SPRING/SUMMER 2018
www.ehaat.org
DANCING UP
A STORM STRICTLY AIR AMBULANCE EVENING DAZZLES
A YEAR OF CELEBRATIONS
IT ALL HAPPENED SO QUICKLY
TREK TANZANIA
A VERY BRITISH AFTERNOON TEA
Find out how we celebrated 20 years of saving lives in 2017.
Peter Kerr’s day soon turned into one he would never forget.
Intrepid adventurers completed a 70km trek through Maasai land.
Calling all bakers of Essex and Hertfordshire. We hope you can join us this June.
GET IN TOUCH We love hearing your fundraising news and receiving your feedback. EMAIL US: contactus@ehaat.org CALL US: 0345 2417 690 WRITE TO US: Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, Flight House, The Business Centre, Earls Colne, Colchester, Essex, CO6 2NS
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FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE / SPRING/SUMMER 2018
@Essexairamb @Hertsairamb / EssexandHerts AirAmbulance
WHAT’S INSIDE THIS ISSUE? 04 Celebrating our successes in 2017
WELCOME
TO THE FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE
06 News 08 Features 10 Flight for Life Lottery 12-13 Safer Essex Roads Partnership 14-19 Fundraising 20-21 Events
JANE GURNEY
22 Patient story
Chief Executive Officer ESSEX & HERTS AIR AMBULANCE
23 Clinical news
It is hard to imagine how 2017 could have been more exciting than it was when we launched our new helicopter during our 20th anniversary year! Add to that two Awards of Excellence from the Association of Air Ambulances and we can honestly say it was a perfect way to mark a milestone birthday. The awards reflect the passion and commitment of the Charity to provide only the best for our patients. All of this is thanks to you, for without your support, none of this would be possible. Now with 2018 heading towards summer, we’ve already enjoyed a month of Big Pub Quiz, our glitzy Strictly Air Ambulance, opened our fourth Charity shop in Hertfordshire and a Donation Drop-Off Point in Stevenage. We are now preparing for one of our favourite fundraising initiatives in the calendar – A Very British Afternoon Tea, which is a great way to show your support and get together with friends and enjoy some tea and cake. This year, former patient Kate Oliver is baking up a storm. Read her story in this issue on page 17. We have a full calendar of events and initiatives this year and we are always
looking for people to support us with fundraising and volunteering. If you would like to get involved then we would love to hear from you. You can visit our website or give us a call on 0345 2417 690. Last but not least, I’d like to thank Rob Forsyth for his support and passion for the Charity as he steps down after 11 years’ service as a Trustee and Acting Chair of Trustees, to allow him a little more time. This was very much a planned exit so we were able to really take time to review our Board skills matrix and recruit Trustees going forward. As such, I’m delighted to announce Roy Marfleet has now been appointed as a new Trustee. Roy is Chairman of MDS Civil Engineering Ltd, a local groundwork and civil engineering company, who have supported the Charity for a number of years. Roy also flies his own helicopter out of Earls Colne, so brings with him a wealth of aviation experience and a real passion for the work of the Charity.
CONTACTS ESSEX GENERAL ENQUIRIES:
0345 2417 690
HERTS GENERAL ENQUIRIES:
0345 5040 055 EMAIL:
contactus@ehaat.org WEBSITE:
www.ehaat.org LOTTERY HOTLINE:
0345 2417 688
– PUBLISHED BY:
Focus Integrated www.focusintegrated.co.uk EDITOR:
Kayleigh Bonner kayleigh.bonner@ehaat.org COVER SHOT:
Richard Barker at Essex Life CHARITY NUMBER:
1108989
Thank you all for your continued support. Without you, we simply couldn’t save lives.
www.ehaat.org
3
NEWS
CELEBRATING
OUR SUCCESSES OF 2017 MARCH 2017 was a phenomenal year for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT), and we couldn’t have done any of it without the support of the public and businesses from the region we serve.
Here we take a moment to look back and reflect on some of the standout moments of each month during a very busy 2017 for the Charity…
JANUARY At the beginning of 2017 we introduced our brand new Patient Liaison Manager roles. Adam Carr and Tony Stone, two of our Critical Care Paramedics, have since split their flying time with office time to support patients and their families through their recovery period and beyond.
March was a huge month for us. Not only did we rebrand the Charity – unifying Essex Air Ambulance and Herts Air Ambulance for the first time – but we also opened a brand new Charity Shop in Royston. We also witnessed our Critical Care Paramedic Gaynor Wareham lift the Strictly Air Ambulance glitterball after bringing down the house with Tina Turner’s Proud Mary!
