South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
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SIMON BEATS ODDS OF 1 IN 181 TRILLION
Autumn Twenty Nineteen
Autumn 2019
Work progressing wel hub in Milton Keynes 1
SCAS and National Pubwatch launch first aid films 24
RBFRS Awards 33
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ll at new tri-services 10
Social Care Line pays dividends 36
Richard's surprise visit 42
Autumn 2019
SIMON BEATS ODDS OF 1 IN A 181 TRILLION
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Across England, only 8% of people who suffer a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital environment survive to tell the tale. Simon Boyce, from Milton Keynes, suffered 13 cardiac arrests on the morning of 22 February and thanks to the efforts of SCAS staff who responded to his emergency and refused to give up on him, Simon beat odds of 1 in 181,898,940,354,585 in surviving thirteen consecutive cardiac arrests!
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On 23 July, Simon and his wife Susan visited Bletchley Resource Centre in Milton Keynes to come and say thank you to the control room and frontline team that helped him beat such incredible odds.
Assistant, Abi Buckland, to the family home in Great Linford.
“It was a perfectly normal Friday morning”, remembers Simon. “I woke to feeling a small amount of indigestion and made the decision to use the cross trainer we have at home despite this, hoping it would wear off. However, I only managed about 10-15 minutes before stopping. Susan then left for work and I went for a shower still with this feeling of indigestion. I got dressed and as I left the bedroom I collapsed to the floor.”
Richard and Abi take up the story of what happened next. “We found Simon in the dining room and he was pale, clammy and complaining of severe chest pain. Our ECG reading confirmed a myocardial infarction – Simon was having a heart attack. Abi was just about to give him an aspirin to chew on when he told us he didn’t feel right and then he arrested. As he was in VF (ventricular fibrillation), we applied one shock and immediately radioed for back-up”, says Richard.
Simon had remained awake and alert when he collapsed so he was able to make it downstairs, he unlocked the front door and called Susan, before going to the dining room to wait for help. Susan added, “I saw Simon’s number on my phone, answered the call and he told me what had happened and said ‘Call an ambulance!’ and then the phone went dead! I would have normally called him back, but this was just so out of character that I had a sense that something must be really wrong, so I did exactly that and dialled 999. Thank goodness I did rather than drive back home and see what was wrong.” Emergency Call Taker, Jess Atkinson, was on duty in SCAS’ Clinical Coordination Centre (CCC) in Otterbourne, Hampshire, and answered the phone to Susan. From the information Susan provided and the fact that Simon was not answering his phone, the call was triaged as a potential life-threatening emergency requiring the quickest possible response. Buckinghamshire Dispatcher, Luke Froggatt, working at SCAS’ other CCC in Bicester, Oxfordshire, immediately dispatched the ambulance of Paramedic, Richard Toes, and Emergency Care
“Having spoken to Jess I left work and drove home again, arriving just as the ambulance pulled up too”, recalls Susan.
Back in Bicester, Luke dispatched Emergency Medical Technician, Mark Pringle, and Team Leader, Tony Aylmer, to help Richard and Abi, with both arriving in their rapid response vehicles in less than nine minutes. “The house by this time was quite full”, adds Abi, “with Mark and Tony helping with Simon too. The layout of the dining room meant that there wasn’t room to get the stretcher to where Simon was nor did we have the space to use the scoop in the room either. I remember having got him back from that first arrest, we had to apologise to Simon to say he was going to have to walk to the trolley in the hall.” Having got Simon on the trolley, he arrested almost immediately again. Another shock was applied and a Lucas machine – a device that delivers CPR to the chest of a patient – was placed on him. Simon grimaces as he remembers the effect of the Lucas machine. “I can recall walking towards the trolley”, says Simon, “but I don’t remember getting on it. However I do remember waking up to this thing pounding me in the chest!”
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“You told us to get it off you in no uncertain terms”, adds Richard with a smile, “and more than once as well!” Simon’s condition was still however, extremely unstable and he continued to go into cardiac arrest making it difficult for the team to risk transporting him to hospital. As well as supporting Richard, Mark and Tony when required, Abi was also providing emotional support to Susan, having taken her into the kitchen at the couple’s home and asked her to wait there. Susan says, “I remember it like it was yesterday. I could hear what was going on and I remember hearing one of the guys asking how many shocks Simon had been given. The answer came back as six at that stage and I just thought someone was going to come in to the kitchen at any moment now and tell me that you’d done all you could but that Simon was gone.”
Simon, however, was only half way through his experience and in total the SCAS team resuscitated him successfully following 12 cardiac arrests at home, and he had his 13th and final one shortly after arriving at Milton Keynes University Hospital. “It was certainly an unusual experience for us as a team”, says Tony Aylmer. “I certainly can’t recall a patient who kept waking up like Simon did with a Lucas machine still going. The Lucas needed to be working because although we were getting Simon back after each shock, his heart still wasn’t back into a normal rhythm so we couldn’t turn it off – despite all his requests to do so!” Richard agrees that Simon was a unique patient. “After someone comes to from a successful resuscitation, we usually ask them a question or two as this gives an indication of whether they might also have
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suffered some neurological damage. After getting Simon back from his first arrest, I asked him what was his favourite football team and he said, ‘Spurs’. I asked him the same question after his second and he said, ‘Still Spurs!’ Patients who survive cardiac arrests usually don’t remember anything about the incident itself or often the hours or even days leading up to it and in the immediate aftermath, so the fact Simon could, we took as a positive despite the fact he kept arresting on us.”
