respect for the commitment of all those involved with the Charity. It is deeply rooted in the psyche of the community that it serves. “My aim at the air ambulance is to be a key part in helping to shape the Charity so that it is able to deliver the highest standard of service to the population of the area that it covers. I want to contribute towards its ability to set the gold standard for other air ambulance service providers in the UK whilst maximising the value for money of the very generous donations

with emergency medicine, Dr Hilary is an exceptionally authentic and insightful

Vice-Chairman Noel Dobbs commented:

ambassador for our charity. His support is

“We owe a great deal to Barry, for all that he

very valuable, especially at a time when we

has done for the Charity in his time at the helm –

are fundraising for a second helicopter and

we’re already delivering much more and we’ve

extended flying hours.”

got firm foundations for the future. He has been

To launch his patronage, Dr Hilary Jones led

the vital wider relationships, with operational

abseilers down The Royal London Hospital, home to the charity’s helipad, during National Air Ambulance Week (23rd – 27th September). On 26th September, Hilary descended down the seventeen-storey hospital alongside Graham Hodgkin, CEO of London’s Air Ambulance, ex patients and other supporters, fundraising for the charity in a week dedicated to air ambulances nationwide.

tireless both within the team and in developing partners and within our communities, on which we depend.” Barry will continue as a Trustee of the Charity, including being the representative Partnership Governor of the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust. HIOWAA’s Board is looking to secure an appropriate external candidate to fulfil the future role of Chairman and an announcement will be made in due course.

LAAT News

EMAS News

Dr Hilary Jones announced as Patron

EMAS Chief Executive appointed

London’s Air Ambulance is delighted to

Interim role for nine months

announce that TV Doctor, Dr Hilary Jones has become a Patron. Having worked as an emergency doctor, as well as a GP and a high

Dr Hilary Jones

EMAS chairman, Jon Towler, has appointed a


which people give.”

new Chief Executive to lead the organisation.

349 Do you have anything you would like to add or include? Please contact us a let us know.

IN PERSON Sue Noyes has more than 20 years’

Mr Egerton-Smith’s appointment follows a clear

experience in the NHS – most recently as

out of the trust’s board which was completed

acting Chief Executive at the Leicestershire

in August.

Partnership NHS Trust. Her interim role at EMAS is expected to last at least nine months

He said: “I am delighted to have been invited

while a permanent successor can be found.

to join the Board. My motivation is to assist with the rebuilding of the Trust to provide a safe, high

Sue Noyes said, “I’m looking forward to

quality emergency care service for the people of

getting started at EMAS. I know that all staff

the east of England and one in which they can

in the organisation are committed to serving

have confidence.”

the people of the East Midlands in the best way possible and I see my role as helping the organisation reach its full potential in this mission.”

Mike Shanahan, the Deputy Director of the National Ambulance Resilience Unit (NARU)

Chairman, Jon Towler said, “Sue brings with

has helped us implement strong governance

her a proven track record in changing the

and management and has helped ensure

culture of organisations to get the best out

we have delivered our objectives for the

of people. I’m sure that, with mine and the

Department of Health and for NHS England.

board’s support, she will help EMAS reach

We now have a very firm platform to build on

and exceed its targets as well as providing an

at NARU and I would like to wish Mike all the

excellent service to the people of the

best for his future career.”

East Midlands.” Area Director of NHS England (Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire), Derek Bray said, “Sue’s appointment is a welcome one. I know

Andrew Egerton-Smith MBE EEAST News

Ambulance trust takes on new director

that EMAS will benefit greatly from her skills and experience. I look forward to working with

The East of England Ambulance Service

the wider health community and EMAS board

NHS Trust has appointed a new non-

to ensure that Sue is given every support to

executive director.

ensure that EMAS succeeds.” Andrew Egerton-Smith MBE joins the trust as YAS News

an associate non-executive director having

Tributes to Roy after 34 years as ambulanceman The ambulance service is mourning the loss of a former long-serving member of staff, described as a “dear colleague and friend”.

NARU DEPUTY DIRECTOR MIKE SHANAHAN RETURNS TO TRUST

previously served as chairman of the East

Mike Shanahan, the Deputy Director of

Ambulance service in 1998 and is the chairman

His death, following a battle with cancer,

the National Ambulance Resilience Unit

of the charity.

was announced by the East of England

Anglian Ambulance Service prior to the merger of ambulance services in 2006.

Dr Geoffrey Harris OBE, chair of the Trust said:

following the completion of his two year

“I have been looking to bring someone with

secondment.

significant ambulance experience to the Board, someone who knows the challenges and has helped overcome them before.


Management Team will see the role’s responsibilities absorbed by the rest of the

“Andrew fits this mandate, having helped turn

NARU team and it is expected that West

around the former East Anglian Ambulance

Midlands Ambulance Service Assistant Chief

service and having established and led the East

Ambulance Officer Keith Prior who remains the

Anglian Air Ambulance.”

Director of NARU will take a more active role in the day-to-day operations of the organisation.