APRIL We couldn’t discuss April without focusing on the London Marathon. 13 intrepid runners took on the challenge for us, and raised over £37,982! Thank you to our gold bond runners, and those who ran in aid of EHAAT in their own place, for your dedication and generosity.
MAY
FEBRUARY We simply couldn’t operate as a Charity without the support of our dedicated volunteers. In February, we took the opportunity to host a belated Christmas dinner for them – bringing together volunteers from both counties to thank them for their hard work and update them on the Charity’s plans for the future.
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FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE / SPRING/SUMMER 2018
We welcomed four new Critical Care Paramedics to the fold. Joe Dowsing, Chris Keeliher, James Samouelle and Colin Treece have been wearing their flight suits with pride ever since! Our annual Welwyn Garden City to North Weald Motorcycle Run and Family Fun Day exceeded all of our expectations, attracting over 800 bikers and raising an amazing £13,000 for the Charity.
JUNE It felt like our entire year had been pointing towards June. On Sunday 25th, we hosted over 3,000 people at Audley End House and Gardens to unveil our first ever purchased helicopter, the AgustaWestland 169 and to celebrate 20 Years of Saving Lives. This very special event also marked the start of our Year of Celebrations and, the very next day, the Crew and Charity Staff kicked off the Heli Tour, showcasing the AgustaWestland 169 in 20 locations across Essex and Hertfordshire in just one week.
JULY
AUGUST
July saw the end of our Heli Tour and, as soon as the AgustaWestland 169 was back in the hangar full-time, it meant that training for our Crew could start.
After a month of training, checks and tests, the AgustaWestland 169 became operational on Thursday 24th August 2017, signalling a new era for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance.
SEPTEMBER Our newly-branded MD902 Explorer went live on the 1st September, so we knew it would be a good month. We collaborated with other regional Air Ambulances to promote National Air Ambulance Week whilst collections and events took place across Essex and Hertfordshire; we spent a few days making a Charity video with Leonardo; our Ford Dunton to Harwich Motorcycle Run and Family Fun Day raised almost £39,000; you could sign up online to our Flight for Life Lottery for the first time; and our new Chair of Trustees, Jonathan Trower, hosted his first board meeting.
OCTOBER On the 10th October we marked 20,000 missions attended as a Charity – a milestone we could never have dreamed of without your ongoing support. 21 adventurers completed an exhilarating 70km trek across Tanzania and returned as we unveiled our 2018 Trek: Master Mont Blanc. A new Charity Shop in Buntingford opened, and with the help of the Rotary Club of Royston, we were able to install a publicly accessible defibrillator at our Royston Charity Shop.
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
We were thrilled to walk away from November’s Air Ambulance Awards of Excellence with two coveted awards in hand. EHAAT was recognised for Air Ambulance Paramedic of the Year, which went to our Critical Care Paramedic and Patient Liaison Manager Adam Carr. It was the second year running that the Charity had won the title. We also picked up the Innovation of the Year award, which praised our Aeromedical Conference for providing an insight into mental health in the industry. After months of deliberating, colour changing, and printing, our rebranded (blue!) Charity collection tins were released and will replace our old green and red models going forward.
In December, our Festive Fundraising raised over £36,000 and after a busy year, we finally caught our breath and officially opened our new Church End office. After several happy years in Buntingford, our Hertfordshire Fundraising Team now have a new place to call home, and they couldn’t be happier! We welcomed in the New Year and looked forward to what 2018 will bring.
WHATEVER PART YOU’VE PLAYED IN OUR 20TH YEAR,THANK YOU. WE COULDN’T OPERATE WITHOUT YOU. www.ehaat.org
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FUNDRAISING NEWS
THE MICHAEL HEASTER STUDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD
Ryan Ferris presents at EHAAT’s
Clinical Gove rnance
Day
Essex & Herts Air Ambulance runs a thriving elective scheme, giving medical and paramedic students the opportunity to observe our Crews, including on our Air Ambulances and Rapid Response Vehicles. Students are exposed to our safety and clinical cultures, as well as the complex cases our clinicians attend. We strongly believe in investing in the clinicians of the future and the scheme provides valuable experience for those with an interest in prehospital critical care. The Michael Heaster Student of the Year Award celebrates the life of the late Michael Heaster, a young man described by his parents Patricia and David, as spirited and strong-minded, with a wealth of knowledge. He was very determined with a good sense of humour and a caring nature. Patricia and David fund the prize in Michael’s memory and have presented the award since its inception in 2014. The Michael Heaster Student of the Year Award is presented to the student that has demonstrated excellence in some of the following areas; leadership, innovation within the field of pre-hospital care, the ability to overcome challenges and commitment to study; as well as sound clinical judgement and actions during a difficult or complicated clinical scenario. This year the award was presented to Paramedic Ryan Ferris. Ryan has shown immense dedication during his time with us, taking advantage of every opportunity to
DID YOU KNOW? 6
d award well-deserve ented with his Ryan is pres
enhance his clinical knowledge. As well as his enthusiasm and positive energy Ryan produced an excellent poster and presentation on pelvic splinting. Ryan supported the teams during difficult scenarios with Dr Jonathan Scrimshaw remarking:
“ Ryan functioned more as a colleague than an observer, demonstrating a maturity and clinical insight far in advance of his current standing.” To register your interest in our Student Elective visit www.ehaat.org/clinical-area
In 2017, our aircraft flew 81,000 air miles – that’s the equivalent of three-and-a-quarter times round the world!
FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE / SPRING/SUMMER 2018
COMING SOON TO A ROAD NEAR YOU This year, the Charity has seen the purchase of two Volvo XC90 Emergency Response Spec Rapid Response Vehicles (RRVs). Our RRVs are essential to keeping Essex & Herts Air Ambulance operational in the hours of darkness and in the event of bad weather. The vehicles carry the same equipment as found on the helicopters, allowing the Critical Care Team to continue bringing the hospital to the patient. EHAAT holds RRVs at both Airbases, Earls Colne and North Weald. As we move towards our goal of being operational 24/7 we introduced the night car shift on a Friday and Saturday evening, 6pm to 2am in January 2017. The new vehicles will work alongside our current Skoda Octavia Scouts and plan to be in use over the next three years. Whilst it may not seem a long period, we project a three-year life expectancy for our RRVs as these vehicles are placed in extremely demanding circumstances when responding to emergency calls in all weathers.
Stuart Elms, Clinical Director, explains the vehicle selection process: ‘After extensive testing, it was found the Volvo XC90 is the most suited for our operation both now and allowing options for future changes. We were very pleased with the level of help and advice received from Volvo special sales. The Vauxhall VXRs have been fantastic response cars however these are starting to show wear and tear as any RRV does. They will be removed from the fleet when the XC90s are collected. Our eventual goal is to have the same model across the fleet. Using a single manufacturer will allow for consistency and ultimately better cost efficiency. There are a number of benefits to the new RRVs, namely the large cargo space that allows the Critical Care Team to take with them the full and extensive kit to the scene, further improving the level of care bought to the patient’s side. In addition to the outstanding Volvo standard safety features, which are up to the 999 specification, is the modified chassis, brakes, battery and alternator as well as the increased fuel tank size. Volvo also provides dedicated after sale contact and free familiarisation training which has proved essential to the Critical Care Team’s vehicle transition.
The new RRVs will be operational during the second quarter of 2018 and are branded in the Charity’s colours.
THE HERO THAT KEEPS US FLYING Many of you across Essex and Hertfordshire may already be familiar with the change in our newly branded tins as the roll out of the tin rebrand began in November. Moving away from our county split of green tins in Essex and red tins in Hertfordshire the Charity has opted for new blue collection tins to be distributed across both counties, bringing the two brands together to signify the united future of the Charity.
We currently have over 3,000 collection tins across the region, and they’re a vital source of support for our Charity. Whether you put your pennies in the pot at a petrol station, your local pub, or at a community event – every donation counts.
DONATE AND SAVE LIVES
0345 2417 690
Charity Number: 1108989
At the end of last year we began the new tin roll out across Hertfordshire. With 2,000 tins still to replace across the two counties the Charity calls out to the public to help this process. If you can help swap the tins over in your local area get in touch today! Alternatively, if you can hold a collection tin in your organisation we would love to hear from you! Perhaps you are hosting an event in aid of the Charity? Get in touch with our Team today and have a tin sent your way!
