THE VILLAGE PEOPLE ARE IN SAFE HANDS

A hotel in the Black Country is looking after their guests and staff better than ever before thanks to West Midlands Ambulance Service. With 125 bedrooms, 4,500 leisure club members, meeting rooms, a restaurant, a coffee shop and around 200 staff, De Vere Village Hotel on Castlegate Park in Dudley can welcome around 2,000 people through their doors each day.

With such a busy venue, West Midlands Ambulance Service recently provided the hotel with an automated external defibrillator (a device used to restart someone’s heart when they’ve suffered a cardiac arrest). A total of nine staff were given training in basic life support and how to use their new piece of life saving kit during a hands on training session delivered by a local paramedic last month.

Pictured (left to right): Dawn Fox (paramedic), Mark Mills (Leisure Centre Operations Manager), Lee Tempest (Pub Manager), Luke Hughes (Membership Advisor), Warren Thompson (Assistant Pub Manager), Steve Dear (Restaurant Manager), Audrey Williams(Housekeeping Team Leader), Lynda Parkins (Meeting and Events Manager), Andy Parkes  (Leisure Club Manager), Emma Wilkins (Black Country Community Response Manager), De Vere Village’s ‘The Purple Man’

Andy Parkes, Leisure Club Manager, said: “You can’t go wrong with the training, its’ really easy to follow. There was no fear factor from anyone on the training as the defibrillator is simple to use and operate.By having a defibrillator and people trained in first aid means that our guests and staff are in a safe environment. We’re really grateful to West Midlands Ambulance Service for providing us with this valuable training and life saving equipment.”                                         

Dawn Fox, a Paramedic from Tettenhall, trained the group on Tuesday 28th February and said: “It was great working with the staff at The Village as they were really enthusiastic learning new skills and getting to grips with the defibrillator. Its common sense for such a busy leisure facility to have a defibrillator and people trained in first aid as, with so many people using the hotel, it’s inevitable that someone will need vital first aid. They’re a very proactive team who are keen on looking after their visitors and staff alike. By increasing the amount of defibrillators in the public domain and by increasing appropriately trained personnel in the use of a defibrillator and basic life support, the percentages of survival from a cardiac arrest can only increase.”

The South West has HART

Hazardous Area Response Team launches in the South West

From Thursday 15th March the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) now has a Hazardous Area Response Team (HART). The team comprises 42 ambulance paramedics who have undergone extensive, additional training and are able to triage and treat patients under hazardous and potentially contaminated conditions.

The team work in shifts and are available for deployment seven days a week, around the clock. As well as being deployed locally and regionally across the Trust area, they are also available to be dispatched to incidents across the country. From their base in Exeter, a duty watch (or shift) of HART staff comprises five paramedics and a Team Leader (Clinical Support Officer) level.

In terms of mobilisation, the HART will be dispatched via the Trust Clinical Hubs (Control Rooms). Alternatively, their attendance may be requested by a partner agency. The sort of triggers which may warrant a HART response include; patients trapped in collapsed structures, incidents involving multiple casualties, urban search and rescue, flood water, and incidents involving hazardous materials.  

The SWASFT HART is also one of the first in the UK to receive specialist Response Convoy Driver Training. The need for this training has arisen because potentially there is a need for multiple resources to respond to incidents together.

The course is delivered by qualified instructors, and has been adapted from police services protocol, and allows up to four vehicles to respond safely to the scene of an incident whilst causing minimal disruption to other road users.

Stuart Blatston, the Trust’s HART Manager is confident that having the team in place will make a difference and said: “Introducing HARTs across the country is an excellent initiative. They are provided at no cost to the individual ambulance Trusts and can make a real difference. Having been involved with three separate HARTs, I am confident in saying that they do save lives and reduce suffering”.

“HART paramedics train in a wide variety of scenarios and under some challenging conditions and often in partnership with colleagues from police and fire services. The team is equipped with a range of specialist equipment and vehicles which enable the paramedics to carry out their work as safely as possible.”

ASBF News

AMBULANCE SERVICES BENEVOLENT FUND

LATEST NEWS

Two separate fund raising events are being organised by staff from East of England Ambulance Service.

A team of paramedics are riding on bicycles from Lands End to John O Groats in May 2012. Details/help please contact Pete Davison: pete.davison@tscali.co.uk

A member of the emergency control is organising a dance to raise funds in Milton Keynes at ‘Bistro Live’- Wednesday 23^rd May 2012 -19.15 to midnight – tickets £20 includes three course meal. Tickets direct from: http:/www.bistrolive.com/customers/additonalPayments.asp?BookingCode=K8qU2o1. Further details please contact: craig.borrett@eastamb.nhs.uk Or phone Craig on : 07716 890070

Help raise funds by entering to run in the London 10k in May – the ASBF have 12 free places available. Applications can only be made through Simon Fermor ASBF Secretary: Asbf.enquiries@hotmail.co.uk

VUE National Triathlon emergency services competition – teams welcome with the overall winners presented with a £1000 donation for their service charity – ambulance service competitors would choose the ASBF. www.vue-cctv.co.uk

The ASBF has recently registered with Vodafone’s ‘JustTextGiving’ service – which allows mobile phone users of any network to give donations to charity. Enter 70070 into the “to” box – Write in the code ‘ASBF44’ add the amount you want to donate – Your text might look like this ‘ASBF44 £5’ Press ‘Send.’  The text itself is FREE! Smart phone users will have the option to claim Gift Aid immediately via their phone to increase at no cost to them which will increase their donation by 25%!

