AmbulanceTODAY
the UK’s leading magazine for the ambulance & paramedic services
june 2007
- issue
15 16
volume
4 4
October
2007
- issue
volume
This special issue is sponsored by
“CALLING! CALLING!
ANGLIA ONE!”
We take a look at the vital work of East of
England's rapidly-expanding Air
Ambulance Operation
ALSO INSIDE:
n
n
n
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n
This Issue
Supported by
Chickens, Ambulances and Banana
Trees!
Eric Roberts on supporting Cuba's
under-resourced ambulance service
East Midland's Anne Spaight on
Pre-Hospital Pain Assessment
How Sepura's technology is helping
emergency services win the
communications race
Joe Conaghan's update on the Work
of UNISON's ambulance Sector
Scottish Ambulance appoints a new
Chief
Alan Howson on IHCD's Plans for 2008
n
n Welsh Ambulance's Year of Success
Plus:
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n
Out & About the UK Services
Products & Suppliers News
EDITOR’S COMMENT
AmbulanceTODAY
Partnership
the is Way
Forward!
W
elcome to the Autumn edition of Ambulance Today.
Summer's gone. You can tell that because the shops are
full of Christmas displays and its finally stopped raining!
I was sat in a pub beer garden the other day, chatting about the
change in the seasons with a paramedic friend. It was a lovely
cold, sunny day and I was rhapsodising about how much I love
Autumn and Winter. I quoted a fragment of poetry by Keats
(remembered from 'O' level English): “Seasons of Mist and Mellow
Fruitfulness…” it goes on a bit… Lots of references to orchards
and fruit and the invigorating atmosphere of a brisk, British
autumn. So I asked my paramedic mate (who works in a busy
city-centre station) what images this time of year evoked for him
as an experienced paramedic. He's been in the job for over a
decade so I know he's got fairly strong views on what the
changing seasons bring.
“Well”, he said: “The clocks change soon so…erm…
Hallowe'en… Bonfire Night… Christmas...New Year… Pretty busy
period come to think of it.”
“But what about apple-ducking, kids with sparklers at community
bonfire events, Christmas lights and late-night Christmas
shopping… carol-singers... mince-pies and fruit-punch,” I
suggested.
“Erm, not quite that Dickensian”, he replied (tactfully reminding
me that this is 2007 and not 1857).
“No, I was thinking about a different kind of punch. A more
realistic forecast would be: Long, dark nights, unruly kids making
prank-calls… even unrulier adults getting drunk at Christmas gettogethers, then throwing up in public and punching strangers for
no particular reason… A sharp increase in calls from timewasters…Oh, and that favourite seasonal party game - “Find the
address in the dark, whilst dodging eggs, or bricks, thrown by
kids in hoodies; while all the time bouncing over speed-bumps,
fretting about clock-start-times and wondering whether or not
you'll even get a break for a sausage-butty and a coffee before
2am.”
“Oh”, I replied, jolted back to reality: “Aren't there any positives?”
“Yeah”. He hesitated for a while. “Although working in constant
darkness like a mole, gives you a spot of Seasonal-Adjustment
Disorder and mild depression, you do at least sleep like a baby”.
“Sleep like a baby?” I asked.
“Well, not quite. I don't usually wet the bed or scream when the
light's turned off…But y'know what I mean. You sleep at the dropof-a-hat… You just do.”
“Why?”, I asked, innocently.
He rolled his eyes. “You sleep like a baby 'cos you're constantly
knackered. One of the problems with this job is the unsociable
working hours aspect. You know…missed breaks. Being sat in
lay-bys at midnight on stand-by. Working Christmas Day. You
know it has to be done…But that doesn't make it easy to put-up
with. It stresses you out. It really does. I love the job… but I don't
love the unsociable hours!”
And while my paramedic mate genuinely wasn't moaning (he
wouldn't anyway… he really does love his job), it made me
understand that, while the vast majority of citizens look forward to
things like bonfire night and the Christmas holidays with one set of
expectations - generally positive- emergency service workers
understandably view these seasonal holidays through a different
set of eyes. For ambulance staff the coming months primarily
mean dark nights, higher call rates, disorderly behaviour and,
above all, due to the changing of the clocks, much more working
of unsociable hours.
Which is why when I heard only a few days later about a new
ambulance partnership I was delighted. It's a new partnership
body which was recently set up by a group made up of both
Ambulance Chiefs and Union Representatives. It's called the
National Ambulance Partnership Forum and it's the brainchild of
Joe Conaghan. Joe is a working paramedic, based in Cardiff for
over 20 years. He's also the Chair of UNISON's National
Ambulance Sector. The NAPF has a uniquely well-balanced and
dedicated group of members - all their members have long trackrecords of working in and managing ambulance trusts and all of
them are committed to bringing senior ambulance managers and
union reps around the table on a regular basis to engage in open,
frank and equal discussions about all the issues that affect the
quality of working life for ambulance staff at all levels. Among the
issues they have agreed to focus on as a priority are 'unsociable
working hours' and 'meal-breaks'.
Now these issues may not seem like a big deal to anyone not
affected by them, but if you're working a hectic night-shift in a
cold, wet, busy, city centre at midnight on a weekend night close
to Christmas, I imagine that a reasonable meal break and an
understanding by your senior managers of the demands placed
upon you by working unsociable hours are very, very important. I
think the creation of the National Ambulance Partnership Forum is
yet another example that the attitudes of both unions and senior
management are more mature and sincere now in 2007 than
they've ever been in the entire history of the Ambulance Service.
Of course, they won't always agree on every minute aspect of
every major issue. But I think it's a remarkable tribute to their
commitment to working genuinely for all staff that they even agree
that they can trust and respect each other enough to sit down and
talk as equals. As my mate said when I told him about the NAPF:
“Well, yes, that sounds like a good thing.” As he explained: “You
can't eliminate the fact that frontline ambulance work involves
hassles… unsociable shifts, bad weather, badly-behaved patients,
working on your kids birthday…It all comes with the territory. But
you can at least try and improve working conditions and let staff
know that their good-will and dedication isn't taken for granted!”
Good point, I thought.
Declan Heneghan
Editor, Ambulance Today
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
3
7
EDITOR:
Declan Heneghan
email:
[email protected]
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Wordplay Media
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October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
23
28
3
8
The Best
Contents
Contents
Volume 4, Issue 16: October 2007
Next Issue: August 2007
O f A m b u l a n c e s To d a y
are supplied by nav-comm
- We make Electronics work
features
features
Focus
7
New
Calling! Calling!
East of England rapidly expanding Air Ambulance
Service
Clinical Effectiveness
10 Improving Pre-Hospital
Pain Assessment
Anne Spaight, General Manager, Clinical
Services, East Midlands Ambulance NHS Trust
IHCD
New Kojak
14 Beyond March 2008
Professional Paramedic Protection
Navigation and much more.
Reversing Cameras.
Accessories as runlocks
Yes IHCD will still be around
Unison Social Action
17 Chickens, Ambulances
and Banana Trees!
Unison’s Eric Roberts of London Ambulance
Service reports on Unison’s ongoing programme
of support for the Cuban Ambulance Service
20 Emergency Service Show
Stroke Association
21
22
Stroke Association is delighted to be hosting the
second UK STroke Forum Conference on the 4-6
December 2007
Welsh Ambulance News
Out & About
29 UK Trusts
All the latest stories
Products & Suppliers
34 Product News
All the latest stories
Touchtronic
Our Touch Screen is a whole vehicle
Switching system for all accessories
Incorporating
computer chips
at a Price which
is Cheap as
Chips.
www.nav-comm.net
or ring Tony or Sarah
01704 530391
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
5
6
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
FOCUS ON EAST OF ENGLAND AIR AMBULANCE
AmbulanceTODAY
”Calling! Calling!
Anglia One!“
author Clare Phillips
Paramedic Martin Bunn
checks the text message he's
just received on his mobile
phone. It's from the East of
England Ambulance service
control room telling him a car
has crashed into a wall in
North Suffolk. Quickly he
grabs his flying helmet while
colleague Daimon Wheddon is
on the phone to HQ who
update him that, in fact, the
casualty isn't too serious and
a local ambulance will attend.
So for the team on the East
Anglian Air Ambulance it is back
to their crew room at a military
airbase to wait for the next call which, if this is a typical day for
them, won't be long in coming.
On average they will receive four
calls a day although not all will
result in patients being airlifted,
as sometimes the benefit is in
getting doctors and clinicians to
the scene of an incident swiftly, to
assist road based paramedics
treating multiple casualties.
Although they have both
helped save hundreds of lives
there are always some incidents
that stick in the mind for the
paramedics. Martin recalls the
case of six year old Loui Scott,
who was in the front seat when
his dad's van was crushed
between two lorries.
“I managed to clamber in and
there was this little boy, about the
same age as my own son, very
badly injured, paralysed and
possibly never going to walk
again. We had to take the upmost
care to get him out of that vehicle
and into the helicopter.”
The story had a happy ending
as after ten weeks of being in and
out of intensive care with
BK117 helicopter which has been
used by the charity that funds the
service, for around 18 months. It
has just been joined by a second
similar aircraft, with the call sign
'Anglia Two' allowing the service
to extend its work into
neighbouring Bedfordshire, which
has so far not been covered by
an air ambulance.
Established in 2000, the East
Bedfordshire fundraiser Kelly Cooke spends a day aboard the helicopter
- her office is at Luton Ambulance Station
numerous operations Loui, who
staff at Addenbrooke's Hospital
dubbed 'the miracle boy', started
to make progress. He went
home in a wheelchair but six
months after the accident was not
only walking but playing football
and taking part in his school
sports day.
Martin, Daimon and pilot Ray
Turner are crewing 'Anglia One' a
EEAST paramedics Martin Bunn and Daimon Wheddon at RAF Honington with
'Anglia One' - credit Gig House Films
Anglian Air Ambulance service
(EAAA) has been flying since the
following year, initially only on one
day a week before swiftly moving
to a full daytime service seven
days a week and in the last
couple of years with a second
helicopter operating during the
peak summer season when the
population of the region swells
and increasing numbers of
people visit some of the rural and
coastal beauty spots that have
made the area famous - but are
often difficult to reach.
When the East Anglian
Ambulance NHS Trust merged
with neighbouring services
covering Bedfordshire,
Hertfordshire and Essex last year
to form the East of England
Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST)
- the charity running the air
ambulance decided to expand to
cover Bedfordshire, with the
Essex Air Ambulance, also
funded by charity, taking on the
cover for Hertfordshire.
Simon Gray, Executive Director
of the EAAA, is amazed at the
rate at which the charity has been
able to grow, funded entirely by
donations. In April 2006 the
charity was unveiling 'Anglia One'
replacing a 25 year old BO 105
as the main aircraft with the
smaller, older one becoming the
back up helicopter.
“To think that only a year later
we were launching a fund-raising
campaign to extend the service to
Bedfordshire and within four
months of that launch were able
to put a further BK117 into active
service is fantastic. It is a credit
not just to the staff and volunteer
fundraisers who work so hard for
the charity, but also shows the
esteem in which the people of
this region hold the air ambulance
and our colleagues at Magpas,
the emergency medical charity
based in Cambridgeshire, which
will staff the second helicopter
with its doctors and paramedics.”
With 'Anglia One' operating out
of RAF Honington near Bury St
Edmunds to cover Norfolk and
Suffolk, 'Anglia Two' will be based
at RAF Wyton, near St Ives in
Cambridgeshire. Before the
expansion into Bedfordshire
'Anglia One' had been crewed
either by two paramedics from
EEAST or, on about four days of
the week, by one paramedic and
a volunteer doctor from the region
who specialises in critical care.
The EEAST paramedics fly with
the helicopter for just over one
shift a week - it averages at about
four times in three weeks.
Although the rotas for the land
ambulances and the helicopters
operate separately the air
ambulance rota takes priority,
should a paramedic find
themselves on both.
Among the doctors to regularly
fly aboard the helicopter is John
Scott who is Medical Director of
EEAST. He said: “We welcome
the addition of a second air
ambulance as this will allow us to
provide a quicker response to
those who are taken ill or
seriously injured by providing a
medical team including doctors
from Magpas and paramedics
from the Trust. We will also be
able to, where necessary, provide
a clinically safe system to transfer
the patient where required to the
most appropriate hospital.
“In the future we hope to see if
this type of helicopter, because of
its spacious cabin, might be able
to offer improved transport
capability to patients being
moved from one hospital to
another.”
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
7
FOCUS ON EAST OF ENGLAND AIR AMBULANCE
The latest addition to the service - Anglia Two
But it's not just the expansion
across the region with the two
large helicopters and associated
equipment that gives the EAAA
team cause to celebrate. The
Trust paramedics who work on
the aircraft have been able to
develop new skills that their
managers would like to see taken
up by other UK Ambulance
Service Trusts when working with
their local air ambulances.
Archie Morson EEAST's Clinical
Manager - who also regularly
crews on the helicopter - has
encouraged the paramedics to
develop their critical care skills,
seeing the air ambulance as
much more than just an
opportunity to get to and from an
incident faster.
He views it as a professional
development opportunity for
paramedics who are able to
undertake training and education
days allowing them to attain these
new skills. “The paramedics who
have undergone this training are
able to administer certain drugs,
usually only given by a doctor,
such as ketamine, and are able to
undertake other procedures
including surgical airways.”
And as recent political rows
have been wagered over the
future of A&E departments
against large regional centres,
raising questions over travelling
time for emergency patients, Mr
Morson thinks there could not be
a more apposite time to be
building on the clinical skills of
the Trust's paramedics and
developing the use of the air
ambulance.
The service is also working with
two local universities to provide
further education including a
degree in Critical Care.
Paramedic Daimon Wheddon is
one of those signed up to the
University of Essex course, which
he'll undertake in block release
stages. “I see it as a great
opportunity for career
development,” he said. “The
additional training we get in
clinical care through working on
the aircraft will benefit not only the
patients we treat but we will be
constantly improving our skills
too.”
Keeping the aircraft flying and
providing the facilities for the
additional training isn't cheap. It
costs the EAAA more than
£1.7million annually to run the air
ambulance and provide the
advanced equipment that it
needs, and Magpas needs over
AmbulanceTODAY
£80,000 for the training of its
clinicians each year. Neither
organisation receives any funding
from the Government or the
National Lottery.
Fundraising is vital and one of
the key sources of income for the
air ambulance charity is its own
lottery. Players buy a ticket at £1 a
time, which is automatically
entered into a weekly draw.
Currently the lottery has more
than 20,600 players, many of
whom sign up for a minimum of
13 weeks. Although 15 per cent
of the 'stake' is issued in prizes including a jackpot of £1,000 this still means the lottery brings
in over £70,000 a month.