“To only come out of this with five or six days of bad bruising is nothing short of a miracle”, Simon tells the team on his visit to Bletchley. “Susan and I will never be able to thank you enough for what you did that day. My consultant is really pleased with how I’m doing, I’m able to take a few walks now, as long as they’re not too strenuous, and I’ve been able to go back to work, initially on reduced hours just four weeks after leaving hospital.”
Having arrived at Milton Keynes Hospital and, following a successful resuscitation after his thirteenth and final cardiac arrest, Simon’s condition was now stable enough to be transported to the specialist cardiology unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Richard and Abi took Simon under blue light conditions the 36 miles to there from Milton Keynes. During the journey they were heartened to see that Simon’s condition continued to improve and he was getting stronger by the minute.
“It was the perfect execution of what we call ‘the circle of life’ with you, the patient, at the centre”, Tony tells Simon. “It was an excellent team response right from the start with Jess identifying the seriousness of the call, Luke responding accordingly and getting the first ambulance to you as quickly as possible, Richard and Abi identifying how poorly you still were after their initial treatment and requesting backup from Mark and myself. I think we all worked really well together that day and it’s great to see you here and looking so well.”
Simon spent a week at the John Radcliffe Hospital, during which time he had two stents fitted and did his very best not to sneeze or laugh due to the temporary agony this would immediately bring to his chest and ribs following his ‘ordeal’ under the Lucas machine. His heart problems, it was concluded, were likely due to a hereditary condition he was unaware of and not brought on by any lifestyle factors.
Autumn 2019
WORK PROGRESSING WELL AT NEW TRI-SERVICES HUB IN MILTON KEYNES
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Head of Operations for Milton Keynes & Aylesbury Vale, Mark Begley, along with Clinical Operations Manager, Steve Winfield, were invited by Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, who are managing the construction project, and Kingerlee Ltd, the contractor, to visit the new Tri-Services Hub site in Milton Keynes on Friday 26 July.
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As well as representatives from SCAS, operational colleagues from the Fire Service and Thames Valley Police, and local MP, Iain Stewart, also took the opportunity to view the progress of the new Hub along with a reporter and cameraman from BBC Look East. At the time of the visit, the construction of the fabric of the building was very close to being finished and the next phase of the project has now commenced with the work on completing the internal fixtures and fittings. Visitors from all three services who will share the new building were all very impressed with the scale of the site, the facilities that ambulance, police and fire service staff will have access to and the incredible amount of space for SCAS, compared to our current operational resource centres in Bletchley and on the MK Hospital site. The initial plan to be in the new Hub by January is not going to be possible as there has been some slippage in the construction plans. We have been informed that Kingerlee Ltd is expecting to handover the building to Bucks Fire in March next year, which would mean SCAS would move all staff into the new Hub from April 2020 at the earliest. The project team at SCAS working on the new Hub has engaged closely with staff in the design and layout of our own operational areas to ensure that the views of staff who will be working at the new site are taken into consideration. This should ensure that we create the most optimal working environment possible when we move in. Over the course of the coming months, more staff who will be based at the new Hub will be invited to visit to see for themselves the continuing progress of the construction project and get a real insight into how their new base will look once finished.
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Tri-Services Hub - Milton Keynes
Autumn 2019
KEV IS DOING WELL ON HIS LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY
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On the morning of 1 March, 2018, there were two serious collisions on the A34 – one on the southbound carriageway and one on the northbound carriageway – at almost exactly the same point near Burghclere in Berkshire shortly after 7am. Temperatures overnight had fallen below freezing leaving road conditions treacherous. On the southbound carriageway, a collision between a lorry and a van led to the death of one of those involved and serious injuries for two other people. On the northbound carriageway, just 10 minutes after the first accident, two lorries collided. Kev Bent from Lancashire was the driver of one of the lorries involved in the second collision.
“I got up at 6am that morning and left Rownham Services about 6.30am. I knew what the weather was going to be like but at that point it was ok. I can’t remember exactly where the accident happened; I just remember overtaking a Ford wagon and a car transporter. I went around a curve and could see standing traffic about half a mile in front of me. The second I touched the brakes, I became a passenger in my own vehicle. I’ve been driving professionally for 37 years and where I live, I’m very used to driving in snow. But that morning there wasn’t any snow on the road – it was only just starting to come down. I
tried everything I could but the back of the container of the wagon in front of me just kept coming closer and closer. I remember looking at my speedo and I was travelling about 40mph when I hit it. The police have told me that I was braking for about 400 metres.” The impact left Kev trapped in his cab with serious and life-threatening injuries. He was in and out of consciousness as medical treatment was started and firefighters worked to release him from the wreckage. Kev was taken to the major trauma centre at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford and underwent a nine hour operation the next day. He spent three weeks there until he was stable enough to be transferred closer to home to the Royal Blackburn Hospital where he spent a further two weeks. “Leaving hospital was when the real work began. I had damaged my sciatic nerve and I cannot feel the right side of my right leg, nor anything below the knee. I think I’ve been extremely lucky. I still have to use crutches and whilst I’m back at work, I now have an office job as driving professionally is out of the question. I’d be lying if I said I liked it, I don’t! But it pays the bills. I did buy a car two weeks ago and am driving using my left foot only, which is a bit scary! The Polish lorry driver who was the first person that got to me immediately after the accident has become a good friend. He’s told me that he fell over on the black ice three times just getting to my cab! I can never repay any of the people from the ambulance service, police or fire brigade for giving me
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a second chance of life. It’s been hard but without my wife – we’ve been married for 31 years – and daughter I think I would have given up.” Matt Shearman, who at the time was working as a despatcher in SCAS’ Clinical Co-ordination Centre, was one of many SCAS staff both in the CCC and on the road who, along with colleagues from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service and Hampshire and Thames Valley Police Services, responded to the two incidents that had closed both carriageways of the A34. When Kev and his family visited Thruxton air base at the end of July this year to say thank you to some of his lifesavers, Matt was one of the SCAS team – along with HART Paramedic Darel Nunn and Emergency Care Assistant, Anthony Reed – who represented all SCAS staff who had responded to the collision the previous year.