Other ways to raise money for the ASBF for ‘FREE’ – make Everyclick.co your search engine by following this link:-

www.everyclick.com/uk/ambulanceservicesbenevolentfund and then select the ASBF as your chosen charity.

A further development to’ Everyclick’ is another simple and free method of fund raising – ‘Give as you Live’:

http:/www,giveasyoulive.com/join/ambulanceservicesbenevolentfund Shopping with ‘Give as you Live’ can raise up to 4% of your purchase expense for the ASBF at no extra cost to you 

The ASBF will have a stand at the following event so if you’re visiting please go along and say hello and have a chat, we will be pleased to see you.

AMBULEX – at the Fire Service College, Morton in the Marsh – 13^th – 14^th June 2012. For information visit: www.ambulex.com

Visit the ASBF website where you can purchase ambulance service car stickers, pins, blazer badges, Diamond jubilee medals and the new enamelled medal bars and much, much more.

Or, to make a regular donation please sign up to one of the donation from salary schemes like ‘Give As You Earn’.

For more information about your charity please visit:

www.asbf.co.uk

Or email:

Asbf.enquiries@hotmail.co.uk

 

THE AMBULANCE SERVICES BENEVOLENT FUND HAS BEEN CARING FOR THE CARES FOR OVER 25 YEARS – WE NEED YOUR HELP TO RAISE FUNDS SO THAT  WE CAN CONTINUE TO THRIVE AND DEVELOP OUR FUTURE CARE PROGRAMMES – TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE!

PATRON: SIMON WESTON OBE.

REGISTERED CHARITY # 800434  (471 words)

Domino’s Pizza wins UK emergency service contract
Popular pizza chain Domino’s has been unveiled as the winner of a tender to provide the police, fire and ambulance emergency services within the UK.

‘During a trial Domino’s Pizza out-performed the current service provider by 90%,’ said a Government spokesperson. ’Their record of having a pizza delivery boy on site within 30 minutes of the call being made, or your money back, seems to transfer well to the provision of emergency services.’

‘I ordered a pizza from Domino’s a couple of weeks ago and it arrived within 20 minutes,’ said one satisfied customer. ’But when I was burgled the next night the police didn’t come out until the following Tuesday, so this move makes perfect sense to me. Mind you, I did think it was strange that the next time I ordered a pizza the delivery boy let himself in using my keys.’

Domino’s Pizza has also pledged that if their fire crews arrive too late and find a house burned to the ground, the loss will be eased somewhat with a free medium pepperoni pizza.

Guernsey's marine ambulance in Queen's Diamond Jubilee pageant

Guernsey's marine ambulance will be among a thousand boats gathering on the River Thames in June to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The pageant will involve ships of all shapes and sizes from across the world travelling from Battersea to the Tower of London led by the Royal Barge. The Flying Christine III has been offered and has accepted a place among them.

Jon Beausire, chief ambulance officer, said he was delighted. He said it was especially pleasing as 2012 was the 60th anniversary of Guernsey's Marine Ambulance Service. Mr Beausire said: "The Flying Christine III is the third vessel to have provided the service since its introduction in 1952, and during this time the craft have carried out thousands of missions to the surrounding smaller islands, ships and other vessels at sea.

"It will be an honour to represent Guernsey, St John and the ambulance services of the British Isles using our unique marine ambulance, as part of the Thames pageant in celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee."

It is one of only two marine ambulances in the British Isles. It will not only represent Guernsey, but also St John Ambulance and Rescue Service nationally and the wider ambulance services also.

Mr Beausire said sponsorship had been secured for the fuel and to ensure that the Flying Christine III could fly Guernsey's maritime flag and be decked out with appropriate bunting fit for such a special occasion. He also praised the efforts of the Bailiff's chambers and support of the Lieutenant Governor in securing the ship a place as spaces in the pageant were three times oversubscribed.

Sir Geoffrey Rowland, Bailiff of Guernsey, said: "Guernsey's maritime history and tradition is well-known. We are a people of the sea and Guernsey folk are part of the rich tapestry that makes up the fabric of the British nation. The Flying Christine III is very much part of life in the British Isles with its maritime history and tradition. The professionalism and bravery of the ambulance rescue men and women is renowned. I anticipate it will be a glorious and memorable event. The vessel's master and crew are keen to participate and they are looking forward to 3 June with eager anticipation."