A mix of full time and part time
fundraising staff, supported by an
army of volunteers is responsible
for bringing in the rest of the
income. The fundraisers each
concentrate on a particular part of
the region, with Bedfordshire
being the most recent addition.
Kelly Cooke who looks after this
area makes sure she stays in
touch with colleagues at EEAST
as her office is based at Luton
Ambulance Station. Kelly said:
“It's great being so close to the
land ambulance crews who serve
our region so well, I'm here to
raise as much money as possible
so they can be supported by the
air ambulance when necessary.”
To find out more about the work
of the EAAA charity, or for
information about making a
donation or playing its lottery
visit www.eaaa.org.uk. Further
information about other air
ambulance charities across the
rest of the UK can be found on
the website of the umbrella
organisation the Association of
Air Ambulance Charities www.airambulancecharities.co.uk
The Magpas website can be
found at www.magpas.net.
Martin Bunn meets the 'miracle boy'
he helped rescue, Loui Scott
Dr John Scott was the first doctor to fly with
the EAAA service and has been Medical
Director for the Ambulance NHS Trust for nearly
10 years. He worked as a GP and has been
involved with Magpas since 1980. When not
flying with the air ambulance he lists beekeeping as one of his hobbies and at one time
had as many as 20 hives.
Martin Bunn has been with the ambulance
service for more than 15 years, many of them
based at Diss Ambulance Station in Norfolk.
As well as working on the air ambulance he
devotes much of his spare time to aviation
having built his own two-seater kit helicopter at
home. He holds a private pilot's licence and is
now working towards a commercial licence with
the hope that he might one day be able to pilot
the air ambulance as well as crew it!
Daimon Wheddon decided to join the NHS
ambulance service after working with the dock fire
and ambulance service at the Port of Felixstowe.
He joined as an ambulance technician in 1996
and became a paramedic in 2000. Daimon has
been working with the air ambulance since 2004
and is now looking forward to pursuing his
degree with Essex University.
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
9
FOCUS
ON
CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS
AmbulanceTODAY
ASPIRIN
Improving Pre-Hospital
Pain Assessment
CTL P-Chart for aspirin Dec 05 To Feb 06:
By Anne Spaight, General Manager,
Clinical Services East Midlands
Ambulance Service NHS Trust
In 2004 the Healthcare Commission reported that the majority of
patients (4 out of 5) said they had suffered pain from their
presenting conditions while in the ambulance. Although a high
proportion (81%) felt that the ambulance crew did everything they
could to control pain, 1 in 5 wanted more pain relief. 14% said that
the crew did this to some extent and 5% that the crew did not do
everything they could to control the pain.
The management of pain in the pre-hospital environment has been
shown to be an important determinant of subsequent pain in the
emergency department, and can be differentiated into a number of
essential components.
The recording of pain both at the scene (either the patient's home or
the scene of an emergency) and on arrival at hospital has been shown to
be feasible using numerical, verbal and visual analogue scales .
Recording pain scores is valuable, not only because it is a simple
method of assessing pain, but because it has been shown to increase
the likelihood of administration of analgesia and facilitates an estimation
of the effectiveness of treatment. In one study, a reduction in pain score
of at least 20mm out of 100mm on a visual analogue scale
corresponded to a clinically meaningful reduction in the level of pain
reported by patients experiencing acute pain .
The type, the dose, the route and timeliness of analgesia including
opiates have been available for use by paramedics for the management
of pain since the early 1990s.
How ambulance services manage pain is therefore clinically important
and a key indicator of the quality of service provision.
This evidence formed the basis for how, in Lincolnshire, improvement
was attained. The focus was on changing behaviour by good leadership,
presenting the evidence, and by feedback on unsatisfactory baseline
performance. For example the audit showed 47% recording rate of at
least one pain score, with 35% recording rate of two pain scores.
By adding the pain score data to the CHD performance indicators, the
Clinical Team leaders would not only collect the data and feed into the
electronic system, they would be able to instantly see results, and
comparisons, and through the visual feedback of the SPC charts, they
would be able to implement change.
The following trombonograms explain the process, using the CHD
performance indicators. The red lines indicate the upper and lower
control range and each number represents a team. As can be seen team
36 has fallen below the lower control line in both ECG acquisition and
aspirin administration, but for pain assessment is within the limits. This
may indicate a performance issue.
PAIN SCORES
CTL P-Chart for pain scores Dec 05 To Feb 06:
The next 3 diagrams or “control Charts” show where, as a result of
interventions, improvements have been made.
ECG ACQUISITION
Control chart for ECG acquisition July 02 To May 06:
12-LEAD ECG
CTL P-Chart for ECG acquisition Dec 05 to Feb 06:
At Dec. 02/Jan 03 Clinical Governance department mounted a campaign
to encourage the clinical intervention - ECG acquisition - the change is
clearly demonstrated. Again in Aug05/Sept05 with the advent of clinical
team leaders and timely feedback improvement is demonstrated.
10
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
FOCUS
ON
CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS
AmbulanceTODAY
ASPIRIN
Control chart for aspirin administration Jul 02 To May 06:
Additional education in aspirin administration shows improvements in
Jun06/Jul06
PAIN SCORES
Control charts showing pain score recording:
And finally, the Pain score charts show steady improvements in both the
% of one and two pain score scores.
The catalyst for improvement definitely came with the Healthcare
Commission report which led to further audit work. The changes came
about by presenting these results in such a way that it was immediately
obvious that performance was unsatisfactory. The inclusion of the
Clinical Team Leaders in explaining the evidence for improvement, the
near instant feedback and the ability to do something about it certainly
had an effect, as is a system which measures improvement and
demonstrates improvement
Close working with the Education department was extremely important in
putting in programmes to help improve clinical skills and knowledge.
Healthcare Commission. Patient survey report 2004 - ambulance services.
McLean SAet al. Prehosp Emerg Care 2004:8: 155-161.
Lord BA, Parsell B. Pre-hospital Disaster Med 2003:18: 353-358.
Silka PA et al. Acad Emerg Med 2004:11: 264-270.
Kelly AM. Emerg Med (Fremantle ) 2001:13: 57-60.
Woollard M et al.. Emerg Med J 2002:19: 565-570.
Karlson BW et al. Cardiology 1993:83: 107-117.
The article was written by Anne Spaight, who presented at AMBEX
2007. She wishes to acknowledge the contributions and support
from colleagues, namely John Burnham, Debbie Shaw, Niroshan
Siriwardena, John Stephenson, and Paul Phillips.
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
13
IHCD NEWS
beyond March
2008 . . .
yes IHCD will still
be around
AmbulanceTODAY
So more of the same ?
Not as far as Edexcel or the Ambulance Service Association is
concerned; it's not simply a case of extending the current IHCD
Paramedic award to March 2103 and hoping for the best. The intention
will be, working with Ambulance Services, to develop bridges and routes
through the BTEC awards framework routes for existing staff and mature
students who wish to progress to Paramedic education but perhaps
aren't in a position to study on a full-time basis.
IHCD’s Business Development Manager,
Alan Howson
In response to being asked this question almost daily for the past
3 months, Alan Howson, the IHCD Awards Manager, outlines what
IHCD and Edexcel will be doing beyond March 2008. You heard it
here first, straight from the manager’s mouth - unedited.
How time flies. 16 years ago I joined the then NHSTA with a project
brief to complete the conversion of the Ambulance Technician and
Paramedic awards to NVQ's - the future of ambulance training was to be
national vocational qualifications.
As I soon discovered, all but a few of the then 53 Chief Ambulance
Officers were opposed to NVQ's for Paramedics - they saw the future of
Paramedic training with Higher Education rather than being consigned to
artisan status (their words not mine).
16 years on and with professional status achieved (through the IHCD
awards) some progress has been made in the transition to an academic
footing for Paramedic education, but not sufficient to achieve the March
2008 target set by the Ambulance Service Association at their Future of
Education conference held on 24th May 2005.
As a consequence, I can confirm that the IHCD awards will
continue beyond March 2008, most likely to March 2013; you
heard it here first (for the detail see below).
There will be some who will be aghast at this and others who will be
thankful. My observation is that unusual circumstances have combined
during the build up to 2008; the goal remains the same so if you're
aghast get over it the best you can.
So what were the circumstances ?
A number of factors have been at play, the most salient ones from our
perspective and not in any particular order:
n the merging of English Ambulance Services - 33 into 11 is fairly
easy on a calculator, merging organisations is not. Trust
appointments took a long time to sort out and this together with
getting to grips with their new geography slowed decision making
almost to a standstill. This also coincided with the next factor.
n
the financial situation in the NHS during 2006/7 - 1 in 3 trusts
reported deficits. Recruitment and training was suspended and
posts left unfilled.
n
Agenda for Change - resolving the varying terms and conditions in
the newly merged Services and establishing new workforce
structures took time.
n
Changes in service delivery - more Emergency Care Practitioners
left Paramedic vacancies to be filled. Higher Education could not
meet the demands in the short term.
n
Capacity of Higher Education - the lead time for Diploma
Paramedics is much greater than the IHCD system. He does not
have an endless supply of funding nor does it deliver the same
courses between Institutions; several Sparticus's thrive in different
parts of the same Service.
n
14
Call Connect (April 2008) - will create a short term need for more
Paramedics.
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
The First Person on Scene awards (FPOS awards) are owned by
Edexcel and will continue to be offered through the IHCD brand.
Edexcel has a vast range of qualifications on offer and will be working
with Ambulance Services to identify qualifications that could be used by
other staff groups for example Control Staff.
National Qualifications Frameworks
BTEC qualifications are recognised by the Qualifications Curriculum
Authority (QCA) and can provide credit towards other qualifications - the
recognition is down to individual Universities. There are unfortunately 2
qualification frameworks that exist - one under the aegis of the
Qualifications Curriculum Authority, which covers schools and Further
Education, and the other managed by the Quality Assurance Agency for
Higher Education; the two don't always twain - it's very much down to the
University and its processes for recognition.
In the BTEC framework, different awards are available depending on
the number of guided learning hours :
Award (up to 120 hours)
Certificate (up to 200 hours)
Diploma (up to 300 hours)
It is possible to have a BTEC level 3 Diploma in Ambulance
Emergency Care.
The transition to BTEC
As part or the transition, Edexcel has run a series of BTEC
accreditation workshops for Ambulance Services. All but one UK
Ambulance Service has attended these events which have been
IHCD NEWS
AmbulanceTODAY
designed to inform Ambulance Services on the BTEC qualifications
framework and the requirements for accreditation.
BTEC awards are very different to the IHCD awards in many
respects, most notably :
n the Units of achievement are expressed in guiding learning hours
where a range of student directed activities counts (eg, prereading, research, direct teaching, work experience)
n
Centres are required to design their own assessment tools which
are approved by Edexcel
Choice will also play its part. Ambulance Services are not bound to
use BTEC awards. We believe there is much to be gained from
maintaining a national approach in certain areas, for example Driving.
Fact: only the Ambulance Service has a national system of driver
training, for operational and instructional staff.
The easiest way to access BTEC awards for Ambulance Services will
be to develop new relationships with Further Education. Indications
are that Services are realising that Higher Education is not in itself the
sole solution to the development of their staff. To what extent Services
need to maintain some sort of training capacity remains to be seen.
Perhaps fewer training staff but with a more strategic/quality assurance
role.
Will IHCD continue ?
For a business to survive it must have products/services that
customers are willing to buy and, as a minimum, provide these cost
effectively - certainly not at a loss. It must to adapt to the
circumstances it finds itself in, either by developing new products;
finding new markets or a mixture of both.
IHCD has been reasonably successful at developing new products
and finding new markets. Its reliance on NHS Ambulance Services as
the sole source of income has been greatly reduced over the last 5
years. This will continue.
When I was appointed to my role as Awards Manager (Project
Manager back then) the organisation was called the NHS Training
Authority. Several years on I've been through more job titles than I
care to recall, working for several differently named organisations
(including two NHSTD's) but essentially still providing services
customers want.
It does seem natural however that many of the products offered
through the IHCD brand migrate to the BTEC brand. This will take time
and we may lose some customers along the way; equally I have no
doubt we will attract new customers. I don't look upon it as the end of
IHCD but more of finding the most appropriate way of delivering
services.
Brands are peculiar things. I never realised Wispa bars had been
discontinued and can't wait for them to return as promised by
Cadburys.
If a decision is made to end the IHCD brand we will let this be
known in good time. Should that day come then I would hope we
would celebrate the contribution it has made to the development of
ambulance staff over a very many years. In the meantime we have a lot
of work to do, and yes, IHCD will still be here beyond March 2008.
Links
QCA: www.qca.org.uk
QAA: www.qaa.ac.uk
BTEC Teaching awards: www.edexcel.org.uk
IHCD INSTRUCTORS
WANTED
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Would you like:n
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Emstar has UK Europe and Overseas opportunities for you.
We have short medium and long term contracts and will tailor your
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We offer very generous renumeration plus expenses and mileage allowance.
For more information and an informal confidential chat please contact:
Richard Lane. S.R.Para 07894 909608 [email protected]
Peter Huddleston 07860 666189 [email protected]
www.emstar.biz
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
15
Unison
Comment
U
NISON SOCIAL
ACTION ON HEALTH
AmbulanceTODAY
Chickens,
Ambulances and
Banana Trees!
Unison’s Eric Roberts of London
Ambulance Service reports on
Unison’s ongoing programme of
support for the Cuban Ambulance
Service.
UNISON has a long and proud
history of solidarity with other
trade unions around the world,
particularly when it comes to
health. Health should be a
universal right for all people,
but in some cases that right is
denied, either by economic
forces, or, as is mainly the
case, political forces. Internal
political and economic forces
are usually seen as the culprit
but in the case of Cuba, both
these forces are applied
vindictively and cynically by a
close external superpower.
within a shipment of buses, fire
engines and other containers of
aid from British trade unions. In
the end, with the help of
generous union and private
individual donations, we
managed to send over 50! It was
an historic day when a ship
called the Luric docked in
Havana and spilled its cargo of
much needed, blockade
breaking, solidarity onto the
quayside. A delegation from the
branch went to Cuba and our
strong ties with ambulance
workers in general and the
The history of Cuba and the
Cuban people is not for this
article but it would be remiss of
me not to applaud the
magnificent achievements of the
Cuban Health Workers Union
(SNTS) in providing healthcare
throughout the Island in spite of
the brutal fifty year blockade by
the United States. A blockade
which denies trade, medicines,
materials and basic human day
to day necessities, which we in
the UK take for granted. A
blockade, by the way,
condemned by the overwhelming
majority of countries within the
United Nations, year after year.