“The morning of 1 March was a hard one to forget; numerous issues with staff being able to reach the CCC due to the conditions, ambulances that were struggling to make it out of station in North Hampshire, an incident command cell in operation, and then there was the A34. We had multiple calls for the A34 on this particular morning which is not unusual when there is an RTC and initially received a call for an RTC rollover involving a lorry and van on the southbound carriageway, where there was someone believed to be not breathing. Only a few minutes later, we received another flurry of calls for the A34 at the same stretch of road, but on the northbound carriageway. Initially we were trying to interrogate if this was the same as the earlier calls but then we received further details that this was an RTC entrapment involving two lorries and a car.
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Our colleagues in Bicester were already assisting with the southbound carriageway collision as they had sent a team leader, the air ambulance emergency response vehicle and the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART). With the second incident now in and Kev in the cab of the lorry, we sent two further ambulances, another team leader, another air ambulance car and informed HART of the second collision; they were then getting ready to split down to deal with incidents on both sides of the carriageway. In total we had sent nine resources and HART to deal with the incidents whilst also continuing to manage the rest of the sector. The incident was ongoing for quite a long time from what I can remember, and has been one I have referred to ever since, due to the conditions that day and the challenges that we faced throughout the day, and into the night when the evening shift dispatch team were all stuck on the M27 trying to make their way into work!
Meeting Kev, his wife and daughter, was an absolute pleasure. For someone who had been through so much his positivity was unstoppable and infectious. Kev took the time to say hello to everyone who had come to meet him and understand what their role on the day was. He had a great sense of humour with us and referring to elements of the incident which was great to see. He told us how all he had done since he was 17 had been driving lorries and now he is in an office job after weeks in hospital and eight months off work to recover. He did come in to the room using a crutch but had unstoppable determination to get rid of it by next March. Kev is the kind of person that gets knocked down and gets back up again. The love for his family, the strength and will of himself, and the recovery and progress he has made since the incident was truly warming and inspirational and I hope he was able to enjoy his well-earned holiday that he and his family told us they were really looking forward to.�
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GARY & HELEN DONATE DEFIBRILLATOR TO CAVERSHAM COMMUNITY
Thanks to the fundraising efforts of cardiac arrest survivor, Gary Weller, and his wife, Helen, a new defibrillator is now available to the Caversham community in Reading.
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Gary suffered a cardiac arrest at his Caversham home in 2018 when his heart stopped for eight minutes. Having been successfully resuscitated with the help of SCAS staff and military co-responders, Gary was taken to hospital where he went on to make a complete recovery. Last year, Gary and Helen were reunited with their life-saving team, but the couple were keen to do more to show their appreciation. “Because it happened to me”, explained Gary, “it could happen to anyone. I wasn’t overweight, I don’t smoke, I don’t drink an awful lot and I was still quite fit at 62-years-old. It just brought it home to both of us how easily this could happen to someone at any age and at any time.” Helen added, “A defibrillator helped save Gary’s life and the more of these there are available, then more people might also have a better chance of surviving.” Across England, only 8.5% of people who suffer a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital environment survive. The survival rate in the South Central region is the best in the country however, with 13.4% of patients surviving to leave hospital in 2018/19. The Wellers organised a fundraising evening at Bina Tandoori, a restaurant that the couple had been to many times before Gary’s cardiac arrest. “The owner, Mohammed, very kindly sent us a bottle of champagne and some food free of charge to our home on the day that Gary was finally released from hospital”, says Helen, “as it was the first thing Gary wanted to eat when he got out.”
“I think when Helen asked me I told her I was ‘dying for a curry”, laughs Gary. “Maybe not the best choice of words!” As well as being given the restaurant for the evening by Mohammed for the event, Gary and Helen treated the guests to some amazing live music thanks to another friend, Pete Lincoln, who used to sing with Sailor in the 70s and still tours the world with The Sweet today. Ticket sales, an auction and raffle all helped raise the £1,000 needed for a new defibrillator on the night. On Monday, 9 September, the defibrillator was formally handed over to SCAS, activated on the Trust’s defibrillator database and is now available for use from Perfection Nail Salon on Prospect Street during the salon’s opening hours (9am-6pm, Monday-Saturday). Gary and Helen worked with SCAS to identify Perfection as the best location to improve the availability of defibrillators in the local community. Joining Gary and Helen at the formal launch were Head of Operations (West Berkshire), Kirsten Willis, and Community Engagement & Training Officer, Ben Westley, along with salon owner, Amy Nguyen.
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Kirsten added, “We’re very grateful for Gary and Helen’s efforts in donating a new lifesaving defibrillator to the local community. Obviously we strive to get to people in a suspected cardiac arrest as quickly as possible, but we can’t be on every street corner. It really does make a huge difference to the patient’s chances of survival if bystanders are able to start CPR and apply a shock from a defibrillator whilst we are on our way.”