W: www.ehaat.org/eyes-on-ehaat-tin-rebrand
E: contactus@ehaat.org
T: 0345 2417 690 www.ehaat.org
7
FEATURE
“EVERYTHING WAS QUICKIN OUR FAVOUR THINKING THAT DAY TO GET CPR SAVED THE BEST POSSIBLE MY LIFE OUTCOME” Bruce was driving along the M25 in July 2016 when he turned to his wife, Sandra, to tell her he was feeling dizzy before suddenly collapsing at the wheel. Luckily, the heavy traffic meant they were travelling very slowly and as Bruce slumped forward Sandra was quick to steer to the hard shoulder and use the handbrake to stop without hitting any other vehicles. With even more luck, Community First Responder Mike Abbott and his wife Jodie were passing and pulled over. Realising Bruce had gone into cardiac arrest, they laid his seat back and started CPR. As his heart had stopped, CPR ensured his brain was receiving oxygen until the land ambulance and Police arrived. “The stars aligned, everything was in our favour that day,” recalled Sandra, “there was a point when the Air Ambulance wasn’t coming as it was already on a mission. Fortunately that mission finished, and they could carry on to us.” Upon arrival at the motorway Pre-hospital Care Doctor Mike Christian and Critical Care Paramedic Simon Probert managed to successfully restart Bruce’s heart and administer a pre-hospital anaesthetic. Bruce was then flown to Harefield Hospital where he received an immediate angiogram and doctors put two stents into his heart to keep the artery unblocked. Bruce then spent the next two weeks in the ITU where he underwent a host of procedures: “They cooled my body temperature down to protect my brain and maintained the anaesthetic that was delivered by the roadside. They woke me up slowly and put me on kidney dialysis – they did all sorts of things! After a few days, I didn’t require the machines to breathe for me and was able to breathe by myself. “After two weeks, I was moved to the high dependency ward where I spent three and a half weeks. I had more stents put into my heart, more tests, an internal defibrillator implanted (which uses electrical pulses to help control life-threatening arrhythmias), which hasn’t needed to work since, I’m pleased to say! I eventually started to realise what was happening, starting to come round and they let me home after five-and-a half-weeks.”
Last year Bruce and his family visited North Weald Airbase where they were reunited with Mike Abbott, the Community First Responder who had provided CPR on-scene, and with Mike Christian the Pre-hospital Care Doctor who attended on the day. “It was really positive to go to the Airbase,” explained Sandra, “Dr. Mike Christian was able to tell us more about what had actually happened that day and we saw the Air Ambulance that Bruce had travelled in. Whilst we were there we also saw the Crew taking off on another mission.”
“Without the Air Ambulance getting me to the hospital so quickly and the interventions on scene, I don’t think I would be here now.” Since being home, Bruce and Sandra have been busy raising money through raffles, garage sales and on eBay for the Charity. Bruce explained: “I suppose the thing that disappoints me more than anything, is that it is not Government funded; it relies on donations and its own fundraising but, without the Air Ambulance getting me to the hospital so quickly and the interventions on scene, I don’t think I would be here now. The service is absolutely magic. I can’t describe and thank them enough. They saved my life – simple as that.” You can watch Bruce’s Story at ehaat.org/real_life_stories/bruce-badcock/
Since leaving the hospital, Bruce has had a steady yet remarkable recovery and would say that he is 90% back to his old self. “During the early days at the hospital, we really didn’t know how he would be after what happened to him but he’s quite a fighter, he’s done really well,” Sandra recalled. Bruce and Sand ra and Mike Abbo are reunited with Mike Chris tian tt at North We ald Airbase
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FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE / SPRING/SUMMER 2018
FEATURE
ESSEX & HERTS AIR AMBULANCE WIN BIG AT NATIONAL AWARDS...
Adam C arr
accepts his Param edic of th e
Year Aw ard
...taking home two awards at the 2017 Air Ambulance Awards of Excellence.
The Awards were hosted by television presenter Rav Wilding and BBC News presenter Sophie Long at the Millennium Chelsea Harbour Hotel in London, and took place on Monday 13th November 2017, seeing Air Ambulances and partner agencies from around the UK gather together for a night of celebration and recognition of outstanding achievements. For the second year running, the Charity picked up the award for Air Ambulance Paramedic of the Year. Having gone to EHAAT’s Erica Ley in 2016, this year’s award saw off competition from London’s Air Ambulance and East Anglian Air Ambulance, and was awarded to EHAAT’s Adam Carr. Adam, as well as being a Critical Care Paramedic for the Charity, has been one of EHAAT’s Patient Liaison Managers since January 2017, working diligently to support patients and their families throughout all stages of their recovery, including signposting other charities who can offer specialist support. Adam was nominated on not only his dedication to the Patient Liaison Manager role, but also for a mission he completed as a Critical Care Paramedic earlier this year, which saw a nine-year-old child resuscitated after being in cardiac arrest for 65 minutes. The patient continues to make an inspiring recovery. Pre-hospital Care Doctor Simon Keane, who nominated Adam for the award, recalled: “This job came in at the end of a long and busy day and Adam was still able to give 100% to a very challenging and emotive job. Adam managed to run the cardiac arrest and intubate the child quickly and efficiently, freeing me up to speak to the next of kin, gain a history and discuss thoughts with the duty Consultant. Adam’s communication on scene was exceptional and he empowered each member of the extended team to do the best job they could, meaning we achieved the best possible results for the patient.”