London Ambulance UNISON
headed a campaign in 1999
when we were asked by Salud
International if we could supply
one ambulance to be included
Havana City Ambulance Service
in particular, began.
As British ambulance workers
struggle with high demand,
response times, mergers,
reconfigurations, registration, low
wage rises, Agenda for Change,
unsocial hours, rest breaks etc
(which is right because we live
and work here and they are our
particular problems to resolve),
the daily struggle of our Cuban
counterparts puts everything into
perspective: a shortage of
vehicles, a shortage of spare
parts, a shortage of equipment, a
shortage of medicine, a shortage
of fuel, a shortage of paper, a
shortage of phones, a shortage
of computers. The list goes on.
These are not shortages because
of an incompetent management
or government; these are
shortages because the things
that they need and are willing to
pay and trade for, are denied
them by a huge, rich, powerful
bully that wants to starve and
destroy them, their way of life and
their country. I sometimes wonder
how we would survive through a
fifty year blockade of our shores
and I hope we never have to find
out. The population of the USA is
about 250 million; the population
of Cuba is about 12 million, just
bigger than London!
That said, Cuba does have lots
of friends in the world. Canada
for one is a country who
consistently breaks the blockade
to trade and enter into
partnerships with the Cuban
government. Canada has also
supplied ambulances, materials
and spare parts to the health
service. On my last visit I also
saw Mercedes ambulances on
the streets after the government
purchased them out of a financial
loan from China. Things are
slowly getting better as the
country recovers from losing their
most important trading partner:
the Soviet Union, over a decade
ago.
My last trip to Cuba was in
December 2006. I visited a
number of ambulance stations
and for the first time, the Havana
City Ambulance Control Room. I
also spoke to trade union leaders
and government ministers about
UNISON London Region's
strategy for further and ongoing
solidarity work with our sister
unions.
I went to the ambulance station
in Old Havana, which is now a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
(Old Havana not the ambulance
station!) where they have
quadruple size bunks for people
to sleep in (the ambulance station
not Old Havana!). They do 24
hours on and 48 hours off. I was
told that one of their main
problems was getting
ambulances through the narrow
streets in the centre. In fact they
told me that once they had to
stand outside the station and
watch as an old wooden framed
building (there are lots of these in
Old Havana dating back to the
Spanish rule) burnt to the ground
with many people losing their
lives only a short distance away
because they, and the fire
brigade, could not get near it.
They told me this story with tears
in their eyes. Why didn't they
send a first responder in a
smaller vehicle? Because they
don't have any! Why didn't they
send a motorbike? Because they
don't have any! Why didn't they
send someone on a pushbike?
Because they don't have any!
Why didn't they just run down to
it? Because they don't have the
appropriate equipment even if
they did get near!
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
17
AmbulanceTODAY
INNOVATIVE DOCUMENT
MANAGEMENT
SOLUTIONS
The new Clinical Audit Reporting System (CARS),
developed by e-Docs UK in partnership with South
Central Ambulance Service, has been described as a
ground breaking development that will significantly
improve operational and clinical efficiency and enable
the provision of a more holistic approach to delivering
patient care.
CARS provides rapid retrieval of documents and
significantly reduces data storage costs. It will enable
complaints to be quickly resolved and fulfils the
requirements of the NHS Litigation Authority by being
able to prove that a full record exists for each individual
patient. It also provides a more efficient way for
ambulance staff to view their own performance for the
different procedures and interventions that they have
carried out.
For clinical audit managers, CARS allows access to all patient related paperwork to ensure that protocols are being
followed and ensure that patient care is delivered to prescribed standards at all times.
e-Docs UK is far more than just a developer of innovative clinical audit reporting
systems. It also provides a range of hosted and web-based document and business
process management solutions that deliver significant cost savings and productivity
improvements.
They include:
n Volume Scanning and digitizing of paper filing systems
n Records Management
n Email management
n Data Capture services from forms
n Accounts Payable management
For more information call 01992 801860
e-Docs UK, 24 Pindar Road, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire EN11 0DE
Tel: 01992 801860 Fax: 01992 801861
Email: [email protected] Website: www.e-docsuk.co.uk
18
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
U
NISON SOCIAL
ACTION ON HEALTH
Unison
Comment
Another day I went out of
Havana to the Pinar Del Rio
province to visit an ambulance
station there. It was different from
the one in Old Havana. It was
bigger, had more grounds and
was in the country. The staff
seemed more relaxed. They do
24 hours on and 72 hours off.
The ambulance workers there
rear their own chickens and grow
their own bananas in the grounds
of the station! There was also a
huge herb garden growing
alongside the mess room wall.
We stayed for lunch and were
offered: you've guessed it Chicken, with herbs and banana
fritters to follow! Being vegetarian
I only had the bananas but even if
I wasn't, I don't think I could have
eaten an ambulance chicken!
Talking about chickens reminds
me of a job I did many years ago.
My crewmate and I were sent to
“an hysterical woman in the
street” I was the attendant and as
we turned into the street we had
been given, my heart sank! At the
far end of the street was a
woman who was screaming at
the top of her voice “my baby, my
baby” while holding a bundle in a
blanket close to her chest. A
huge crowd had gathered around
her.
We stopped and I stepped
from the cab, fought my way
through the crowd and
approached her. I did the normal
reassuring talk and took the
bundle off her, fearing the worst. I
unfolded the top of the blanket to
get a closer look but instead of a
baby's head which I expected;
there in front of my eyes was a
chicken! Not a frozen chicken I
hasten to add, but a real fully
feathered chicken - dead!
As the woman was still
screaming we managed to get
her and the chicken back into her
house leaving a stunned, silent
crowd outside not believing what
they had just seen! Through the
screams I managed to find out
that this was her pet chicken. Not
just an ordinary pet chicken
though. This was a pet chicken
that had its own little bed in her
bedroom. This was a pet chicken
that she adored. So much so that
her husband had left her because
he couldn't stand the chicken
sleeping between them in their
bed some nights!
This was one chicken loving
woman who we had to calm
down and get to the local
accident and emergency
department for assessment. As
every ambulance worker knows,
sometimes in these situations you
have to make compromises to
get the patient to agree to come
with you - silently!
She wanted me to lay the
chicken out on her dining room
table. I did that. She wanted me
to make sure the chicken's eyes
were closed. I did that. She
wanted me to fold the chicken's
wings across its chest. I did that.
The chicken was about a metre
from beak to claws. It was huge.
As I was playing the chicken
undertaker my crewmate was
standing behind me creasing
himself up! Unable to laugh out
loud he had turned a bright,
unhealthy, red!
We eventually persuaded her
to come with us, but there was no
way that she would leave the
house without the chicken!
Needing to get out of that house
myself, the up-shot was that
fifteen minutes later we found
ourselves backing into the
ambulance bay at the Whittington
Hospital in North London. The
tearful woman walked into the
crowded accident & emergency
department leaving me and my
crewmate pulling our stretcher
with a dead chicken wrapped up
cosy in an ambulance blanket
behind her! I still cringe at the
immortal words I uttered when
the night sister approached us. I
pointed at the woman and said:
“Her chicken's died!” I still hold
the record of being the only
ambulance worker to bring a
chicken into a London
emergency department for
resuscitation!
Back in Cuba my next visit was
AmbulanceTODAY
to the Havana City Ambulance
Control Room. This was my first
visit and I was taken aback! I was
really shocked and upset at what
I saw. It was as if I had walked
back in time. I had been spoilt by
the London Ambulance control
room. Millions of pounds worth of
high tech, three hundred or so
highly trained staff, more
computers screens than you can
wave a stick at, bright lights,
buzzing activity and controllers
taking calls from the public and
passing them on to the crews.
The Havana City Control Room
was silent! No computers, no
bright lights, no buzzing activity,
no high tech. The control room
was based in two small rooms.
The main room was supposed to
be the call taking room. Two big
desks in the centre of the floor
and about twelve telephones
was all that was in it. Pencils and
paper to write any calls that
came in on! Twelve telephones,
pencil and paper to deal with a
city with the population of
around two and a half million
people!
Worse was to come. The room
for dispatching had one desk,
one old radio that looked like a
trucker's type, and nothing else.
Even the most basic control
room in the most basic voluntary
or private ambulance service in
the UK could not function like
this. This is not the fault of the
workers in the control room. It is
not the fault of the Havana City
Ambulance Service and it is not
the fault of the Cuban
government.
Cuba, in spite of the blockade,
has always put the health of the
people at the top of the agenda
and a lot of the medical
outcomes (mortality rates etc)
are on a par with, or better than,
a lot of rich western countries.
Without trade it cannot invest
and make an excellent service
better. Doctors, health workers
and ambulance workers have to
function with one hand tied
behind their backs. They need
help.
That is why the UNISON
London Region is launching a
campaign to modernise and
restructure the Havana City
Ambulance Control. The target is
£50,000. This will help purchase
computers, data bases, modern
phones with multiple lines,
recording machines, radios (both
for the control room and
ambulances), call stacking
equipment, tracking devices and
much, much, more modern
control equipment that we take
for granted. We are hoping also
to buy a bike for the Old Havana
Ambulance Station.
Above all, the campaign will
save lives, and saving lives is
what ambulance workers around
the world are about. Solidarity!
If anybody would like to help or
find out more details please
contact Chris Remington,
UNISON London Region Head
of Health at
[email protected]
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
19
EMERGENCY SERVICE SHOW
The Emergency Services Show
is back for 2007 even bigger
and better than before!
This is the ultimate independent
emergency services exhibition:
one inclusive event for UK
manufacturers, specialist suppliers
and response organisations alike.
The overwhelming response to
last year's inaugural event has
resulted in a larger venue, centrally
located in the Midlands. The
easily accessible Stoneleigh Park
in Coventry will really bring the
show to life with double the
capacity for exhibitors and an
extensive outside area for large
scale product demonstrations and
displaying revolutionary vehicles to
their best advantage.
Ambulance service personnel
visiting the Emergency Services
Show will see the very latest
products, innovations and services
conveniently placed under one
roof. This will provide a unique
opportunity to meet all relevant
suppliers at one go whilst
networking and gaining crucial
information on the operations of
other organisations in the sector.
THE DEFINITIVE EVENT FOR
THE INDUSTRY
The scale and nature of recent
national incidents has made multi
agency collaboration in rescue
operations no longer preferable
but essential.
Since the launch event last
October, the UK has experienced
flooding and storms, the Cumbrian
train crash, the poisoning of
Alexander Litvinenko, the ongoing
threat of avian flu, tornados in
North London and the earthquake
in Folkestone - in addition to
'everyday' civil emergencies such
as road traffic accidents and fires.
20
AmbulanceTODAY
All of these incidents rely upon
specialist emergency services
combining forces for the most
efficient reaction.
David Brown, Director of
Emergency Services (MMC) Ltd,
the organiser of The Emergency
Services Show explains: “this is
the only event in the UK which
mirrors what is happening at grass
root level. By bringing together all
the emergency services and
specialist equipment suppliers
under one roof, we are providing
an essential environment for
visitors, exhibitors and conference
delegates to source new products,
network, share information and
build relationships.
“We have been spurred on not
only by the success of last year
but even more so by the response
to this year's event. This
enthusiasm is really important to
us as ultimately we would like to
see the industry take ownership of
the Emergency Services Show.”
Both the West Midlands
Ambulance Service and the
Warwickshire Fire & Rescue
Service have taken this on board
and have given their full support to
the event.
Zoll
UNIQUE TO THE EMERGENCY
SERVICES SHOW:
The Exhibition
“It's the show that emergency
services suppliers have needed for
years” - Richard Bailey, Managing
Director of The Aire Group.
This is the ultimate independent
emergency services exhibition for
a potentially massive market: one
inclusive event for UK
manufacturers, specialist suppliers
and response organisations alike.
Ambulance service personnel
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
will have the chance to visit over
150 exhibitors showcasing the
very latest products, innovations
and services available to
emergency responders. This year's
venue will really bring the event to
life.with an extensive outside area
for displaying vehicles to their best
advantage, and also allowing for
large scale product
demonstrations.
The exhibitor categories include:
n Communications & IT
n First Response Equipment
n Personal Protective
Equipment
n Training & Education
Resources
n Technical Rescue & Medical
Equipment
n Vehicles & Vehicle Equipment
n Business Continuity
n Outsourcing
The Emergency Response
Zone
An intrinsic part of the exhibition
is the Emergency Response Zone
which is doubling in size for 2007.
The Zone encapsulates the
spirit of the Civil Contingencies
Act, providing Ambulance service
personnel with immediate access
to Category 1 and 2 Responders,
government, non-government and
support organisations, providing a
wealth of information on each
one's functions and operating
constraints. Amongst the 50
exhibitors in this area are: British
Red Cross, the Health Protection
Agency, the Ambulance Service
Association, Government
Decontamination and many more.
The Conference
“An excellent conference please encourage all Emergency
Planners to attend” - 2006
Conference Delegate
Last year's conference was a
sell out, with 100% attendance for
key topics. This has revealed a
very real need for this kind of
exciting forum for informative
debate and education.
This year's high profile
conference, continuing on the
theme of “Improving Emergency
Response”, will cover a wide
range of pertinent topics relating to
the challenges facing the UK's
Ambulance Service and the
emergency industry in the 21st
Century.
Amongst the topics for
discussion in the conference
programme are the following:
n The Health Protection
Agency will discuss the
Litvinenko poisoning.
n The Met Office will be
talking about climate change
and the ensuing disaster
effects, eg. Flash flooding
n Air Accident Investigation
& Procedures will be
informing organisations
involved in emergency
planning of its work and
responsibilities, to assist cooperation in the investigation
of aircraft accidents.
n The Department of Health
will be providing an update
on the Hazard Response
Team (HART). This brings to
life the theory of sharing skills
and working practices and is
the result of a government
study into how emergency
services respond to major
disasters ranging from
terrorist attacks to chemical
leaks. Specially trained HART
paramedics will, for the first
time, be able to enter the 'Hot
Zone' of an incident to reach
casualties.
n West Midlands Ambulance
Service will be talking about
the provision of emergency
care.
To avoid disappointment it is
worth registering early. The
programme is being updated daily
so log onto
www.theemergencyservicesshow2
007.com to keep up to date with
conference subjects as they are
confirmed.
Make sure you are fully up to
speed with these subjects by
attending the seminars.
THE VENUE - Stoneleigh Park,
Coventry
Stoneleigh Park is a fantastic
venue, lending itself perfectly to
this kind of large scale event.
Easily accessible, it is just a
short drive from several
motorways including M1, M40,
M42, M45, M6 and M9, and there
is free parking on site.