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SCAS AND NATIONAL PUBWATCH LAUNCH FIRST AID FILMS
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Would you know what to do if you were faced with the victim of a knife of acid attack? That was the question a new first aid training film launched in July aims to answer.
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SCAS has been working with National Pubwatch to produce two new emergency first aid films which provide advice to bar staff should a customer on their premises be injured as a result of a knife or acid attack. The advice is also useful for members of the public should they come across a similar scenario. Thankfully, knife crimes and acid attacks are still relatively rare occurrences, but when they do happen, by following the emergency first aid advice in the two films, bar staff and members of the public can help prevent the loss of life as well as reduce the risk of permanent disfigurement in the minutes before ambulance staff arrive on scene. The Acid Attack film follows the existing multi-agency Remove, Remove, Remove protocol which provides instruction on giving initial first aid to people dealing with deliberate or accidental exposure to hazardous substances.
The Knife Attack film demonstrates good first aid practice with particular emphasis on applying firm pressure to the wound, keeping any knife or sharp implement in situ rather than removing it, and providing calm and reassuring support to the victim. Paramedic Team Leader at SCAS, Dave Baker, said: “We strive to save lives and in the unfortunate event of encountering a victim of an acid or knife attack, we hope that these films provide people with the knowledge of what to do –
and the confidence to do it – until an ambulance arrives on scene. Giving the right, essential emergency first aid to such victims in the minutes before the emergency services arrive can make a real difference, not just to the victim’s survival but also reducing the potential long-term impact of such attacks. We are very pleased to support National Pubwatch with this innovative way
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of delivering first aid training to staff working in licensed premises across the country.” Chair of National Pubwatch, Stephen Baker, added: “Personal safety should always be the main priority, but we feel that staff can take steps which at the very least will minimise harm. We have tried to make the scenarios in the films realistic and in doing so we appreciate that there is a danger of upsetting some people. But this is a serious issue and staff need to understand what they might be faced with if a knife or acid is used in their pub or bar.” èè The Acid Attack film can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/wa tch?v=gqiwF43HgEE&feature=you tu.be èè The Knife Attack film can be viewed at: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=AtyL8Sia07o&featur e=youtu.be Both films were shot on location at Clayton’s in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, and featured Clinical Mentor, Ashleigh Davies, Paramedic, Natalia Swiatly, and Emergency Care Assistant, Tarik Turk. Team Leader, Caroline Edwards, provided additional clinical advice and consultancy to the production team.
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March 2017 Autumn 2019
JOHN THANKS HIS LIFESAVING TRIO
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On 25 October 2016, NHS 111 Call Handler Ellen Brooks-Saunders took a rather unusual call at our Clinical Co-ordination Centre in Bicester. “It was around 7.30am”, remembers Ellen, “and I received a call from a gentleman who had dialled 111 when his wife went into labour. Initially, they had thought it was right at the start of the labour and they had plenty of time, but it soon became apparent as we were talking that plenty of time was certainly something they didn’t have!”
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At the end of August, Andover resident John Clark visited the town’s ambulance station to say thank you to Emergency Care Assistant, Louise Muncaster, Paramedic, Lauren Goss, and Team Leader, Jo Plummer, who were part of the SCAS team that responded when John collapsed a short distance from his home on 21 March this year. A 999 call was received in SCAS’ clinical co-ordination centre (CCC) in Bicester by Sinead Barstow, supported by Senior Emergency Call Taker, Lucy Stratford, and Darren Bradley, Emergency Dispatch Assistant, working at the Trust’s other CCC in Otterbourne, dispatched Lauren and Louise in an ambulance and Jo in a rapid response vehicle. Both vehicles arrived within six minutes of the call being received. Luckily, John’s collapse had been witnessed and four members of the public – two women and two men – had already begun CPR on him. He has since met, and thanked, Jim and Keith for the part they played in his survival but, despite an appeal on social media, the two ladies have yet to be identified. After being treated by the SCAS team at the scene, John was taken initially to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester, before being transferred to North Hampshire Hospital in Basingstoke. He was discharged home after three weeks in the hospital’s critical care unit and cardiac ward.
“I remember saying goodbye to my wife that morning and then going out myself”, says John. “I was walking back home and can’t recall feeling any symptoms – no chest pains, no tingling in my arms. The next thing I know it was 10 days later and I was waking up in hospital!” One of the things John wanted to know more about was what had happened to him and why. Jo, Lauren and Louise were able to show him and talk him through some of the observations and readings that they had taken, such as the ECG reading of his heart rate, and the treatments they carried out.
John says, “I was very, very lucky. Without that initial help from those people who were just passing by who kept me going till everyone from SCAS arrived, I wouldn’t be here. It was important for me to come and visit them today to say thank you because they saved my life.”
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STAFF COMMENDED AT ROYAL BERKSHIRE FIRE SERVICE AWARDS Two SCAS teams who responded to two challenging incidents were invited to the annual Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service Award Ceremony, held this year on Friday, 28 September, at the De Vere Wokefield Estate.
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The SCAS team that formed part of a multi-agency response to a serious collision on the M4 between a lorry and a minibus carrying staff and students from Prior’s Court in Thatcham were commended for their response and actions. The accident sadly led to the death of three members of staff and injured a further five people in the minibus. Prior’s Court Chief Executive, Mike Robinson, and family members of those involved were also at the event and personally thanked the SCAS team for their efforts in extremely difficult circumstances. There to receive the award on behalf of the whole SCAS team that responded in our clinical co-ordination centre and at the scene were Ben Voller, Jack PhillipsLord, Felicity Lupton-Smith, Natasha Cowmeadow, Lisa Beach and Stephen Pithers.