Vodafone UK to provide total communications services to South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS)
Vodafone will provide fixed-line services, mobile connectivity and its 999 call centre infrastructure support and maintenance.

After a formal procurement process using a government framework agreement, the South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) NHS Trust has appointed Vodafone UK as its communications partner. Bringing together SCAS’s communications under one supplier will create savings estimated at half a million pounds over the next five years and help the service’s 2,500 staff communicate more efficiently as they deliver vital healthcare services across the region.

SCAS was created five years ago through the merger of the ambulance trusts in Berkshire,  Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire and covers an area of approximately 3,500 sq miles with a residential population of over four million. As a result of the merger, the service had several communications suppliers covering different areas so it was looking to replace them with a single supplier who could provide resilient fixed, mobile and unified communications across its footprint. Having one supplier will maximise efficiencies, helping the service to continue to provide high quality healthcare services to patients.

Vodafone UK will merge SCAS’s fixed-line and mobile communications giving all staff, including its clinical front line staff and 999 call centre operators, access to effective communications. In situations where every second counts, the consolidated platform will help employees to get in touch quickly with the right person. This cost effective solution will allow SCAS to invest the resulting financial savings into front-line patient care.

SCAS will also work with Vodafone to make use of the company’s expertise and communications technology to deliver other improvements across the service such as reducing paper processes, giving staff greater access to systems and databases on the move and using workforce management applications to make best use of employees’ time.

“Vodafone’s technology will benefit both our employees and the local communities,” said Vince Weldon, Associate Director of Information Management and Technology, SCAS. “In addition to helping us improve the effectiveness of our everyday working, we see Vodafone as a credible strategic partner and an organisation that can work with us to deliver innovation and support our new ways of working ambitions. We hope this partnership will successfully demonstrate how effective telecoms solutions can help in the evolution of the health sector.”

£22m Frimley Park Hospital extension and helipad nears end

A project to provide one of the best emergency departments and day theatres in the country is nearing completion.

The H on the helipad at Frimley Park Hospital was given the it's final lick of paint by hospital trust chief executive Andrew Morris and Adam Wells, construction director for contractor VINCI Construction UK,  during a topping off ceremony on the £22m extension. The ceremony on Friday marked the finish of the highest part of the building. The helipad will allow the hospital in Portsmouth Road, Frimley, to receive and transfer some of the sickest patients in the safest possible way.

Mr Morris explained how emergency services have changed since he first took over at Frimley Park in the late 1980s when there were just 25,000 emergency patients per year and one consultant doctor in the department. He said: “It’s very different now, with about 100,000 patients every year. We’ve got 13 consultants here for you in the emergency department from 8am to midnight seven days a week.”

He thanked everyone involved in the project, which he described as the most ambitious yet for the trust. "Being a foundation trust has meant we can get on and do it without having to get approval from somewhere else. I’m really pleased with what we’ve done so far. It will be a real benefit for the hospital and most importantly for the 400,000 people who rely on Frimley Park for an excellent service.”

The new department will include eight resuscitation beds and separate rooms for all patients in the majors section. Patients will be triaged at the door and the most senior doctors in emergency medicine will be on hand to make key decisions about patient care.

The two extra day surgery theatres will allow more operations to be carried out using surgical advances that are less invasive for patients, usually resulting in faster recovery and better outcomes. Construction is due to finish in mid June, with the emergency department scheduled to open soon after.

Reading the signs

Londoners urged to ‘Act FAST’ by ambulance service

Londoners are being urged to ‘Act FAST’ if they think someone is suffering a stroke, as the Government’s advertising campaign begins again this week.

The television advert shows how to do the ‘Face, Arm, Speech, Time to call 999 test’ which identifies people whose blood supply is being cut off from the brain – a life-threatening emergency. Since February 2010, London Ambulance Service staff have been taking patients with suspected stroke straight to one of eight specialist hospitals in the capital, open around the clock.

London Ambulance Service Assistant Medical Director Neil Thomson said: “We’re concerned that people don’t call us straight away if they see the signs of stroke – it’s a medical emergency and needs treatment as soon as possible. We hope the Act FAST campaign will remind more people to take action quickly.

“Stroke is also known as ‘brain attack’ because it’s just as life-threatening as a heart attack and we treat it just as seriously. If our staff think you’re suffering from brain attack they will take you directly to a hyper- acute stroke unit where you will have access to expert clinicians 24/7.

“This may mean the ambulance will bypass local hospitals on the way, but ultimately you will receive the best level of care more quickly.”

On average, London Ambulance crews take over 750 patients a month straight to a hyper-acute stroke unit for specialist care.

The FAST test
People should look for:
• Facial weakness – can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?
• Arm weakness – can the person raise both arms?
• Speech problems – can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?
• Time to call 999