It is 15 minutes from Coventry
railway station, and courtesy
coaches will be running frequently
between the station and venue. It
is also a short distance from
Birmingham International Airport
and Coventry Airport.
DON'T MISS OUT
Entrance to the exhibition is
completely FREE.
To register visit
www.theemergencyservicesshow2
007.com and to keep updated
with the conference programme
as it is confirmed.
FOCUS
ON
CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS
Stroke
Association
by Angela Rowlands
The Stroke Association is
delighted to be hosting the
second UK Stroke Forum
Conference on the 4 - 6 December
2007. After the success of last
year's event which was attended
by more than 1000 delegates, it is
hoped that this year's conference
will be bigger and better than
ever.
The conference is primarily aimed
at all healthcare professionals working
in stroke care and research. The
programme has been designed to
ensure that each aspect of the
conference can enable delegates
from different disciplines to meet and
share ideas, and hear about issues,
challenges and developments from
different but relevant perspectives.
The conference is being held at the
Harrogate International Centre and
experts in the field of stroke will come
to discuss topics such as acute
stroke management, driving and
vision, psychosocial support and
interventional neuroradiology.
The UK Stroke Forum is itself a
coalition of organisations committed
to promoting multidisciplinary stroke
research and education, and the
annual conference provides an
excellent platform from which to do
this.
Along with the many speakers at
the conference there will also be a
poster display and an ideas fair which
is an interactive display of new ideas
in stroke research, technology and
best practice.
Ambulance staff may be
particularly interested to attend the
plenary session which is being
chaired by Dr Anthony Rudd,
consultant Stroke Physician at Guy's
and St Thomas' Hospital and is
entitled 'Implementing a national
stroke strategy'.
Speakers at this session include
Professor Roger Boyle CBE, National
AmbulanceTODAY
Director for Heart Disease and Stroke
at the Department of Health and
Professor Mike Harmer, Deputy Chief
Medical Officer for Wales.
The national stroke strategy is a
significant step forward in the future
of stroke care as it could determine
the future of stroke care over the next
ten to fifteen years. One element of
the stroke strategy that is particularly
relevant to ambulance workers is the
emergency response which looks at
stroke being treated as a medical
emergency.
Other sessions at the conference will
include:
n Neuroradiaology - more questions
than answers?
n Life after stroke: participating in
the community and returning to
work
n The future of stroke nursing
n Psychological support
n Rehab trials showcase
n Ethical issues in stroke care and
research
n Driving and vision
n Atrial fibrillation and glucose
n Showcase of research funded by
UK Stroke Forum charities
n Acute management: some
answers?
n Delivering augmented
rehabilitation therapy
n Good practice in user involvement
A wide range of speakers will be
presenting on these topics and there
will be the opportunity for questions
BENEFITS OFFERED BY
YOUR PROFESSIONAL BODY
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Professional Advice
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Development Workshops
State of the Art Online CPD
Specialist Courses
Member Discounts
Discounted MDU membership for professional
indemnity insurance
The BPA (College of Paramedics) is working closely with AETAG,
JRCALC, DoH and the HPC to undertake greater responsibility for the
future of the profession and the services offered to patients.
and also networking with various
health professionals and researchers
all with a special interest in stroke
throughout the conference.
Speakers at the conference will
include Professor Hugh Markus
(Professor of Neurology at St
George's University of London),
Professor Marit Kirkevold (University
of Oslo, Norway) and Professor
Charles Wolfe (Professor of Public
Health at King's College in London).
The UK Stroke Forum are also
delighted to welcome back Professor
Willy De Weerdt from the Department
of Rehabilitation Science, K.U.
Leuven, Belgium who gave an
extremely interesting talk at the
inaugural conference last year.
Professor Willy De Weerdt will be
talking at the Princess Margaret
Memorial Lecture and the session will
be chaired by Dr Marion Walker,
Associate Professor and Reader in
Stroke Rehabilitation at the University
of Nottingham and Chairman of the
UK Stroke Forum.
For delegate bookings, payments
and enquiries please contact Helen
Chapman on 01604 623 956, email:
[email protected] or visit
www.ukstrokeforum.org
JOIN NOW AND
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Register for membership on the website:
www.britishparamedic.org
For further information,
email: [email protected]
or telephone: 01332 746 356
Membership is available for the benefit of all:
Paramedic/ECP
£20.00
Student Paramedic
£15.00
Emergency Medical
Technician (IHCD award)
£15.00
Associated with out of
hospital care
£10.00
CPD
On-line payment now available
£10.00
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
21
A “remarkable” first year
for ambulance boss
The man who's put the Welsh
Ambulance Service on the road
to recovery says it's the “most
difficult but most rewarding”
challenge of his career.
Chief Executive Alan Murray,
one of the world's top ambulance
service experts, was speaking as
he completed his first year in
charge.
Before arriving in Wales, he
masterminded a similar
turnaround in the fortunes of the
ailing Merseyside Ambulance
Service.
He said: “I said when I took the
job that the problems were fixable
but this is a very much bigger job
than Merseyside.
“This is by far the biggest
challenge I've undertaken on
during my career - but also the
most rewarding.”
Mr Murray's achievements
during his first year have been
hailed as a “remarkable” by Stuart
Fletcher, the Chair of the Welsh
Ambulance Service.
Mr Fletcher said: “We were
convinced that Alan was the
absolutely right appointment and
subsequent events have proved
us right.
“Alan has been remarkably
successful. We had high
expectations of what he would
achieve but he has actually
exceeded those expectations.”
When Alan Murray took over on
August 7 last year, the
performance of the Welsh
Ambulance Service was in a
downward spiral - and so was
staff morale.
And a revolving door of interim
chief executives did little to
improve the confidence of the staff
or the public.
During the year, the permanent
Chief Executive, Don Page, retired
after a period of long-term sick
leave.
In his absence, the post had
been filled by a series of
temporary chief executives
including Roger Thayne and Dr
Anton van Dellen.
But Alan Murray's appointment
heralded a new era of stability and the introduction of a massive
modernisation plan, Time to Make
a Difference.
Now, for the first time in two
years, all three regions are
consistently meeting and beating
Welsh Assembly Government
performance targets.
Treatment is reaching patients
suffering life-threatening
emergencies within eight minutes
in more than 60 per cent of cases.
In fact, the performance is
better than it's ever been in the
history of the Welsh Ambulance
Service.
But the problems facing the
service when Alan Murray arrived
were “deep-rooted and real” and
there was a “lot of anger and
frustration” among staff.
He said: “I've spoken to
managers who have said they've
known for years what they needed
to do to improve performance in
their locality and nobody would let
them do it.
“The staff were getting there as
fast as they could. The problems
were caused by the way the
service was led and organised that resulted in them being late
and they were having to apologise
for it. That had a tremendously
detrimental effect on morale.
“But, of course, the upside of
that is once you start to change
things and you start letting
managers do the things that
they've known all along they
needed to do, then it all starts to
work.
“It has been a very busy year;
it's been at times a very stressful
year. It's also been an exciting year
and it's been a very rewarding
year as we've seen things that we
are doing have positive effects.
“We are now, for example,
getting to over 300 more patients
with chest pain and cardiac arrest
within four minutes on a monthly
basis than we did this time last
year.
“This is not about stopping
clocks or achieving statistical
standards. This is about delivering
care to some very, very sick
Zero tolerance on violence against staff
Welsh Ambulance staff face
violence and abuse daily. Now,
following a recent attack, which
has put a technician out of
action for at least three weeks,
the Trust is reinforcing its zero
tolerance stance.
Technician Robert Bevan
suffered a shoulder injury and a
number bruises after being
attacked by a 25 year old man as
he attended to him in the back of
an ambulance. The vehicle was
also damagedin the incident.
The crew were flagged down
during the early hours of a
Saturday morning to attend to a
22
man unconscious in the street. As
they took him from Blackwood
towards the Royal Gwent Hospital
the man regained consciousness
and attacked Robert.
Mike Cassidy, Director of
Ambulance Services, said: "The
Welsh Ambulance Services NHS
Trust condemns acts of violence
and aggression against its staff
and those employed in the NHS in
general.
Ambulance staff care for
everyone's emergency medical
needs and should not have to
endure violence or harassment as
part of their work.
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
"Violence and aggression
towards ambulance staff is
completely unacceptable. It is not
just ambulance crews who suffer,
control room staff also have to
regularly deal with verbal abuse.
The Trust upholds a zero
tolerance approach to such
behaviour and we will do our
utmost to ensure that anyone who
physically or verbally attacks our
staff is arrested. It is simply not
acceptable for staff to be in fear
whilst trying to do their job. I am
sure the vast majority of the public
would support us ".
In 2006-07, 204 ambulance
patients, some of whom are in life
threatening condition.
“For me, the most rewarding
aspect of the job has been seeing
the clinical staff delivering the
services that they've always
wanted to deliver, seeing
managers getting the authority to
go with the accountability that they
carry.
“Another major development
during the course of the year was
that NHS Direct became part of
the Trust.
“Only 10 per cent of people
who ring 999 are having lifethreatening emergencies.
“Our job is to provide
appropriate care at the
appropriate time and having the
service provided by NHS Direct as
part of our organisation gives us
huge opportunities to deliver
services more appropriately.
“I acknowledge that there are
still a lot of things in the service
that need to be put right. The staff
tell me about them and I would be
very disappointed if they didn't.
“I want to give them assurance
that we are aware that we aren't
home and dry and it's going to
take another four years I would
say, before we get to that point.
“The thing that has given me
most pleasure about the job is
seeing the quality of service for
the patients improved.”
It was a sentiment echoed by
Mr Fletcher who added: “We want
to achieve an Ambulance Service
of which the whole nation can be
proud.
“The reality is that although
performance has improved
significantly, we are still below
other parts of the UK.
“It's a significant challenge and I
don't think any of us - least of all
Alan - will be satisfied until we are
the best performing Ambulance
Service in the UK.”
personnel suffered violence or
abuse whilst going about their
work, 80 of these incidents
resulted in injuries to staff.
Mike said: "The Trust has
invested in compulsory training in
conflict management for all frontline staff and will do everything it
can to support staff who perform
with such professionalism in often
dangerous and difficult situations. I
would encourage the public to
help us to support ambulance
crews and report any incidents of
violence and aggression that they
witness." A spokesperson for
Gwent police confirmed that a man
arrested on suspicion of assault
and criminal damage has been
bailed pending further enquiries.
Thumbs up for
ambulance service
A North Wales AM has given
an unconditional “thumbs-up”
the new pride and joy of the
Welsh ambulance service.
A fleet of 119 new state-of-theart ambulances is currently being
rolled out across Wales and is
already playing a part in improving
performances.
And what is more, the vehicles
are proving extremely popular with
the staff.
Vale of Clwyd AM Ann Jones
visited the St Asaph headquarters
of the Welsh Ambulance Services
NHS Trust to see one of the
ambulances for herself and to
meet Chief Executive Alan Murray,
the driving force behind the upturn
in performance.
“The improvement, which has
seen the target of 60 per cent of
life-threatening services reached
within eight minutes being
achieved for the first time in two
years, is a great credit not only to
Mr Murray but to the staff,” she
said.
The new fleet is being funded
by a £16m cash injection from the
Welsh Assembly which was
announced last October.
Senior managers and staff
worked with manufacturers UV
Modular to develop the specialist
equipment and features for the
£115,000 ambulances, which are
based on the Mercedes 515
Sprinter van.
All are fitted with specialist lifting
equipment, thus reducing the
strain on staff, satellite navigation
and easy to repair and maintain
features, ensuring that vehicles
are off the road for as short a
period as possible.
Mrs Jones also met paramedic
Osian Jones, who was part of the
working group which helped
design the vehicles.
“The whole thing was very
impressive and when the whole
fleet has come on-line then
performance figures are likely to
rise still further,” she said.
One feature which caught her
eye was the fact that the internal
lay-out of all the vehicles is
identical, making it easier for
crews to work together when more
than one attends an incident.
“It may seem a fairly small point
but it can make a difference,” she
said.
In March the Assembly made
another £6.3m available, which will
pay for an extra 30 ambulances as
well as other specialist equipment.
Mrs Jones, a former fire control
officer, who is a member of the
Assembly's health, well-being and
local government committee, also
backed the current moves to
make the best use of resources by
taking patients to the most
appropriate place for treatment.
“I can understand some people
might be upset but Accident and
Emergency departments are not
always the most appropriate place
for particular treatments,” she
commented
ambulance person to achieve. “I
have seen many changes within
the service some good but some
bad but when changes are made
you do need to try them out if the
changes do not improve the
service then someone must be
strong enough to kick them out
while if they are good that is
excellent.. I always enjoy some
banter and enjoy meeting different
people but most of all what I have
tried to do is to give 100% no one
is perfect that message should be
remembered by all.
“I have also been invited to the
National Eisteddfod for promoting
the Welsh language in the world of
football. The Welsh language in the
football world was weak and so
was the policy of the FAW until 12
months ago. I and my colleague
brought in a policy to promote the
Welsh language in the game of
football. Now if they want to do
anything in Welsh they can. This
brings an identity to the country
that is very close to me.
“I regularly speak to all the
Welsh international players, Ryan
Giggs, Craig Bellamy, Gareth
Bayle,… Neville Southall is a good
friend of mine. But I have not
forgotten the game at the lower
level, I have not forgotten where I
have come from.
Trevor paid tribute to all the
support he has received form his
wife Janet, colleagues at the Welsh
Ambulance Service, and football
friends over the years.
Trevor was the instigator to bring
“Child Protection” within the game
in Wales, the first country do so.
“When chairman of the
Development Committee of the F
A Wales I brought out a booklet to
protect children from abuse within
the game and indeed from there it
has been brought to the attention
of F.I.F.A. the governing body of
the game in the world. Now
protection of children within the
game is the main issue in the
grass roots of football.
He added: “It's absolutely
unbelievable, it's one of the biggest
honours you can have in Wales,
and I am proud of it. I am
overwhelmed.”
National Eisteddfod
Honour
A Holyhead Leading
Ambulance Technician has
been challenged to kick the
Welsh National football side's
singing skills into touch after
receiving a major honour at this
year's National Eisteddfod at
Mold.
Trevor Lloyd Hughes was
inducted into the Gorsedd of
Bards for his commitment to the
Welsh Ambulance Service NHS
Trust, his local community, the
game of football in Wales and the
promotion of the Welsh Language
within the game.
Investing Trevor into the
Gorsedd, Archdruid Selwyn Iolen
asked him, that following his work
to make everything bilingual in the
Football Association of Wales, he
take up the challenge of ensuring
the national team learn the words
of the Welsh National Anthem.
Archdruid Iolen called on Trevor
help the Welsh team's singing skills
to give them a better chance of
notching up more victories on the
international circuit.