Unable to attend on the night were Jason Harrop, Peter Young, Shaun Prewitt, Mikey Copping, Glyn Ethelston, Timothy Gough, Katie Moger and Luke Hilder.
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A second SCAS team being honoured with a Commendation of Merit on the night was the team that responded when a RBFRS firefighter went into cardiac arrest whilst tackling a fire at Longmoor Wood, near Mortimer, in May this year. His colleagues at the scene had already used their own defibrillator to achieve ROSC before SCAS staff arrived at the scene. Taking over his treatment from their RBFRS colleagues, the team quickly then transferred the patient to the primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) unit at the Royal Berkshire Hospital where he underwent lifesaving surgery. Staff present to receive this second award were Pat Harris, Nicolette Jackson, Paula Wischusen, Jim Rice and Franziska Weingart-West.
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UNIQUE TRIAL
SHOWING VERY PROMISING RESULTS A unique collaboration between SCAS and Hampshire County Council’s adult social care team has reduced the number of people in the south east of Hampshire being admitted to hospital unnecessarily by more than 580 in the last eight months.
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At the end of last year, the Authority placed a qualified social worker at SCAS’ clinical co-ordination centre to work collaboratively alongside 999 emergency call takers in a unique trial. Believed to be the first of its kind across ambulance services in England, the Social Work Line went live on 3 December 2018 and its aim is to ensure people needing social care support were not being admitted to hospital unless there was a clear medical reason for doing so. Once SCAS frontline staff are at an emergency incident, they assess the situation and if they consider the patient requires adult social care support rather than medical intervention, they can call the SCAS-based social worker who then intervenes and organises the required help and assistance, freeing up the crew to attend their next call. Councillor Liz Fairhurst, Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health at Hampshire County Council, said: “With the significant pressure on hospital beds across the county, it is right that we do all we can to ensure people receive the right care, in the right place. Most of us would prefer to avoid admission to hospital if we could – our trial is demonstrating that the involvement of adult social care at the right point in the 999 process, can result in people being diverted away from hospital into a setting that is much more appropriate for their needs, freeing up beds for those who really need them.” Luci Stephens, Director of Operations for SCAS Clinical Co-ordination Centres, said: “This is an exciting and innovative pilot that is already demonstrating benefits to our patients in this geographical area, as well as to the wider health care economy in relieving system pressures. This pilot illustrates how well collaborative working across all services to deliver high standards of health and social care to our patients can be achieved.”
Due to the success of the trial, the SCAS and the County Council are continuing to work in partnership and there are plans to extend this service for the next financial year. An example of how the Social Work Line is making a difference When an ambulance crew arrived at the home of an 85-year-old patient who had fallen, they found the house in a mess, no food in the fridge, no family living locally and no equipment at home to help the patient to get around. The crew establish that the patient has capacity and does not require further hospital assessment or management. They call the Social Work Line highlighting the social care needs they’ve identified. Sarah, who works on the Social Work Line, answers their call and is able to: èè Make a referral for a pendant alarm and explain the benefits of having one to the patient èè Make a referral to meals on wheels for either a permanent or temporary order èè Make a referral for an assessment to the local occupational therapy/ reablement team to come out and assess the patient for mobility aids and equipment so they can remain independent and keep living at home èè Speak to a local befriending service and local cleaning charity that may be able to support the patient with the upkeep of their home èè Write a detailed case note for action by the local adult social services team requesting the allocation of a social worker to carry out a full care needs assessment
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STROKE SURVIVOR THANKS HER PORTSMOUTH AMBULANCE CREW
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Fareham resident Kathleen Gale suffered a stroke in July this year. Having made an excellent recovery and having little recollection of the event itself, her daughter Amanda got in touch with SCAS’ Patient Experience Team as Kathleen had often spoken about wanting to say thank you in person to the ambulance crew that had taken her to hospital. Paramedic, Sophie Parvin, and Student Paramedic, Rob Hillier, were delighted to welcome Kathleen and Amanda to SCAS’ North Harbour Resource Centre and overwhelmed with the gifts and cards that they had brought along. Phoebe Young, Emergency Call Taker, had picked up the 999 call that Amanda made around lunchtime on 20 July when she became worried about her Mum. “We were going out shopping together”, says Amanda, “and she kept repeating she felt strange. I couldn’t get any other reply from her, so I headed back home and then she went very quiet – never a good sign if you know my Mum – and then seemed to be getting very confused and upset.” Kayleigh Reed, Emergency Dispatch Assistant, sent Sophie and Rob to Kathleen’s home and following the assessment they undertook, advised that Kathleen needed to be transported quickly to hospital as she may be having a stroke.
“On arrival at the Queen Alexandra Hospital”, remembers Sophie, “I was a bit worried about what the consultant was thinking as initially Kathleen appeared to have completely recovered and was talking and responding as normal.” Rob adds, “It was when he asked her again how old she was, Kathleen replied ‘21’ and then gave ‘21’ as the answer to the next few questions that it became clear she was very poorly as we, and Amanda, had suspected.” She initially remained in a poor condition in hospital and couldn’t talk or swallow for the first two days she was there. “On the third day, my brother, Andrew, had flown to the UK from Australia”, said Amanda, “and when he arrived at the hospital to see Mum, she just sat up and started talking to him!” Thanks to the swift response from SCAS, and the excellent care at the hospital, Kathleen has gone on to make a good recovery and has even recently been able to return to her much-loved volunteer role of visiting and chatting to the elderly residents of a local care home; many of whom aren’t fortunate to have much, if any, family or friends visiting.
