EMAS experiences highest ever 999 demand

The festive season got off to a busy start for EMAS and its frontline crews on Friday 21 December
when it dealt with 2,384 emergency calls - that’s 457 more than would normally be received on a
typical Friday. And record call volumes continued into the early hours of the following morning.

As in previous years, people drinking to excess were the main reason for the increase with crews
dealing with callers who had injured themselves or were so ill, they needed hospital treatment.

A spokesperson for EMAS said: “We geared up for a very busy night because the last Friday before
Christmas is traditionally a time of high demand as people finish work and start to party. Sadly, many
of the patients we dealt with had their night out spoilt and some will even be spending Christmas in
hospital rather than with their family and friends. We expect the increase in demand to continue over
Christmas and into the New Year and whilst we don’t want to be killjoys, we’d urge people to drink
sensibly to avoid the same problems happening to them.”

The service is also asking the public to only call 999 in cases of genuine life-threatening emergencies.

Ambulance trusts' South West merger plan moves closer

BBC News has posted that plans to create a single ambulance service for south-west England have been sent to the health secretary for approval.

Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust (GWAS) wants to merge with South Western Ambulance Service (SWAS) to create a single foundation trust. The new trust will cover an area from Gloucestershire down to Cornwall.

GWAS said the merger would see some job cuts, however frontline services would not be affected.
A spokesman could not say how many staff would be affected.

If approved by Jeremy Hunt, the trusts could merge by February.

Ken Wenman, chief executive of both organisations, said the plans had been subjected to "rigorous scrutiny" by external bodies such as Monitor and the strategic health authority."It is reassuring that at no stage of the process have there been any concerns that the partnership should not proceed and we are now looking forward to receiving final approval from the secretary of state," he said.

 

Sea of Santas raise £5,000 for air ambulance

 

A Santa dash at Lydiard Park earlier this month, organised by the Rotary Club of Swindon Phoenix and the charity, raised £5,000.The event saw more than 200 Santas brave the bitter cold to run 5km around the park, and this week the club visited the charity to hand the cheque over.

Caroline Corrigan, fundraising manager for Wiltshire Air Ambulance, said: “It costs the charity £2,000 per day to keep the helicopter in the air and the Rotarians’ goal was to raise enough funds to keep the helicopter flying for further two days by raising £4,000.

“They did in fact raise £5,000 with more funds due to come in. The money will keep the air ambulance flying for another two days and potentially save six lives.”

Swindon Phoenix was invited to the unit to donate the funds raised and see the helicopter.Paramedic Matthew Baskerville who flies on the helicopter gave them a look around and answered questions on the role he plays as a crew member.

The Wiltshire Air Ambulance relies completely on the public for funding. The service does not receive any Government funding towards its annual target of more than £700,000.In the last year crews flew to more than 42 incidents in and around the Swindon area.

Phoenix Rotary president Paul Parfrey said “I have chosen Wiltshire Air Ambulance as one of the beneficiaries from the fundraising that Swindon Phoenix are doing as it’s a critical service to saving lives in Wiltshire.

“The Santa Run took hours of organising but it paid off. The members of Swindon Phoenix are proud to support this worthy cause and we have booked December 1, 2013 for the next Swindon Santa Run.”

For more information about Wiltshire Air Ambulance visit www.wiltshireairambulance.co.uk or for more information about the Rotary Club visit www.swindonphoenixrotary.org

From the Swindon Advertiser: http://tinyurl.com/cypjabl

 

Interim chief executive for ambulance trust

An interim chief executive has been appointed to the East of England Ambulance NHS Trust.

Andrew Morgan, former chief executive of NHS Norfolk and Waveney, will lead the trust while the next stage in the recruitment process is carried out.

Maria Ball, chairman of the trust, said: “Andrew is a superb person to lead the trust whilst the next stage of the recruitment process is carried out. The trust is entering an important time as we work with new commissioners to agree how the service will be funded, what services will be provided to patients and to what standards.

“With Andrew’s extensive expertise within the NHS, he will be able to guide the trust forward to improve our services to patients, and see EEAST through the difficult winter period where traditionally we see an increase in demand on 999 services.”

Mr Morgan has worked in the NHS since 1982 and has held posts as chief executive at NHS Bedfordshire and NHS Harrow, and has spent time as a health authority director in primary care.