Born in Holyhead, Trevor, known
as Trefor o'r Ynys in bardic circles,
has served in the Welsh
Ambulance Service for 30 years,
previously working as an AA patrol
man for eight years.
He has also become a familiar
face on and off the Welsh football
field for over 40 years thanks to his
love of the game and his country's
cultural roots and has been on TV
on a considerable amount of
issues. He also takes part in
regular Welsh radio programmes.
Trevor has acted as secretary of
the Anglesey League, Welsh
Alliance and North Wales Football
Association, and more recently as
treasurer for the FAW. Past
Chairman of the Anglesey County
Council & Mayor of Holyhead in
2006/07.
His commitment to the service,
boosting the use of the Welsh
language through the FAW and
general care for his community will
see Trevor honoured at the
Eisteddfod.
“The Welsh Ambulance Service
has been very close to me that is
partly why I have been honoured
by the National Eisteddfod. I have
given quite a lot of time within the
work place & outside my work with
the Welsh Ambulance Service to
promoting it in the community,”
Trevor explained.
“If we can put a smile on a
patient during the journey to
hospital we have given them
confidence. Once you have gained
that confidence then it is a great
honour for the individual
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
23
Grateful couple pay tribute to ambulanceman Ieuan
A Flintshire woman who has
suffered from diabetes for over
30 years can look to the future
with more confidence thanks to
the expertise of an ambulance
crew.
But it was a scary experience
for Nesta Lucas and her husband
Richard which led to the timely
intervention of the Mold-based
crew.
Nesta, 52, and Richard, of
Swaine Avenue, Buckley, are able
to recognise the warning signs
when her sugar levels are running
low, and know what action to take.
“It often happens during the
night or early morning and I either
take something myself or Richard
is able to pour an isotonic drink
down me,” she said.
On the morning of June 13th,
however, Richard was about to
leave home for work at 6.15am
when he checked to see how
Nesta was, and found her
unconscious. Because of her
condition he could not get her to
swallow.
He dialled 999 and within a
very short time paramedic Debbie
Roberts, from Flint, and technician
Ieuan Williams were at the scene.
They checked Nesta's general
condition and as she had come
round and come downstairs they
put a tiny amount of a glucose
jelly substance in her mouth
which, when mixed with saliva,
she was able to swallow.
She recovered very quickly and
didn't need to be taken to hospital,
but Debbie and Ieuan stayed with
her long enough to ensure that her
blood-sugar level was back to
normal and her condition
remained stable.
“It was very lucky that things
worked out as they did because I
was off work that day and Richard
just happened to check before
going out, otherwise I could have
been unconscious for hours,” said
Nesta, a machinist at a Sandycroft
Nesta Lucas with paramedic Debbie
Roberts and ambulance technician
Ieuan Williams.
clothing factory.
“The ambulance crew were
fantastic and both Richard and I
are very grateful to them. They
were so professional and helpful,”
she said.
“I had never heard of the
glycogel they gave me, but they
told me I could get it myself, which
I have since done. In fact, I
learned a lot from them that
morning.”
The couple were so impressed
with the promptness and
efficiency of the Mold-based crew
that they wrote to their bosses in
the Welsh Ambulance Services
NHS Trust to compliment them.
Ieuan, 42, from Coedpoeth, an
ambulance technician for two and
a half years, said: “It was a
potentially very dangerous
situation but luckily we were called
and we able to deal with it.
“We made sure she had a good
breakfast and we monitored her
blood sugar levels and she made
a good recovery.”
The former Royal Marine and
North Sea diver added: “I had
been in the Marines, I'd driven
food aid convoys and been a
deep sea diver but I felt I wanted a
new challenge and joined the
ambulance service.
“I've no regrets either. It's a
rewarding and challenging job
and you feel you are making a
difference.”
Moneyman stays ahead of the pack
The new Director of Finance for
the Welsh Ambulance Service
has been tracked by
bloodhounds, cycled 6,000
miles across Canada and even
has a favourite maths equation.
But it's his ability to crunch
numbers that has got 38-year-old
Tim Woodhead the job of keeping
the Trust's finances on an even
keel.
The talented athlete was born in
Suffolk but raised in Kent and ran
for Kent Schools and for University
in Norwich where he graduated in
Maths and Philosophy.
That gave him a grasp of Plato
as well as Pythagoras and throw
in an interest in astronomy and in
writing poetry and the father of two
who now lives in Caerwys is a
man of many and varied parts.
“Maths and Philosophy might
24
seem quite different but they are
both actually very pure subjects
and can be quite abstract,” he
says with a smile.
As for the bloodhounds, that
was because wife Ali - their sons
are Edward, four, and Alex, two - is
a keen horsewoman who rode out
with a bloodhound pack in
Norfolk.
“Tim explains: “Bloodhounds
hunt humans so they need a
quarry and I was the quarry. I'd set
off about five or ten minutes
ahead of the hut and they'd follow
me.
“It was fun and they'd usually
catch up with me after half an
hour or so but it's quite unnerving
when you hear them baying after
you when they've got the scent like being in one of those prison
escape films.”
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
Tim still has the slim, lithe build
of the distance runner and still
runs - he's running the BUPA
Great North Run on September 30
- and has clocked under three
hours for the London Marathon as
well as completing the Snowdon
Marathon.
He has also run the Llanwrtyd
Wells Man versus Horse race
across 23 miles of gruelling Mid
Wales moorland: “I didn't beat the
first horse but I did finish ahead of
a horse - two of them if you count
one that gave up.”
After university Tim worked in
the Health Service in Norwich apart from a spell with a housing
association - before joining the
East Anglian Ambulance Sefvice
where he rose to become deputy
director of finance.
There followed a step up to
Director of Finance with the
Cumbrian Ambulance Service in
Carlisle before he came to the
Welsh Ambulance Service as
interim Director of Finance last
November.
That position has now been
confirmed and he and his family
are now happily settled in North
Wales: “We like living in the
country and Norfolk and Cumbria
are very rural areas,” he says.
“North Wales hits the spot for
us for that reason as well but it's
pretty busy compared to Canada.
“Ali and I took four months out
to cycle across Canada from
Vancouver to St John's,
Newfoundland, and did about
6,000 miles.
“One day we set out at eight in
the morning and it was about
four'o'clock before we saw a car.
We were just so alone.
“In another place the road ran
straight for 60 miles, arrow
straight, no bends or curves.”
If that was a challenge then
running the finances of a modern
ambulance service at a time of
huge changes is also a challenge:
“It all comes down to how do you
provide the most efficient and
effective service with the money
we've got,” he explains.
“We have to think in a wider
way, how to get the best bang for
our buck.
“It is a time of change and
financially that is always difficult
but we are on the road to
balancing our budget and I am
very encouraged by the way
things have gone, we are starting
to get a platform of financial and
operational stability.
“We have had significant capital
investment for vehicles and
infrastructure and by achieving
performance and financial targets
for last year it has given us
confidence that we can deliver
what we say we will.
“We have to think on a business
model but our benefit is not the
profit to shareholders but more
help for our patients.”
And that favourite equation? e_π=1.
RRV Roger to the rescue
in shock attack
A couple have praised the
speed and skill of ambulance
staff for saving the husband's
life.
Gerald Kember suffered an
anaphylactic shock after taking
antibiotics and collapsed at his
home in Llandaff, Cardiff.
His wife, Jean, thought he had
died but dialed 999 and a
paramedic was there in four
minutes, followed closely by an
ambulance crew.
It was touch and go for Mr
Kember, 60, of Mitre Place,
Llandaff, but an injection of
adrenaline and treatment by
paramedic Roger John saw him
pull through.
Now back at work Mr Kember
said: “I had been to the dentist
with a tooth infection and had
picked up a prescription of
antibiotics on my way home for
lunch.
“I decided to take them then at
about quarter to one and in no
time I could feel a severe itching in
my hands and I could feel my
heart pounding.
“I looked in the mirror and my
face was bright red and I asked
my wife if I looked all right - she
said I definitely did not.
“But things got worse very, very
quickly. I lay on the settee and I
was incapacitated and by the time
the paramedics arrived I was more
or less unconscious.
“The last thing I remember was
the paramedic saying 'I can't find a
pulse' - my wife thought I'd died.”
Jean Kember recalls: “It was
very frightening. He just changed
colour and the whites of his eyes
went as red as his skin.
“But the paramedic was there
very quickly and gave him a shot
of adrenaline which revived him
after he lapsed into
unconsciousness.”
Roger John, a paramedic for
eight years, said: “Mr Kember was
very unwell and he looked grossly
unwell too.
“I carried out the necessary
treatment which was a shot of
adrenaline and hydrocortisone
and also gave him something to
open up the bronchial passages
in his lungs.
“The treatment revolves round
getting there quickly and if you
can do that and give them the
Roger John with Gerald and Jean
Kember
proper treatment then there's a
good chance.
“But Mr Kember seemed to
have left it a bit and he was quite
critically unwell. He was close to
death.
“In anaphylactic shock the
airway swells up rapidly so the
victim can't breathe so they literally
choke to death unless you can
treat them in time.”
Roger's arrival was followed
shortly by the ambulance crewed
by paramedic Nigel Theo and
ambulance technician Chris Willis
and he was taken to the University
of Wales Hospital where he
recovered quickly enough to be
released the next day.
But the couple, who have two
sons and four grandchildren, are
both certain Mr Kember would
have died but for the swift action
of the ambulance staff.
Mrs Kember added: “I can
never thank them enough for what
they did - they undoubtedly saved
my husband's life.
“If they hadn't given him that
injection then he wouldn't be here
now and I've got nothing but
praise for them because Gerald
would have died - they were
wonderful.”
Mr Kember is due to go back
for tests to find out exactly what
caused him to collapse and the
former local government officer
who now works for Bro
Morgannwg NHS Trust, said: “I
can't understand it. I've been to
the dentist before and had an
injection and I've had antibiotics
before.
“It seems it was some sort of
anaphylactic shock but I've no
doubt that but for the ambulance
personnel I wouldn't be here now. I
was very lucky to survive.”
Roger, 52, from Ynysybwl, near
Pontypridd, whose job is to patrol
in a Rapid Response Vehicle,
added: “It's speed that is
important in cases like this and
RRVs are proven to improve
clinical outcomes.
“They provide very quick
responses and the patient gets
treated more quickly which is
crucial.”
Paramedics called to defend Welsh Hockey Goals
Paramedics Chris Smith and
Kath Charters who are both
hockey goalkeepers, were
called up this year to represent
Wales at Over 45 and Over 40
levels respectively. They both
gained their first Welsh caps at the
International Veterans Hockey
Championship held in Swansea
on 22nd-24th June this year, the
inaugural year of ladies veterans
hockey in Wales.
Having only been formed a
short time, both squads did
themselves proud and managed
to achieve respectable scores
against the other Home Counties
Nations of Scotland and England.
The highlight of this
Championship weekend was the
Over 40's Veterans Ladies match
between Wales and England on
the Tournament day, in which
Wales scored first, but were 3-1
down at half time. The team
rallied, and the belief grew,
managing to score 3 goals in the
second half taking England by
surprise, and finishing the match
with a 4-3 victory against England.
With both Welsh squads
making such a promising start to
representative veterans hockey in
Wales, Chris Smith and Kath
Charters were once again both
invited to represent Wales at the
International Masters Hockey
Tournament held in Birmingham
on 23rd - 26th August. This
tournament had teams from as
far away as Malaysia and
Singapore, but the Womens
Masters event had squads from
Australia (Over 35, and Over 45),
and New Zealand (Over 35, and
Over 40).
The Welsh Over 40 squad
found playing the younger
Australia and New Zealand Over
35 squads very tough, and spent
much of these two matches
defending heavily. The Welsh
Over 45 squad also found the
competition was stiff, and again
worked hard to keep the score-line
low.
The goalkeepers in each squad
were kept very busy in all
matches, and the two paramedic
goalies were able to complete the
tournament with their heads held
high after making many key saves,
and staking a strong claim to
squad places for future events.
There highlights of this Masters
Tournament in Birmingham were:
n Wales Over 45 half-time
score against Australia of
only 1-0 down
n Wales Over 40 half-time
score against New Zealand
Over 40, of 1-1
n In the 3rd/4th playoffs, Kath
Charters managed to keep a
clean sheet against New
Zealand whilst on the pitch in
the second half, allowing the
squad to finish with a very
respectable 2-1 scoreline,
having been 2-0 down at
half-time.
Chris Smith and Kath Charters
play their club hockey for Dysynni
Hockey Club based in Tywyn,
which is a fast developing club,
with two ladies and one mens
teams, and who welcome new
members, young and old,
regardless of ability.
Chris Smith has worked for the
Ambulance Service since joining
PTS in 1995, and moving to EMS
in 1997 and becoming a
paramedic in 1999-2000. She now
works as a Paramedic Supervisor
based at Tywyn Ambulance
Station.
Kath Charters joined the
Ambulance Service from Outward
Bound Aberdovey in 1994, and
became a paramedic in 1997.
She has recently returned from
secondment as a Thrombolysis
Officer, and is currently working as
a paramedic based as Tywyn
Ambulance station.
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
25
NARCAID VPC
AmbulanceTODAY
Narcaid VPC - Virtual Learning Resource for Paramedics
Gains International Recognition
The Narcaid Virtual
Presentation Clinic is an
online resource which can be
found at www.narcaid.com
and is designed to help
ambulance crews improve
their understanding of drug
related incidents.
The clinic contains drug
awareness bulletins, real life
case studies, emergency alert
bulletins, an interactive tutorial
facility and reflections by drug
using patients. All information is
designed for the emergency care
environment and reflects the
substances crews commonly
deal with. The VPC has been
developed by the Narcaid
ECODA Unit, a UK based facility
dedicated to providing researchbased training and support to
ambulance crews in their
management of drug related
patients. It provides distance
courses which are accredited by
the British Paramedic
Association and are Royal
College of Nursing Approved
Professional Courses.
North East Ambulance Service
in the UK has been the first to
take up the new service en
masse, with a purchase of 500
user licences for its front line
staff. This will be the first time
such a resource has been made
available to an ambulance
service anywhere in the world,
and the results will be carefully
monitored to ascertain its
effectiveness in both supporting
staff and delivering enhanced
care to patients. London
Ambulance Service and South
East Coast Ambulance Service
are currently undertaking their
own assessments of the VPC's
clinical effectiveness. A similar
project is underway in New
South Wales, Australia.