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MICHAEL MEETS HRH PRINCE WILLIAM
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Paramedic, Michael Green accompanied Sue Noyes, Chair of the Ambulance Staff Charity (TASC), to The Fire Fighters Charity’s Harcombe House Centre in Chudleigh, Devon, on Emergency Services Day (9 September).
Michael was amongst a party of representatives from police, fire and ambulance services who, along with local charities including mountain rescue and SHOUT UK, were introduced to His Royal Highness.
As a beneficiary of, and volunteer for, TASC, Michael felt both excited and privileged to have been invited to the event and given the opportunity to promote the work that TASC does in partnership with other services.
“The day was an amazing and humbling experience. I got to shake hands with Prince William and have a brief chat about the amazing work The Ambulance Staff Charity does. The event also gave attendees the opportunity to network and share experiences where working in challenging environments has caused turmoil which, through support, has been overcome. It was a great and rare opportunity to gather likeminded people in one place as a celebration of what we all do.”
The event was attended by HRH The Duke of Cambridge to recognise the work of the Charity in supporting the UK fire services community. The Duke was given a tour of the newly renovated centre which supports individuals, couples and families recovering from or living with poor mental health, injury and chronic illness, or supporting those adjusting to everyday living following a lifechanging event. Thanks to TASC funding, ambulance service staff can also access the support on offer.
The next in a regular series of peer support training sessions organised by TASC is being held in the South Central region at: Hampshire Court Hotel, Binfields Road, Basingstoke, RG24 8FY on 28 November from 9am-4:30pm. Anyone wanting to book a place would need to be a TASC volunteer and can register to attend online at èèwww.theasc.org.uk/ volunteer
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A SURPRISE VISIT FOR RICHARD TO WEXHAM RESOURCE CENTRE
Autumn 2019
On 10 August, Berkshire resident Richard Beagle thought that he was going to a scheduled follow-up appointment at Wexham Park Hospital.
Little did he know that his daughter, Natalie, had arranged for her Dad to instead meet some of the team that helped save Richard’s life earlier in the year when he fell from a ladder at home in Farnham Royal. With renovations in progress at the family home, the staircase had been temporarily removed and replaced with a ladder. Just before 11pm on 5 February, Richard fell from the top of the ladder and landed heavily on the floor below. His daughter, Natalie, heard him fall and immediately called 999. “I was also upstairs and remember screaming as there was so much blood coming from Dad’s head and we thought he had died on impact”, remembers Natalie. “I immediately called 999 but my Mum and I couldn’t get down to help him as the ladder had come down too, so we were stuck on the first floor.” Natalie’s call was received by Emergency Call Taker, Isabella Capocci, in SCAS’ Clinical Co-ordination Centre in Bicester. From the information Natalie was able to provide, Isabella triaged the call as requiring the most urgent response and Emergency Dispatcher, Luke Froggatt, immediately dispatched an ambulance crewed by Student Paramedic, Joe Wheildon, and Trainee Specialist Paramedic, Pawel Rudzinski.
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In the CCC, Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) Dispatch Assistant, Kirsty Sargeant, also recognised the seriousness of Richard’s injuries and fortunately had HEMS Paramedic, Jo Meadham, available in the Thames Valley Air Ambulance critical care car. Jo adds, “That night I was meant to be on the helicopter but it wasn’t able to fly due to the weather. I had just been stood down from another call when this one came in and because of that, we were closer than we would have ordinarily been.” Joe and Pawel arrived first and due to Richard’s poor condition, were glad that Jo’s additional clinical skills and support were also en route. “Having been told he was initially unconscious with no signs of life for the first few minutes, Richard was now trying to get up when we arrived. We wanted him to remain still but he was quite insistent; however he only made it as far as the sofa which is where we assessed and began treating him. Our main concern was his head as one pupil was unequal which suggested a bleed on the brain.” With Jo’s arrival, the team were debating whether to anaesthetise Richard before transporting him to hospital, however they decided to keep him awake for the journey. Jo travelled in the ambulance as the team took Richard to the major trauma centre at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.
Jo says, “Our biggest concern was with Richard’s head – once he had fallen we knew that all the signs were telling us that very serious damage had likely been done and from then on it was about how we could best prevent further injury. The fact he could move wasn’t actually helping us and we needed to keep him as still as possible.”
Autumn 2019
Having been admitted, Richard’s family were told that the initial prognosis was that he might be home again over the weekend so given the late hour, they returned to Farnham Royal. However, in the middle of the night, they were called by the hospital to say that Richard’s condition had deteriorated and it was touch and go if he was going to survive at all. Richard’s wife, Tina, adds, “He’d done so much damage to his brain as a result of the fall and it came as a complete shock to us. He was in a coma for the first week and at the end of that, we received a phone call from the hospital around 2.15am who told us that Richard needed an emergency major operation due to the intercranial pressure increasing to dangerous levels in his brain and it was going to last around 4-5 hours. Even if he survived that, we were warned that he might still be in
a vegetative state. We just living hour to hour, waiting for news.” Richard had to have a substantial part of his front skull removed to relieve the pressure on his brain and remained in a medically induced coma for a further two weeks. This was necessary as Richard’s fall had led to significant amounts of bleeding around the brain and a high degree of swelling. By removing part of his skull, the surgeons could ensure that the brain swell was allowed to go upward, as opposed to the barrier of the skull forcing it downward where it would cause further damage. Having spent 25 days in the Intensive Care Unit at the John Radcliffe, he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough where he spent a further two weeks. There then followed months of continuing therapy as he began to slowly recover.