1973 and served until November 2008, even working part-time after his retirement.

Ambulance Trust.

to Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust,

A mini-restructuring within the NARU Central

Roy Wallis qualified as an ambulanceman in

He also established the East Anglian Air

(NARU) for the past two years, has returned

350

EEAT News

Dr Harris continued, “Andrew’s appointment further strengthens the expertise on the Board

Says Mr Prior: “I would like to thank Mike for

and demonstrates our intent on turning this

his hard work and service over the past two

ambulance service around and providing better

years whilst we have established NARU. Mike

services to patients.”

Despite retiring, Mr Wallis continued to offer his wealth of experience to the service, working as an emergency planning advisor.

IN PERSON EEAST News

EEAST News

Former director elected chair Ambulance service appoints of Suffolk Accident Rescue acting Director of Service Service Delivery A former director of the East of England Ambulance Trust has been appointed the new chair of an emergency medical charity.

Roy Wallis He died at home surrounded by his wife and

Dr Pamela Chrispin was elected chair of Suffolk Accident Rescue Service and takes over from Dr Fiona Roberts who retired after a year in the post.

family, having been admitted to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital with pneumonia. Robert Flute, head of resilience and special operations, said: “The Trust and our team will always have fond memories of the time we spent with him with his endless stories and wealth of knowledge of the ambulance service, and in particular, emergency preparedness.” Mr Wallis, 69, moved to Cromer in 1974 having been based in Leicester during his training for the Millar Certificate, where he was the top student on the course. In 1988 he was promoted to leading ambulance man in Cromer for Norfolk Ambulance Service, the same year he qualified as a paramedic. He took on a number of other roles in the ensuing years, including being promoted to group station officer paramedic for the county’s northern group. In 1999 he took on the critical role of county commander, becoming responsible for the placement of community paramedics in some 25 GP surgeries across Norfolk. Mr Wallis was also charged with setting up the

SARS provides specially trained doctors and critical care paramedics to assist the East of England Ambulance Service at the scenes of serious incidents. Dr Chrispin said: “Fiona has put in a year of hard work on behalf of SARS and helped steer us through a difficult period when the charity was struggling financially.

The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) has appointed Rob Ashford as acting Director of Service Delivery. Rob takes on this role having had 25 years ambulance experience with his most recent post being sector leader for Essex within EEAST. Rob started his career in Patient Transport Services in London. In 2005 he joined Essex Ambulance Service as general manager for West Essex. Following the merger of ambulance services, Rob was Chief Operating Officer for the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire area before moving to West Midlands Ambulance Service as Chief Operating Officer in 2008. Dr Geoffrey Harris OBE, chair of the Trust

“Real progress has been made under her stewardship this year and I am keen to build on Fiona’s excellent work and help take SARS forward.” “We now have a really strong team and many highly committed volunteers. SARS has been a vital asset for the people of Suffolk for over 40 years and I am honoured to have been elected Chair” Dr Chrispin has been a member of SARS since 2005 and responds for the charity to serious medical incidents in and around Diss. SARS Vice Chairman, Dr Andrew Mason, said: “Pam brings a wealth of clinical and administrative experience to the role and I very much look forward to working alongside her.”

said: “I am delighted that Rob Ashford has been appointed as acting Director of Service Delivery following a competitive recruitment process. The panel shortlisted five candidates, four of whom were external to the Trust. Rob brings extensive ambulance experience to this role and will help us build a stronger service to patients.” In the meantime the Trust will be starting the recruitment process for a permanent Chief Executive, Director of Finance and Commercial Services, Director of Service Delivery, Medical Director and Director of Patient Safety and Clinical Standards. It is expected the interview process will commence in early 2014. Dr Harris continued, “Whilst we are launching the recruitment process for the permanent

first response posts across Norfolk to facilitate

Executive positions, we envisage that the team

the 8 minute deployment plan.

we have in place will remain in post until Spring challenging winter pressures period.”

contingency planning manager, before his retirement in 2008.

Rob Ashford, said: “I am delighted to take on

Despite retiring, Mr Wallis continued to offer his

this role. I am passionate about delivering the

wealth of experience to the service, working as

best possible service to all our patients having

an emergency planning advisor.

worked in the ambulance service for many years. Ambulance staff do a fantastic job every day and I am focused on working with

Indeed, on the day he was taken into hospital Mr Wallis had been working at Hellesdon as a resilience advisor.

Dr Pamela Chrispin

them to transform our services and put the


and help manage the organisation through the

He later took up the post of resilience and

pride back into working for our service.”

351

IN PERSON News

Stan Jones (Retired) Stan Jones might have been one of England’s first paramedics! During the Second World War he was the “medic” on an Air Sea Rescue Marine Service high speed launch. This involved teaching

Mountain Safety and with the local Mountain

After almost 40 years service Stan retired from

Rescue team. In fact, he was once called out to

the Ambulance service and a few years later

find a group of lost hikers in Grizedale Forest. The

joined his daughters in western Canada. He

lost hikers were actually being led by his daughter

still lives with his wife of 68 years in Nanaimo,

Mavis, with a group of other police cadets on

British Columbia.

their Duke of Edinburgh Award Expedition! He was also the Supervising Officer during the World

his colleagues on how they can help and what

Water speed record in Coniston, where Donald

to do in dealing with the rescue and treatment of

Campbell died during the pursuit of this record.