The virtual clinic is not just
about enhancing care for
patients, but giving crews
confidence and support. It is
hoped that the resource will play
a part in enhancing crew safety
by the addition of materials
designed to teach staff about the
relationship between drugs and
aggressive behaviour. The
emergency alert bulletins will
play their part in alerting crews to
potentially dangerous new using
trends, and the interactive tutorial
facility will provide a forum for
them to share their experiences
with others. Narcaid is using
American expertise to consult on
materials specifically designed
with crew safety in mind.
One such example might be
the recent emergency alert
bulletin on Vicodin overdose.
This powerful pharmaceutical
accounts for a huge number of
overdoses in the US and is now
being seen in the UK, courtesy
of Internet purchase. The opioid
component hydrocodone
bitartrate gives the drug a similar
presentation to heroin overdose
and carries the reputation of
being extremely euphoric when
taken in quantity. The bulletin
explains how to recognise the
drug and its acute medical
dangers. It is just one example
of the benefits to all crews of
pooling expertise from different
areas and countries to achieve a
common goal.
The Narcaid VPC can be found at www.narcaid.com
Online payment can be made for one year's membership; introductory offer of just
£25.00 is due to end soon. If you are a BPA member, you can get further discount
of £5.00 by using the code NCDBPA9643 on registration.
26
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
TV doc discovers new
Welsh ambulance
State of the art, Director of Ambulance Services for Wales Mike Cassidy, right, and
Acting Regional Director of Services for South East Region Chris Sims with the new
star of a Discovery Channel documentary, the £115,000 Mercedes 515 Sprinter
emergency ambulance.
The state-of-the art
ambulances saving lives in
Wales will be starring in a new
television documentary
programme.
The Welsh Ambulance Service's
revolutionary new vehicle has now
been rolled out to all ambulance
stations in Wales.
Meanwhile, filming for the
episode of the Discovery Channel
series 'How Do They Do That?' is
now complete and editing is
taking place with a view to
screening in the New Year.
A Discovery Channel
spokesman said: “It went very well
and we got the kind of footage we
needed so we were very happy
with the way everything went.”
Susan Monaco, who directed
the Ambulance story for
production company Wag TV,
said: “The initial idea for this story
was to demonstrate the
technologies and processes that
enable the Ambulance services to
do what they do.
“As we investigated the story
more we came across the 'new'
model ambulance which led us to
the idea of exploring how this
newest model operates.
“We were interested in
investigating how this fascinating
and life-saving technology
operates and how the members of
the Welsh Ambulance Service
daily utilise their vehicle to protect
the lives of the people in their
care.
“We chose to film with the
Welsh Ambulance Service
because we wanted to shoot the
story within in the framework of a
fleet of the new model ambulance
to enable us to give the viewer the
whole picture of ambulance
technology from their manufacture
to their daily use.
“Working with the Welsh
Ambulance service and the new
ambulances was fantastic, it was
so interesting to experience and
record how these two halves of
this clearly important service
operate together to insure our
safety.
“We are very pleased with the
result of the filming which will be
aired early next year on the
Discovery Channel and are
looking forward to the viewer
response to this series.”
The introduction of the new
ambulances began in March this
year and has coincided with a
remarkable upturn in performance
by the Welsh Ambulance Service.
That month, for the first time in
two years, ambulance emergency
responses across Wales
exceeded the target of 60 per cent
of life-threatening emergencies
reached within eight minutes.
That pattern has been
maintained every month since as
the new ambulances have
continued to be rolled out to
crews across the country.
It has been very much a Welsh
project with senior managers and
staff from the Welsh Ambulance
Service working with
manufacturers UV Modular to
develop the new ambulance with
all its specialist equipment and
features.
It has already attracted attention
from other ambulance services
and even from Europe with
emergency services in Spain keen
to introduce the vehicle.
The £115,000 ambulances with
their specialist lifting equipment,
satellite navigation and easy to
repair and maintain features, are
being produced at UV Modular's
factory in Brighouse in Yorkshire
and are still rolling off the
production line.
Based on the Mercedes 515
Sprinter van, they are on the roads
all round Wales now with their
distinctive rear door and hydraulic
tail-lift.
The key man in their
development has been Welsh
Ambulance Service National Fleet
Manager Tony Cowley who said:
“The crews are very happy with
them, they love them.
“The staff are coming off their
12-hour shifts quite refreshed
because they're not doing the
amount of lifting they used to so
they're much healthier as a result.
It's gone down extremely well.”
Figures showed that threequarters of all ambulance staff
retire early because of back and
other physical problems, but the
new on-board handling equipment
means patients will only have to
be lifted once.
The hydraulic tail-lift and a
special hydraulic stretcher and a
wheelchair aim to reduce the
number of muscular-skeletal
injuries to staff.
Paramedic Osian Roberts, from
Llandudno, was part of the
working group which helped
design the new ambulances and
he said: “The vehicles have been
in service now for over three
months and they have made a
tremendous difference to us all in
the way we do the
job.
“The tail lift has
been a huge
success with staff
who no longer
have to push
patients up ramps
“The difference
is that these
vehicles have been
designed not only
for the patient but
around the work
we do.
“The vehicle comes with all the
equipment that saves us lifting
and if we don't have to lift as
much, we will be in a lot better
shape at the end of our career
and hopefully be able to enjoy our
retirement.
“The saloon layout is also very
good with almost everything you
need available from the
attendant's seat.
“To support the vehicles we've
had chargers fitted to the stations
so the batteries are always
charged up.
“The New Mercedes 515 also
drives really well and is so visible
with the new lighting systems
which helps when responding to
an emergency calls.”
The initial finance for the new
ambulances came in a £16 million
cash injection announced last
October which has paid for an
upgrade of the Welsh Ambulance
Service fleet, including 119 of the
new ambulances, and so
successful has it been that in
March the Welsh Assembly
Government made another £6.3
million available.
That will pay for another 30 of
the ambulances as well as other
specialist vehicles and Mr Cowley
added: “It looks right and it feels
right and it's much more
comfortable for patients and for
staff.
“In this country the North West
Ambulance Service are interested
in it and so are Spain and UVM
believe it goes a long, long way to
meeting all the requirements of a
modern ambulance service.
That's thanks to the fantastic
investment we received from the
Welsh Assembly. That's hardearned money that people pay in
taxes and we're investing it wisely
to ensure that we have vehicles
which are fit for purpose.”
The chairman of UV Modular,
Peter Howard Jones, a Welshspeaker from Abergwyngregyn in
Gwynedd, said: “As a Welshman
I'm very proud to be part and
parcel of the regeneration of the
Welsh Ambulance Service.
“This is a tremendous vehicle
and has everything a modern A
and E vehicle needs - I believe it
will become the definitive vehicle
of choice for UK ambulance
services.”
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
27
Unison Comment
AmbulanceTODAY
towards a retrospective
system after embedding the
percentage system into
working practise.
Working Hard
to Make Change
Work for You
Joseph Conaghan is Chair of UNISON's National Ambulance Sector. He is a also a
member of UNISON's National Health Service Group Executive, the founder of the
National Ambulance Partnership Forum and the only Ambulance person to serve
on the NHS Staff Council. Joseph has worked as a Paramedic in Cardiff since the
1980's; originally starting his working life as a Civil Servant he began his NHS
career at Cardiff Royal Infirmary.
I wonder if many staff working
back in 1948 for the recentlyfounded NHS had any
knowledge of the many Whitley
Councils about to administer
their Terms and Conditions for
various NHS occupations. After
all, this negotiating system was
in place for the next 50 odd
years. Or were your experiences
similar to mine? when I joined
the NHS in 1982 there was a
simple reference made at
interview that hours, pay and all
terms and conditions were
determined by Whitley Council and don't forget - there was no
such thing as the internet back
then so you could download and
check information. Trust
contracts in the early 90's and
local conditions started to erode
the Whitley Councils' authority.
'Agenda for Change' is the new
pay system for the NHS
replacing Whitley and all it's
Councils…a single unified
National Pay system for the NHS
overseen and administered by
the NHS Staff Council, it is a
single body replacing all of the
previous occupation specific
Whitley Councils.
A year or two before its launch
I remember undertaking a joint
piece of work transposing
approximately eleven Whitley
Council handbooks into what I
discovered was a very early draft
of the 'Agenda for Change
agreement'. This was the most
forensic piece of work I have
ever been associated with and it
was soon to replace all Whitley
Council handbooks, including
those for Ambulance Staff,
28
Control Staffs and Ambulance
Officers.
Much has been written and
discussed since October 2004
about the good and not so good
aspects of 'Agenda for Change',
especially regarding Ambulance.
I have heard on many occasions
that: “Agenda for Change was
not written with Ambulance Staff
in mind”. However, in analysis,
the Whitley Council handbook for
Ambulance was not too
dissimilar to the one for Ancillary
Staff - years of local contracts
and separate negotiations meant
that Ambulance staff had moved
further away from their handbook
than most of their NHS
colleagues based in hospitals.
Input from UNISON's National
Ambulance sector has been
raised at the Staff Council in the
past 3 years through a network
of full time officers and NHS
colleagues on the Health Service
Group Executive. Many of the
issues brought to the table by
the Staff side have had particular
implications for Ambulance, e.g.
meal-breaks, 'Agenda for
Change' bandings, unsocial
hours, ill-health retirement,
mileage and numerous other
Terms and Conditions issues.
It is the job of a Staff Council
member, be they Trades Unions
or Management, to consider
issues NHS-wide. But it was the
case that the Staff Council did
not include any one person from
directly within the Ambulance
Service …until now. That is why I
feel so proud and humbled that
my colleagues in UNISON on the
Health Service Group Executive,
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
representing nearly half a million
members from across the UK
and all parts of the NHS, have
elected me to become a
member of the NHS Staff
Council. I hope that I can bring
the sensibility gained from being
an Ambulance Paramedic and a
UNISON activist from a devolved
country to meet this broader
remit and justify the faith shown
in me by my colleagues.
UNSOCIAL HOURS REVIEW:
During the time that the Staff
Council Unsocial Hours sub
group have been looking to
finalise the NHS wide proposals
it has clearly been problematic
for Ambulance. The group were
trying to make Unsocial hours fit
for Ambulance rather than
Ambulance fit the Unsocial
hours. However, it was
recognised that if there were
severe problems then they would
have to look at an alternative
within the scheme. Recent
developments, including
submissions from Management
and Staffside reps from across
UK, mean that it is becoming
clear that the proposed NHS
wide USH system planned for
April 2008 (slipped date) could
result in:
a) A detriment in pay for many
staff currently working the
percentage system of
between 1 and 3% on
average when compared
with new proposals.
b)
Reluctance within
Ambulance Trusts to move
c)
Major changes in
Ambulance including new
roles/modernisation
needing resources and
timing of proposal means
an overhaul of systems and
administration.
d)
Predictability of (most)
Ambulance rotas work well
with percentage system as
any rota has an ongoing
percentage value.
e)
Bank holiday issues.
The executive of the NHS Staff
Council are taking all this into
account and ultimately the
decision of how this plays out for
Ambulance will be made by the
full NHS Staff Council. For equal
pay purposes for Ambulance
staff to stand alone and remain
on the percentage system then
ALL employees of the
Ambulance Trust will have to be
on the percentage system....no
reverting to previous Whitley's or
opting for the proposed new
system. ALL staff have to be on
the same percentage system in
ALL Ambulance trusts for it to
work.
ONE'S TO WATCH:
Issues to watch carefully over
the next few months include:
n
The changes in the NHS
Pension scheme will
commence in April 2008
and are worth investigating
to become aware prior to
the window of opportunity
(planned to run from 1 July
2009 to 30 June 2010) for
current staff opening up to
transfer into the new
scheme.
n
A Review of ill health
retirements is currently
being carried out and
Ambulance staff, by a huge
margin, constitute the
largest single group of staff
unable to complete their
NHS careers.
Workforce Development
issues including future roles,
workforce planning, call connect,
Foundation Trust's, professional
registration and training will all
affect the future plans of
Ambulance Services.
Out and About News
Repairs progressing on damaged marine ambulance
Guernsey Ambulance &
Rescue Service is hoping its
famous marine ambulance,
Flying Christine III, will be back
in action before the end of the
year.
The vessel was severely
damaged in a collision whilst on a
night-time emergency call to the
neighbouring island of Sark, and
has been under repair at its
original builders.
The design of the specialist
craft includes additional hull
strengthening and multiple
watertight compartments, which
may have saved the vessel from
sinking in the accident. These
have made the repair process
more complicated, with the need
to ensure that the original
standards of strength in
construction are incorporated in
the process.
Under the supervision of
surveyors from Lloyds Register,
the repairers have made a special
hull tool from the original mould,
enabling them to cut away
damaged sections of the hull and
reform them using the tool.
The accident happened on an
emergency call to the Island of
Sark. Travelling at about 21 knots
on a particularly dark night, the
crew encountered a sudden
lightning storm and with radar
temporarily affected the vessel
struck rocks on the north of Sark.
The ambulance staff evacuated
onto rocks, but took equipment
with them from the ambulance
vessel to enable them to complete
their mission to the patient using
the St Peter Port lifeboat.
Guernsey’s Chief Executive and
Chief Ambulance Officer, Neil
Tucker, said the collision was the
first serious incident to occur in 54
years of marine ambulance
operations by Guernsey’s
Ambulance & Rescue Service.
The 45-foot ambulance launch
is the only craft in the world built
to a unique design specifically for
the high speed provision of
medical and ambulance aid at
sea.
Financed entirely by voluntary
donations and manned by
ambulance practitioners and
paramedics from the Ambulance
& Rescue Service, it is skippered
by experienced coxswains and
engineers from the local boating
fraternity who volunteer to assist
the Service in providing the
marine ambulance service.
The vessel is powered by twin
turbo-charged Caterpillar diesel
engines, and has a large
treatment room amidships,
together with a stern deck large
enough for helicopter transfers
and carries a comprehensive
array of medical equipment.
It is on call 24 hours a day and
has responded to cruise liners,
ocean-going tankers, small
yachts, and offshore islands, and
treated casualties from
unconscious patients with back
injuries in the sea to mothers in
labour on offshore islands.
Triathalon champion lifesaver needs your support
Dewsbury-based Paramedic
Chris Fothergill is through to
the finals of the World
Championship Triathlon.
Chris - who is part of the
Yorkshire Ambulance Service
Lifecycle Team - won the British
heat of the 35-39 age-group of
the competition, which took place
in Wakefield last weekend. This
means he's qualified to take part
in the World Championship in
Hamburg in Germany this
September.
Chris - who is part of the
Wakefield Triathlon Club - will
have to swim 1 kilometres, cycle
40 kilometres and run 10
kilometres in the race. He's been
involved in the triathlon for two
years and has competed in five
races in that time.
Chris said of his World
Championship qualifying race: “I
did a pretty good swim and came
out about eighth. I was then onto
my strongest event - cycling and just kept passing people.