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“I’ve had to learn everything again”, Richard tells the team, “including basics like walking. I still have serious short term memory problems but I’m making progress. My son Sam is a personal trainer and I’ve been going to the gym with him to work on my mobility and strength and this has made such a difference to my recovery.” Richard who is able to walk in to see Pawel, Jo, Kirsty and Isabella at Wexham unaided, still needs to wear his protective helmet until a titanium plate is fitted to cover the missing section of his skull. This operation is due to take place in December.
Daughter Natalie sums up the thoughts of Richard and all the family when she tells the team, “I know for a fact that if you hadn’t done such an incredible job, Dad wouldn’t be alive today. We were told in hospital the day after his accident to basically say goodbye to him. The fact he made it through those first few days is for a large part down to your hard work. You were all so calm, on the phone and in the house – I don’t know how you do it.”
Autumn 2019
SCAS STAFF & VOLUNTEERS SPEAK UP FOR ORGAN DONATION WEEK Organ Donation Week is a national awareness campaign run by NHS Blood and Transplant to highlight the generosity of donors and the incredible impact that they have on transplant recipients. It also provides an opportunity to educate, inform and inspire people, to help save and improve more lives.
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you choo se to op consider t ou ed donor w to have agreed t, you will be hen you to be an die. organ Whateve r know to you choose, let close fam help ensu ily or frie re your To find ou decision nd t is honour s how to op more about yo ed. ur choice t out: s, in cl ud visit orga ing nd or call 03 onation.nhs.uk 00 303 20 94
PASS IT O
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Autumn 2019
The national campaign this year focused on the changes to the law around organ donation coming into force in Spring 2020. From that time, all adults in England will be considered as having agreed to donate their organs when they die unless they record a decision not to donate or are in excluded groups. Under a theme of ‘Pass It On’ a series of campaign materials were provided by NHS Blood and Transport to be used during Organ Donation Week. The Communications Team at SCAS wanted to adapt these generic materials using personal stories from the Trust’s own staff and volunteers so that they would have greater impact. We were very fortunate that four members of staff and one of our volunteer community first responders came forward to bravely share some very moving testimony about how their loved ones donated their organs after death, their loved ones had been the beneficiaries of donated organs and in one case they had even been a living donor themselves. The stories shared by SCAS staff were covered by local media organisations and a social media campaign on Facebook and Twitter reached a further 80,000 people.
The SCAS campaign can be viewed in full at www.scas.nhs.uk/organ-donation-week-2019/
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NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR SCAS GOVERNOR ELECTIONS The election process for new governors at SCAS opened on Monday, 30 September, and nominations are open until 5pm on Monday, 21 October. SCAS is holding elections for members of the public to join the Trust’s Council of Governors in the following constituencies: èè Berkshire – two governors èè Buckinghamshire – one governor èè Hampshire – three governors èè Oxfordshire – one governor Governors play an important role in helping shape and support the emergency and non-emergency services that SCAS provides in the South Central region. It is an entirely voluntary, but extremely rewarding, role.
Governors are expected to attend all Council of Governors meetings (held four times a year in the evening), as well as attend sub-committee meetings and some events to help represent the views of people in the county the governor represents. You can find out more about the role of governors, the election process and Notice of Election here: èè www.scas.nhs.uk/aboutscas/council-of-governors/ governors-election/
Autumn 2019
EXERCISE POSEIDON SCAS took part in a major incident training exercise – Exercise Poseidon – on the River Thames at Harleyford Marina on 12 September. Operational frontline staff were joined by colleagues from Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Services, Thames Valley Police and a team from the University of Buckingham.
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The scenario facing the approximately 250 people who had gathered from all the organisations involved was how to best respond to an explosion on board a boat that left 10 casualties in the water and a further 40 casualties on board with no means of powering the boat to shore. As well as rescuing people from the water, staff from all organisations had to board the boat to triage the remaining casualties, transport them safely to a casualty clearing station where clinical staff from SCAS and students from the University of Buckingham’s medical school began treatment. Lindsey Hobbs, Resilience & Specialist Operations Manager at SCAS and Exercise Lead for the Trust, said: “The exercise was very real as the scenario closely represented a known, listed risk that is on the Community Risk Register for the Thames Valley given the number of passenger boat services currently operating within our area. It was a great opportunity to test our major incident response alongside our emergency service colleagues and other partners and we couldn't have wished for a more beautiful venue.”
Autumn 2019
Charity round up
Our charity team, staff, community first responders, volunteers and supporters work tirelessly all year round raising much needed funds for the South Central Ambulance Charity and other causes, as well as develop and strengthen the Trust’s relationship with the local communities we serve. Here’s a small selection of what they have been up to between July and September 2019.
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CHIEF EXECUTIVE LEADS ‘TOUR DE SCAS’ FUNDRAISER Whilst it might not match the 3,480km being cycled by the riders in its illustrious namesake across the Channel in France, SCAS Chief Executive, Will Hancock, led a peloton of SCAS staff on two 50-mile bikes rides in July to raise funds for the South Central Ambulance Charity. The rides started at SCAS HQ in Bicester, followed two weeks later by a ride starting from our Otterbourne offices, and took in the beautiful Cotswolds and Hampshire countrysides.
COUNTRYFILE LIVE A HUGE SUCCESS An estimated 100,000 people visited Countryfile Live, held in the grounds of Blenheim Palace from 1-4 August. A dedicated SCAS team of staff and volunteers ensured that the SCAS area at the event was bright, welcoming and busy for each day of the event with visitors learning more about the services we provide, as well as learning some vital first aid skills.