Anyone wishing to be in touch with Stan and talk about the old days and the changes – he’d be delighted to hear from you at :

injured airmen from crashed or ditched aircrafts.

[email protected].

All his experience in training led him to be a After he was demobbed in 1947 he joined

part of the team that established the Training

the Ambulance Service in Ashton under Lyne,

Centre in Preston for all ambulance persons in

Lancashire (Ashton Borough) as a Driver/

Lancashire. Sadly, the other team members in

attendant. Once again a key role for him was

this new venture have all since passed away (Joe

training his colleagues in First Aid.

Walmesley, Frank Salthouse and Peter Wilkinson). A new addition to training in this era was the

In 1955 Stan was appointed Station Officer at

formal training of Ambulance Drivers (based on

the No 1 Division Lancashire County Ambulance

the Police Driving Program in Hendon).

Service in Ulverston. At that time he was the youngest Station Officer appointed. During his

In 1973 the NW Regional Health Authority was

time in Ulverston he was sent to the Home Office

established and the training centre was moved

Training Centre to train in Civil Defence for the

to Bolton where he was appointed Chief Training

Ambulance Service in addition to attending an

Officer. This saw the introduction of Cadets.

Instructor Training course at the Home Office Training Centre in Yorkshire. He was also a

Stan was also very involved in various positions

volunteer with the Air Training Corps (RAF VR)

with St John Ambulance for almost 50 years.

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353

AUK_August_AUK_August_2013 11/10/2013 10:53 Page 254

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Life Connections 2014 Exmed Study Day

Theme: Difficult Airway Course EMS™ – An introduction

, s l l i k s r u o y g n i g n e l l ‘‘It’s about cha g n i k a m d n a e c n e d developing confi . t n e i t a p ’’ r u o y r fo e a differenc

Thursday 15TH May 2014 Kettering Conference Centre, Kettering NN15 6PB TIME: A.M

PRESENTATION

08.30 - 09.00

Registration

09.00 - 09.15

Introduction & History of the Course

09.15 - 09.45

The Airway Algorithms

09-45 - 10.30

Prediction of the Difficult Airway

10.30 - 11.15

BVM and Laryngoscopy

11.15 - 11.30

Tea/Coffee, Exhibition

11.30 - 12.00

Skills Stations (4 rotations/30 min. each)

TIME: P.M

12.00 - 12.30

PRESENTATION


12.30 - 13.30

13.30 - 14.00

Lunch, Exhibition

Skill Stations

Trevor Ewing, Paramedic, Suffolk

Rotation 3 14.00 - 14.30



14.30 - 14.45 Airway Self Scope Video Group 1 BVM, ETI Paramedics. There are many reasons to develop your career with us. More contact with patients. Better career development. A Group unique 2mix of urban, and coastal settings. But why take our14.45 word- for it when you could hear it fromExhibition our paramedics EGD’srural & Rescue Airways 15.00 Tea/Coffee, themselves? They’ll be more than willing to tell you all about us. You can spend a shift with one of our crews or time in our control Group 3 gettingNeedle Surgical Airway - 17.00 Moulages room really to know& us. We also offer excellent incentives to 15.00 help you make thePractical move. Start discovering who we really are at www.paramedicrecruitment.co.uk Group 4 Video Laryngoscopy 17.00 Wrap up

Topics and Speakers correct at the time of press but may be subject to change

CPD certificate provider

Delegate Rate: £72.00 (inc VAT) includes: delegate bag, refreshments and the opportunity to visit over 60 trade stands.

Places limited to 16 delegates– register early!! 354

To register call 01322 660434 or visit:

www.lifeconnections.uk.com

G IN ES RV RC SE FO TO D Y E TR RM EN Y/A EE AR FR ILIT M

EUROPE’S LARGEST GATHERING OF MILITARY, HUMANITARIAN AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

The latest cutting edge and innovative equipment, techniques, technology and training in one dedicated forum Meet with over 70 UK & International suppliers Attend the internationally renowned 2-day conference Learn from the world leading military, humanitarian and emergency medical healthcare professionals Discover new technologies & strategies to save lives and improve patient care

REGISTER TODAY FOR FREE EXHIBITION ENTRANCE w. www.traumainnovation.com LEAD MEDIA PARTNER

MEDIA PARTNERS INCLUDE

Network with 2000+ peers from across the world to share best practice View brand new products and solutions from leading manufacturers Gain CPD accreditation to further your career

FREE Entrance to the 2014 Expo Conference Passes start at £120 + VAT when you book by the 18th October 2013 FREE for Serving Military/Armed Forces

Register Today at www.traumainnovation.com/register

t. +44 (0) 20 7384 7797

e. [email protected]

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