When I got to the run my coach
told me I was in first position but
had a very strong runner minutes
behind me. I just kept going and I
did it.
“It feels brilliant knowing I'm
going to the World
Championships. I had a lot of
support from my family - in
particular my wife. Fitting family,
work and training in was tough,
but it's been worth it.”
Chris now needs to raise £800
sponsorship so he can take part
in the event.
If you can help please contact
him on: 07711 862 806.
Paramedic Chris Fothergill with his
British Championship Triathlon medal
Leeds lifecycle launches
Don't be surprised if you see
a paramedic on a bicycle on
the streets in Leeds city
centre from now on. An
innovative scheme, which
was piloted two years ago, is
being officially launched in
the city this week.
The Lifecycle - a cycling
paramedic - will now be a
permanent emergency response
on Yorkshire Ambulance
Service's rotas.
The specially adapted
bicycles - of which there are two
- carry life-saving equipment in
two panniers - on either side of
the cycle - including a
defibrillator which is used on
patients who have suffered
cardiac arrest. The quick
response has already helped
stand down ambulances, with
patients being treated at the
scene, leaving the ambulance to
deal with emergencies
elsewhere.
There are eight members of
the team who work seven days a
week in Leeds City Centre.
The defibrillators on the bikes
are being sponsored by LHF.
Christine Goodall, Business
Services & Administration Coordinator, at LHF said: “We are
delighted to be supporting the
Lifecycle initiative and we are
sure that the equipment and
paramedics will offer an
invaluable service to people
Some of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service Lifecycle Team - Jo Boocock,
Chris Fothergill, Lisa Flannaghan, Stephen Smith and Bill Clucas
across Leeds.
“We have a large number of
members across Yorkshire and
are thrilled to be supporting
such a worthwhile local
scheme.”
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
29
Out and About News
RAF Medics to learn new skills from
Great Western Ambulance Service
Pictured are the medics who will be joining Great Western Ambulance with the
Trust's Practice Development Officer, Lesley Altoft and Flight Lieutenant, Martin
Piddington
The Great Western Ambulance
Service and the RAF are
working in partnership in an
innovative scheme to provide
additional training to front line
medics.
The joint working has come
about following a review of
training by the RAF and a desire
to provide the same level of care,
as patients would receive in the
UK, to both military personnel
and civilians when overseas.
Consequently a group of 48
medics will be trained over the
next 18 months.
Director of Operations for
Great Western Ambulance
Service, Steve West said:
“Traditionally military medics are
used to dealing with major
injuries. However their work in
Iraq and Afghanistan means that
they are confronted with a wide
range of situations which they
nave not been used to. These
include paediatrics, elderly
people and obstetrics. This
project will give them more
experience in these fields of prehospital care.
“The scheme is funded by the
military and we are delighted to
be able to help. The addition of
these new recruits will allow Great
Western Ambulance Service staff
to undertake more training to
advance their own skills. This
project comes at a time when all
ambulance trusts are under huge
demand pressures and the
additional staff from the military
will greatly assist our staff in
meeting the increasing demands
on their time.”
Flight Lieutenant, Martin
Piddington from HQ Air
Command said: “The RAF
Medical Services has been
tasked to provide an additional
operational medical capability on
deployed operations with regards
to the medical element of the
Immediate Response Teams. This
capability is to be delivered by
specially trained RAF
paramedics. The MOD awarded
this national training contract to
Great Western Ambulance
Service.
“The opportunity to train our
RAF medics to become
paramedics is an exciting
prospect for our personnel. It will
enhance what is currently only a
specially trained group of ten
paramedics and we are proud to
be able to say that one of these
gained the National Award of
Paramedic of the Year for her
work in Afghanistan - she was
competing against paramedics
from ambulance services across
the country so we were delighted.
“We very much look forward to
developing our partnership with
Great Western Ambulance
Service as this initiative develops
for what is a rewarding and
mutually beneficial partnership.
The group who are starting
placements on Monday will
graduate next summer.”
The first group of eight RAF
medics who come from all over
the country and who had to get
through a tough selection
process with both the military and
ambulance personnel, has just
completed ten weeks training
with Great Western Ambulance
Service's instructors and will be
joining crews on the road from
September 10 in the Salisbury,
Chippenham, Swindon and
Bristol areas.
Lift off for Air Ambulance in Staffordshire
Staffordshire is set to see a
significant boost in air
ambulance cover with news
that an aircraft is to be based
permanently in the county.
Although no official start date
for the new service has been
decided, it is likely to be later this
year.
West Midlands Ambulance
Service is in the process of
significantly enhancing the level
of service provided by air
ambulances right across the
Region. This includes longer
flying hours, the use of doctors
on aircraft and training the
paramedics who will accompany
the doctors to become critical
care practitioners.
West Midlands Ambulance
Service Chief Executive, Anthony
Marsh, said: “At present an exact
location for the helicopter's
permanent base has yet to be
established.
“The air ambulance will be
staffed by Staffordshire
paramedics who will be trained to
30
become critical care practitioners.
It will fly for at least 10-hours per
day. A significant fundraising
campaign is to be launched in
the county. Some money is
already raised in the area but it is
anticipated that the public will
step up their support once an air
ambulance helicopter is based in
Staffordshire.”
“This is tremendous news for
the people of Staffordshire and
the West Midlands. Although we
are used to having air
ambulances supporting our staff,
this is a major boost for the
county and our crews.
“To have no fewer than four air
ambulances operating in the
Region is excellent news.”
County Air Ambulance,
Operations Manager, Ian Clayton
said: “We have already looked at
a number of temporary and
permanent bases for this aircraft,
however, we would be very
pleased to hear from members of
the public or companies who
might wish to show their support
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
for this move through the
provision of land for a airbase.
“Because a number of the
crews are already from
Staffordshire this move has a real
local focus for us. I am
absolutely certain that the people
of the County will make the
aircraft and its crew very
welcome.”
County Air Ambulance
Fundraising Development
Manager, Paul Weir said: “The
support that County Air
Ambulance currently enjoys in
Staffordshire is first rate but will
need to be stepped up a gear to
ensure the helicopter gets the
necessary funding to keep it
flying and bring in the new
developments like Doctors.
“We will be launching a
fundraising drive over the next
few weeks and months and
would welcome all offers of
support.”
The aircraft to be based in
Staffordshire is the one that is
currently based at Nottingham
East Midlands Airport.
The decision to move it was
taken after a review of the
provision of air ambulance
services in the Region. The Trust
and Charity want to ensure that
money raised within the West
Midlands is spent within the area.
Negotiations have been ongoing with East Midlands
Ambulance Service because
insufficient funds are raised within
the East Midlands area to cover
the cost of basing the helicopter
there.
This is disappointing because
many members of the public in
the East Midlands have worked
tirelessly to raise money for this
life saving service.
We will continue to work with
colleagues in the East Midlands
to ensure that outstanding money
raised in that area and any further
money raised over the coming
weeks is used to fund air
ambulance services in the East
Midlands.
Out and About News
Ambulance service helps Chitty’s
fundraiser go off with a bang
The East of England
Ambulance service is giving
medical advice and tactical
support to the Chitty
fundraiser road trip car which
is currently travelling across
the continents from the Isle of
Wight to Sydney, Australia.
The purpose of the trip is to
support and raise awareness for
the charities Lord Mountbatten
Hospice, the World Wild Life fund
and Multiple Sclerosis.
Chitty was created by Nick
Pointing and his wife Carolyn and
has taken more than four years to
turn a 1973 Series 3 Land Rover
into Chitty. The car was inspired
by the original 1927 model owned
by Count Louis Zborowski and is
an exact replica of the world
famous car used in the 1966
movie starring Dick Van Dyke.
The ambulance service got
involved with the project as
Carolyn is the sister of Adrian
Maasz, General Manager for
Primary Care in the Essex locality.
Adrian said: “Carolyn has been
a fan of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
since she was four years old and
it’s hugely exciting supporting
such an adventurous and
rewarding journey.
"We have supplied them with a
comprehensive First Aid kit, and
one of our hub doctors has
generously donated a medical kit.
A number of doctors and myself
have agreed to be on call for
them in the event of any medical
problem arising.
"We intend to give them
medical support and advice
wherever practicable by phone they are crossing some very
tough terrain such as Iran, Nepal
and Bhutan, and they may also
be unfamiliar with the way medical
supplies systems and indeed
healthcare
regimes work in
some countries."
Carolyn said:
“It’s been a
labour of love - I
asked Nick one
Sunday morning
if he thought he
could build me one and, after a
pause, said he would give it a go.
Now years later, with a huge hole
in the bank account and after
thousands of hours of blood,
sweat and tears, the dream is
reality.”
She continued: “I am extremely
grateful that the East of England
Ambulance Service will be offering
support along the way should we
run into any difficulties - hopefully,
of course, we won’t, but it’s great
to know we have its back-up.”
The car has just left Germany,
where the pair visited the castle
which featured in the film. It has
caused quite a stir on the
European roads, and they are
currently in Italy. They have
already raised over £3000 for the
charities
To chart the progress of the
trip, Carolyn and Nick have set
up the website www.chitty.org.uk
which they are updating regularly.
If you would like to make a
donation to any of the Chitty’s
associated charities contact
[email protected]
or
[email protected].
Excellent Year for West Midlands Ambulance
“It’s been an excellent year,
but there is no room for
complacency”, will be the key
message from Sir Graham
Meldrum, Chairman of West
Midlands Ambulance Service,
when he addresses this year’s
Trust AGM on Wednesday 26th
September in Redditch.
This will be the first AGM for
the newly established West
Midlands Ambulance Service. In
July 2006, three former
ambulance services (Coventry &
Warwickshire; Hereford &
Worcester; and West Midlands
Ambulance Service) were brought
to form a new Regional
Ambulance Trust.
Sir Graham said: “The AGM
will hear that significant
improvements have been made
in the delivery of patient care and
clinical treatment for those people
living in region through the
spread of best practice from each
of the former Trusts. Equally, the
Service was one of only two
regional Trusts to successfully
exceed all of its national
performance standards and meet
its stringent financial targets.”
On the eve of the AGM,
Anthony Marsh, Trust Chief
Executive congratulated all staff
for their exceptional contributions
to the Trusts success over the
past twelve months: “The first year
of the new Regional Trust has
been extremely challenging for
everyone concerned with the
organisation.
“The hard work of all of our staff
and volunteers has resulted in the
Trust becoming ‘Ambulance
Service of the Year’, reflecting the
excellent quality of care provided
to the people of the region”.
Guardian Angel of the North overlooks birth
Paramedic team leader Mark
Glencorse was today reunited
with the baby he delivered
under the watchful gaze of the
Angel of the North.
It was also the last baby he
ever delivered as a paramedic
during his final shift working on
the road.
Last week little Madison Jay
was welcomed into the world by
his mum, 30-year-old Melanie
Seymour and dad Paul Welsh,
both of Durham, in rush hour
traffic outside one of the region's
most famous landmarks.
Melanie said: “Around 4pm I
began to feel some niggles. It
was nothing serious but the
hospital told me to come in for a
check up, so when Paul came
home from work we packed
some things and got into the car.
“We hit rush hour traffic on the
way to the Royal Victoria Infirmary
around Low Fell but weren't
concerned as I still felt alright.
Then all of a sudden I felt a sharp
pain and before I had the chance
to take a breath, I got another
one; I knew I wouldn't make it to
the hospital so I asked Paul to
pull over so we could call for an
ambulance.
“Mark arrived within a few
minutes in a rapid response car.
He told me that we wouldn't have
time to make it to the hospital, so
he got some blankets, gas and
air and laid me down in the back
of our car. It was only when I lay
down that I saw we were under
the Angel of the North!”
Mark, aged 35 from
Gateshead has delivered eight
babies in his seven year career
as a paramedic. Madison Jay
was the last before he was
promoted to work in the clinical
department at North East
Ambulance Service.
He said: “I was working in the
rapid response car when I got the
call to a woman in labour beside
the Angel around 5pm. When I
arrived Melanie was nearly ready
to give birth and we decided that
it would be best for her to go to
the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in
Gateshead once the baby was
born rather than the RVI where
she had been booked in.
“Unfortunately there were a lot
of tourists at the Angel and two
police cars had to help us try and
protect Melanie's dignity.”
“It was lovely to deliver
Madison during one of my last
shifts on the road, particularly
because it's one of the few jobs
that we are called to that ends as
a happy occasion.
“I wish the family the best of
luck for the future and I hope
Madison will have a guardian
angel always looking over him.”
After the baby was born, an
ambulance crew took the family
to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Melanie said: “I would like to
thank Mark for all his help and
assistance. He was really
professional and I can't wait to tell
Madison where he was delivered
when he is older.”
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
31
Out and About News
Yorkshire Chief off to Oz!
Nick Varey - Chairman of
Yorkshire Ambulance Service
(YAS) said: “It is with a
mixture of happiness and
regret that I announce that
Jayne Barnes CBE is to leave
her post as chief executive of
the Yorkshire Ambulance
Service (YAS).
She is to take up a new and
exciting role as Assistant
Commissioner for the
Queensland Ambulance Service
(South East region), Australia,
which is the fourth biggest
ambulance service in the world.
“A highly skilled, dedicated
and well-respected ambulance
service chief executive, Jayne
will be a huge asset to the
Queensland Ambulance Service
and will take with her a wealth
of experience. The UK
ambulance service's loss will
most certainly be Australia's
gain!
“Jayne's departure is not
immediate and in the meantime,
YAS will operate very much
'business as usual'. With my
non-executive colleagues, I will
embark on the process of
recruiting another chief
executive for the organisation although Jayne will be hard act
to follow. In any period between
Jayne's departure and the arrival
of the new chief executive,
Simon Worthington will act as
chief executive of YAS.
“On behalf of the YAS board,
staff and management team
alike, I wish Jayne every
success in her Australian
adventure.”
Unique partnership will save lives
A rural estate agent, Great
Western Ambulance Service
and a heart charity are
working together to launch a
unique scheme in the Chew
Valley.
With the full support of Great
Western Ambulance Service and
the parish councils, Setter & Lee
Estate Agents are funding the
provision of heart start
defibrillators (AEDs) on buildings
around the Valley. The scheme is
due to be piloted in Chew Magna
in October. Any villagers who
want to familiarise themselves on
the use of this lifesaving
equipment are invited to attend
an open evening to learn more
from Great Western Ambulance
staff at the Old School House
between 6pm and 9pm on
Thursday, September 20.