Autumn 2019
EASTBOURNE 999 SHOW Held on the weekend of 6-7 July, our PTS team in Sussex were also out in force at the Eastbourne 999 Show held on the picturesque Eastbourne Seafront. As well as talking about the service, the team were also raising awareness of the volunteer driving opportunities we have for local people who want to give something back to their community.
LOCAL MP JOINS AMBULANCE CREW On 7 August, Clinical Mentor, Ian Powell, and Emergency Care Assistant, Greig Whyllie, were joined on their ambulance shift by MP for Witney and West Oxfordshire, Robert Courts. Robert spent the morning with Ian and Greig seeing how a frontline crew work during a typical shift and learning more about our service, staff and volunteers.
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MK PRIDE The 2nd MK Pride was a great success with the SCAS stand one of the best dressed at the event. Staff from our 999 and PTS services were busy all day thanks to the excellent location next to local police and fire services. Chief Executive, Will Hancock, also came along to support the team, as did 999 Ted!
BARTLEY SCHOOL FAIR Team Leader, Jude McBride, and the Cadnam Community First Responders were at the Bartley School Fair on 6 July. It was a very hot but rewarding day with lots of interest from children and families in the roles of ambulance staff and CFRs, and the equipment they use. There was even a chance for Jude to meet Lightning McQueen!
Autumn 2019
FARINGDON CFR HONOURED AT VALE OF WHITE HORSE AWARDS Malcolm Gee, who has been serving the Faringdon community as a volunteer CFR for 16 years, as well as being Chair of the Faringdon PAD Committee, was presented with a Vale of White Horse District Council Chair’s Community Award on 28 September. “It has been my privilege to have responded to many people in my community in this time who have
suffered life-threatening medical conditions and injuries. I have very much enjoyed the opportunity of working as part of a team with many of the professional and dedicated frontline paramedics and staff who provide care and support to our patients in the SCAS area. I would also like to thank those people at SCAS who give us the training, support and confidence to fulfil our roles and the support of those in our community who help with funding the equipment we use.”
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NEWBURY PARIVAR SHAKHA Clinical Operations Manager, Chris Brooker, was delighted to have been invited to the Newbury Parivar Shakha on 20 September alongside colleagues from Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service and Thames Valley Police, to attend the Rakshabandhan Festival. The Festival is held to give thanks from the local Hindu community to those people who protect them. As well as receiving blessings and a bracelet, Chris and his emergency services colleagues enjoyed some delicious food.
BRILL FESTIVAL Our local CFR team had a fab time at The Brill Festival, Buckinghamshire, over the August Bank Holiday weekend. The event ran from Friday to Sunday and featured live entertainment, classic cars, a beer and gin festival and of course, plenty of opportunities to learn some vital lifesaving skills.
Autumn 2019
AUSTRALIAN STUDENT PARAMEDICS VISIT SCAS We were delighted to host three student paramedics from Queensland University of Technology, who visited us in July and spent time going out on shift with our ambulance crews as well as visiting our Hazardous Area Response Team.
BYGONE FESTIVAL The East Hampshire Patient Transport Service team was at the Bygone Festival on Hayling Island on the 6-7 July. Hosted by The Inn on the Beach, the festival saw plenty of visitors enjoying the sun, sand, sea, vintage vehicles and entertainment for all the family. There were plenty of people stopping at the PTS stand to find out more about the service.
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SCAS PARAMEDICS FEATURE ON BBC ‘ASK THE EXPERT’ SHOW Newly Qualified Paramedic, Ben Glover, and Clinical Mentor, James O’Kennedy, were invited to appear on BBC Radio Solent’s ‘Ask The Expert’ show in August. The guys were able to tell listeners more about the role of a modern paramedic, how people can join the service, as well as answer calls from members of the public phoning in. In fact, they were so good on air they’ve already been invited back for another show in November!
ALL-WAYS SAFE / DRIVE SAFE SCAS staff and volunteer CFRs supported the annual All-Ways Safe/Drive Safe event held at Brockenhurst College, Hampshire, on 26 September. As well as giving the students at the college tours of SCAS vehicles and showing them the equipment we use, the team was also able to provide first aid training as well as talk about the opportunities available to work or volunteer for SCAS.
Autumn 2019 2019
How are we doing? Ambulance Response Programme
Apr - Sep 2019 What does it mean? Category 1 – life-threatening calls. Responded to in an average (mean) of seven minutes and at least nine out of ten times within 15 minutes (90th percentile).
Category 3 – urgent calls. Responded to at least nine out of ten times within 120 minutes. You may be treated by ambulance staff at the scene.
Category 2 – emergency calls. Responded to in an average (mean) of 18 minutes and at least nine out of ten times within 40 minutes (90th percentile).
Category 4 – less urgent calls. Responded to at least nine out of ten times within 180 minutes. You may be given advice over the phone or referred to another service, such as a GP or pharmacist.
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Category 2
Category 1 Mean
Mean
07:04 (target 07:00)
17:01 (18:00)
Incidents 15,101
Incidents 138,720
90th Percentile
90th Percentile
34:15 (40:00)
12:49 (15:00)
Category 3
Category 4
90th Percentile
90th Percentile
02:00:16 (02:00:00) Incidents 87,587
Target achieved
02:50:11 (03:00:00) Incidents 5,314
Target missed
Autumn 2019
Autumn
Twenty Nineteen Please send articles, or ideas to communications@scas.nhs.uk along with any photos or images.
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