Paramedic, Kim Morrissey,
who is a Community Response
Manager with Great Western
Ambulance Service said:
“Sudden cardiac arrest, when the
heart stops beating due to a
malfunction in its electrical
system, is the number one killer
in the UK with under five per cent
of victims surviving outside a
hospital environment. With the
quick use of an automatic
external defibrillator (AED) death
can be prevented. They are safe
to use and are routinely issued to
Great Western Ambulance
Service's community responders.
Now thanks to Setter & Lee
Estate Agents they are going to
be far more widely available to
save lives in the Chew Valley.”
Clive Setter said: “My sister,
Trudie Lobban, is the Chief
Executive of the Arrhythmia
Alliance which is a coalition of
charities, patient, carer and
medical groups and
professionals who work to
promote awareness of heart
arrhythmias in the hope of
improving diagnosis and
treatment. I wanted to safeguard
the health of my clients and staff
and originally intended to place
an AED in the office. But I was
aware that it could benefit the
whole village so arranged for a
specially designed cabinet to be
built to enable it to be put on the
outside wall.”
Now Clive is to go a step
further and has purchased 11
AEDs for the villages of Bishop
Sutton, Chew Magna, Chew
Stoke, Compton Martin, East and
West Harptrees, Hinton Blewett,
Stanton Drew, Ubley, Regil and
Winford and is considering
buying more for neighbouring
villages. They will be installed in
key locations once Great
Western Ambulance has held
awareness sessions for the
villagers of each community.
Kim said: “For most, the
prospect of dealing with
someone whose heart has
stopped is extremely daunting.
To then consider using a
defibrillator on the victim is
perhaps even more so. But what
is so wonderful about these
AEDs is that they are so simple
to use and require little or no
training before use. Once turned
on, the AED guides the user
through each step providing
voice and visual prompts. It even
tells users, by analysing the heart
rhythm, if it is necessary to use
the device.”
To access the Chew Valley
AEDs, which will be in a locked
cabinet on a wall in each village,
a code can be obtained from
Great Western Ambulance's
control room by dialling 999. A
trained call taker will then give
telephone support to the person
using the AED until ambulance
personnel arrive on the scene to
take over.
Trudie said: “This is a scheme
which will promote the work of
the Arrhythmia Alliance and
hopefully will become a model for
use across the country particularly in rural areas where
there is more difficult access to
the emergency services.”
Chief Executive of Great
Western Ambulance Service, Tim
Lynch said: “I would like to praise
Mr Setter for this initiative. It is a
wonderful idea and I, for one,
would like to see it replicated
across the Great Western
Ambulance area and would ask
for more sponsors to come
forward who want to play a part in
saving lives in their communities.”
Anyone who is interested in
sponsoring a scheme in their
community should contact Kim
Morrissey at Great Western
Ambulance at
[email protected]
hs.uk .
Kim would also like to hear
from anyone who is interested in
becoming a Community First
Responder. Their role is to
provide care, support and advice
to patients, relatives, and where
appropriate, the general public
prior to the arrival of Great
Western Ambulance personnel.
Responders will be trained in
basic life-supporting techniques
including the use of AEDs and
learn how to monitor and
stabilise the condition of the
patients. The courses lead to
nationally recognised
qualifications.
Road Collision Awareness
exercise, especially when heavy
rain fell.
The day was very informative
and our technicians explained that
many lessons were learnt. They all
agreed that working closely with
their colleagues in the Fire Service
is vital when dealing with serious
road collisions.
The Clinical Services
Department wish to pass on their
sincere thanks to all the students
who took part and hope they
found the day very useful.
Twenty four student
technicians joined forces with
the Hertfordshire Fire &
Rescue Service training
department in Stevenage
recently.
The day was to enhance the
dangers associated when dealing
with road collisions and to see
how the Fire Service operates at
such incidents.
32
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
During the morning, the
technicians learnt about scene
safety, the dangers of airbags
and the role of the firefighter at
road collisions.
After a splendid lunch, the
students joined the firefighters on
the drill yard, who were taking
part in an ongoing crew
commander course, and this
added to the realism of the
Out and About News
SEPURA and IMASS make communications run
faster at Great North Run
New communications
technology from Sepura digital
TETRA radios and Imass GIS
mapping was in live action for
the first time at this year's
Great North Run to enable
ambulance crews and race
organisers more quickly to
reach runners and spectators
in need of help.
This brand new control centre
concept was set up to monitor
precisely the location of each of
the 130 Sepura radios used by
ambulance crew, mobile
paramedics, medical centre, race
doctor and race organisers, many
of whom were using bikes and
buggies for added mobility.
Completely portable, it can be
installed quickly and easily for
any police, fire, ambulance or
utilities emergency.
The system used the highly
accurate and market-leading GPS
capability within Sepura's radios
to link the control room to
ambulance personnel of the
North East Ambulance Service,
British Red Cross and St John
Ambulance Service and
advanced mapping provided by
Imass. This mapping identified
precisely where each medic or
race official was situated.
Sepura TETRA radios are
currently being rolled-out to all
ambulance trusts across the UK
and were used in the previous
three years of the Great North
Run that starts in Newcastle upon
Tyne, UK.
The world's biggest half
marathon, with over 36,000
runners and a crowd of over
30,000, needed a high
performance medical team to
treat runners and spectators
requiring medical assistance and
benefited from the
communications technology
provided by Sepura and Imass.
Simon Swallow, one of the
event managers for North East
Ambulance, said: "We have
continually strived to improve the
speed and efficiency of
communications at the Great
North Run, to enable the medical
control personnel to dispatch
emergency vehicles and medical
resources as quickly as possible
to a casualty."
"Sepura and Imass technology
allowed a rapid deployment to
each incident so that the ill or
injured could receive expert
attention faster than ever before."
"On screen in the control room
we could see the exact location
of a casualty and which
ambulance had the shortest
access route to get them to the
medical centre most quickly."
Imass, one of Sepura's
Application Partners,
coincidentally located in
Newcastle, specialises inGIS
(Geographical Information
Systems) technology that enables
precise mapping, using
Ordnance Survey information.
The control room technology is
known as the Imass Automatic
Resource Location System
(ARLS). Initially developed by
Imass for emergency services
and homeland security
organisations, it tracks resources,
both people and assets, and also
provides a messaging capability.
The system has two key
components: firstly a GIS
visualisation system, which
utilises MapInfo as the core GIS
and secondly a communications
gateway.
Utilising the internal Global
Positioning System (GPS)
functionality within the Sepura
radios, it tracks on Ordnance
Survey information, the location of
the mobile resources.
Benefits which the control
centre offers:
n Assists the controller to
know exactly where
resources are and to
navigate to incidents or to
other locations;
n Monitoring the progress of
resources on route to an
incident helps to confirm
arrival and provides an
accurate incident location
where this was not initially
known;
n Assists in the analysis of the
response to particular
incidents;
n Provides an overall view of
resource deployment and
operational coverage
This is the fourth year Sepura
has assisted the Great North Run.
As well as supporting the control
room, its radios enabled all
users to benefit from push-to-talk
functions including Talk Groups
that allow defined teams to
communicate in unison. In
addition, data capability enabled
further rapid messaging.
Scottish Ambulance Service
Appoints New Chief Executive
The Scottish Ambulance
Service has appointed Kevin
Doran as its new Chief
Executive. He will take up his
new post on 5th November
2007.
Mr Doran, 46, is currently
Director of Jobcentre Plus
Scotland, the organisation
responsible for delivering the
government’s employment targets
in Scotland. He is also a member
of the Scottish Executive’s
Advisory group on Healthy
Working Lives.
Bill Brackenridge, Chairman of
the Scottish Ambulance Service,
said:‘The Board is delighted to
have secured Kevin’s
appointment. An extensive and
challenging recruitment process
attracted interest from a number
of extremely high calibre
individuals and we are confident
that Kevin has the necessary skill
set to lead the Service through its
continued development.
‘Kevin brings with him
significant strategic and
operational leadership experience,
having successfully led a public
service organisation with over
3,400 staff and a budget in
excess of £100 million.
He has worked at every level of
government in Scotland and his
previous experience as Head of
Division in the Lifelong Learning
Department at the Scottish
Executive, combined with several
years in a senior development
role at Scottish Power, will be an
asset to the Service.’
Kevin Doran added: ‘I am
excited by the challenge of
leading an organisation that
delivers such an important service
to the community. The Scottish
Ambulance Service has been
through a process of massive
change and modernisation in
Kevin Doran
recent years and I look forward to
working with new colleagues to
build on that success and
continue to develop the best
possible standards of patient
care.’
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
33
Products and Suppliers News
Luxfer 's New Odyssey Cylinders Ease
The Load For EMAS Frontline Crews
Medical Gas Solutions have
successfully completed the
implementation of a five-year
contract with the East
Midlands Ambulance Service
to supply Luxfer's 300 bar
2litre Odyssey and 10litre
Excursion cylinders under
the brand name of the
company's New Vision
series.
Part of Luxfer's advanced
technology hoop wrap and full
wrap composite product lines,
the cylinders combine optimum
strength and durability with
uncompromising safety in a
compact, portable packages.
They can also be charged up to
300 bar, making them ideal for
front-line crews under pressure
by providing almost double the
gas volume of a conventional
cylinder. Added user benefits
also include revolutionary
integral valve technology which
allows the settings to be easily
read and adjusted by an
ergonomically designed control
with power outlets which are
easy to use and access.
New Vision cylinders are also
fitted with a revolutionary microchip tracking device to enable
ambulance services to record
and monitor stock control via an
on-line link and also monitor "hot
spots" where extra cylinders
need to be deployed. The
system also incorporates a
unique identity number which
can be traced back to the date
of manufacture, refill dates, gas
contents, cylinder type, batch
control and testing data.
Steve Gullick, Medical Gas
Solution's Managing Director
adds; “We selected Luxfer's
Excursion and Odyssey series
because they provides a total
solution approach to medical
gas delivery including the
lightest weight to duration ratio
available on the market.”
New Versatile Messaging System
From Venta Keeps Road Users Informed
An extremely versatile
messaging system from leading
vehicle warning equipment
supplier, Venta, enables police,
emergency vehicles and highway,
haulage and recovery companies
to quickly and easily convey a
message to a specific road user
or alert or instruct the public
following an incident. Called
ActivSign, the LED Matrix
Messaging System has an
onboard memory that allows the
sign to retain up to 80 userprogrammed messages alongside
the factory programmed traffic
director and hazard warning
function.
Available in a choice of red or
amber signage, ActivSign can be
programmed at site by means of a
detachable keyboard thereby
enabling up to the minute
information to be displayed in a
variety of formats including fixed,
rolling, flashing, etc.
Predetermined messages can
also be displayed using either
hard-wired switches or the
keyboard.
Also including a built-in arrow
director, warning strobe functions
and dimming function for night
use, the ActivSign's solid LED
design ensures durability against
road shock and vibration providing
low maintenance and an extended
lifespan. Whilst the high density
LEDs are rated at 100,000 hours,
they also have an extremely low
current draw which ensures a
minimal battery drain even if the
vehicle ignition is turned off.
Available in 508mm and
1016mm widths, ActivSign is
sealed against dust and moisture
ingress enabling it to be installed
to the exterior of the vehicle as
well as internally. An optional
auto-rise bracket is also available
for covert use.
ActivSign is a further addition to
Venta's expanding product range,
which includes beacons, strobe
light heads and stand-alone
messaging systems. The
company is also a specialist in the
latest LED lighting offering a range
of grille and covert lights and fully
flexible lightbars.
Response Medical Launches UK's First Manually
Retractable Safety Needle
Response Medical, a leading
UK healthcare supplier, today
launched Surety™ Needle, a
new retractable safety needle
developed specifically to
address the growing threat of
needlestick injuries - the
second most common cause
of accidents to NHS staff.
Over 40,000 needlestick
injuries are recorded in the UK
every year, however the actual
incidence is much higher as a
significant number go
unreported. Accidental
penetration of the skin with a
contaminated needle exposes
the victim to more than 20
different bloodborne infections
34
including Hepatitis B and C, as
well as HIV . The cost of
needlestick injuries is estimated
to be £500,000 per annum, to
each NHS Trust.
Designed to be compatible
with all commonly used syringes,
the intuitive design of Surety™
Needle makes it easy to use,
with minimal training required. It
can be used for blood draw, intra
muscular (IM) and intra venous
(IV) injections. The ergonomically
designed needle has been
specifically designed for onehanded operation and, once
retracted, is rendered
permanently safe, as it cannot
be reused. During operation,
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
fingers do not go forward of the
contaminated needle.
Matthew Root, Director,
Response Medical, said:
“Needlestick injuries are the
silent threat which haunt every
ward and clinic up and down the
country.
“Every 12 minutes, a
healthcare worker suffers a
needlestick injury, somewhere in
the UK. They then have to spend
anxious weeks worrying about
whether they have contracted
Hepatitis B, C, HIV or any one of
more than 20 other bloodborne
diseases. Just imagine being
infected in the normal course of
your work and returning home
with a potentially life-threatening
infection
“Since 1996, nine health
workers have contracted HCV
due to a needlestick injury
“Behind this human tragedy is
also a significant financial cost a combination of time off work,
temporary staff cover, litigation
and the now inevitable costs of
compensation.
“Not providing safety needles
is similar to a site manager
neglecting to supply hard hats
on a building site. But with
Surety™ Needle healthcare
employers can now safely
exercise their duty of care
towards employees.”
Products and Suppliers News
A hot meal… anywhere, anytime and without any fuss
Openhouse, one of the UK's leading providers of products for
the emergency services, have just launched 'Heater Meals', a
brand new range of self-heating meal packs designed
specifically for use in extreme conditions or emergency
rescue situations.
Quick to prepare and easy to use, the Heater Meal is ideal for use
'on the job'. Heated by a unique heater system, when the sachet of
water supplied with the meal is poured on the heater, it produces
steam inside the bag and the meal becomes piping hot in just
minutes.
Once the meal heating cycle is complete, the heater stays warm for
up to an hour and
doubles up as a hand or body warmer - ideal for any emergency
situation.
Weighing just 300 grams, the compact meal pouch is extremely
light-weight. Each delicious Heater Meal includes: a meal pouch, a
salt water sachet to activate the heat reaction, cutlery, and simple
instructions to the perfect meal.
A wide range of meal options are available, including an 'All-Day
Breakfast', Chicken with Herb Dumplings, Beef Ravioli with Mushroom
Gravy and Tender Chicken with Chilli Sauce. Vegetarian and Halal
meals are also available.
The Heater Meals and other cutting-edge kit you can depend on in
the toughest situations are now available from Openhouse's Online
Shop at www.openhouseproductsshop.com
For more information or a free sample Heater Meal to trial, please
email: [email protected] or call: 0151 647 4044
October 2007 | AmbulanceTODAY
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