Minds Matter wins Innovation of the Year
EHAAT’s second win was Innovation of the Year, which was clinched by their annual Aeromedical conference. With the subject of ‘Minds Matter’, this year’s conference tackled the often taboo subject of mental health in the pre-hospital world, focusing on the needs of the patient, clinicians and the risk of ‘burn out’. Comments left by delegates included: “Best conference I have ever been to worldwide. Brave to make Minds Matter the theme and for the speakers to open up and talk so honestly. It will stay with me for a long time. Thank you.” Ben Myer, Clinical Manager for EHAAT and Conference Lead, said: “Given recent incidents locally, nationally and internationally, it highlights the need for pre-hospital professionals and our colleagues across the emergency services to come together, share practice and open the conversation regarding the work we all do in pressured circumstances. The success of the ‘Minds Matter’ conference was its ability to provide a forum for us all to be able to reflect, listen to keynote speakers from across the world and to discuss what we should do next and how to train for the next incident.” Jane Gurney, CEO of Essex & Herts Air Ambulance said: “We are celebrating 20 years of saving lives, and I am still so proud of all that we accomplish – whether that’s for our amazing Staff, Crew, Volunteers and supporters, or our events and initiatives. It’s particularly special when these achievements are recognised on a national stage. Huge congratulations to Adam, Ben and our Events Team, and also to Di Leggett and Sue Akers, who were both shortlisted for Charity Volunteer of the Year.”
www.ehaat.org
9
FLIGHT FOR LIFE LOTTERY
LOTTERY ONLINE
CHRISTMAS RAFFLE 2017
Remember you can now sign up to our Flight for Life Lottery online in a few quick and simple steps. Over 100 new supporters have already signed up via our website since the online platform became available at the end of last year.
Thank you to everyone who played our Christmas Raffle 2017. We were overwhelmed by your support and this was the most successful raffle we have ever run! Dr Bennett from Halstead was pleased to win the Super Seller prize of a Tiptree Jam Hamper – although slightly disappointed that he had been out only the day before our call to stock up on Christmas goodies.
To get involved, simply visit our website www.ehaat.org/lottery and sign up for the Weekly Lottery for your chance to win up to £1,000. You can then choose to add the Superdraw which can rollover to £25,000! Select how many weeks you would like to play and then add to your basket. Payment will be instantly withdrawn but please allow a further 14 days for your sign up to be processed. A letter welcoming you to the Flight for Life Lottery will notify you of your Lottery account being set up.
DR BENNETT from Halstead
The Lottery Application Form is still available if you do not wish to sign up online. You can either download it from the website or phone our office on 0354 2417 690 and we can send you a form in the post.
Doctor Bennet, Super Seller Raffle winner
ENTER OUR SPRING RAFFLE ONLINE NOW! You can now enter our Raffle online, making it even easier for you to be in with a chance to win some great prizes whilst supporting your local life-saving Charity! By visiting www.raffleentry.org.uk/ehaat, you can easily enter our Spring Raffle for a chance to win up to £3,000! One ticket costs only £1, so what are you waiting for? Enter now before the closing date of 23rd May 2018.
We were excited to give away a rollover amount of £17,706.66 on 3rd January to a very happy lady from Colchester – not a bad way to start the New Year!
1st Prize
£3,000 2nd Prize
£500
3rd Prize
£100
Runner up Prizes
10 x £10 To find out more about the Flight for Life Lottery and sign up online, visit our website
www.ehaat.org/lottery
Please note a change to our Lottery Terms and Conditions: In those cases where the member is deceased, the Executor or next of kin should apply to Essex & Herts Air Ambulance for repayment to the Estate. To reduce costs the Charity has a de minimus rule; amounts under £20 will not be refunded to an Estate but treated as a donation to the Trust.
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FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE / SPRING/SUMMER 2018
WE NEED YOU TO JOIN OUR COLLECTION CREW AND HELP SAVE LIVES! Can you spare some time to join Di and volunteer for as little as two hours during National Air Ambulance Week this September? We couldn’t do our jobs without the dedication and support of our Volunteers – Volunteers like Di Leggett. Since joining us 14 years ago, Di has seen Essex & Herts Air Ambulance evolve from a small operation to a professional Charity that attends to thousands of patients a year. Di has been involved in everything from bucket collections to giving talks about the work of our life-saving Charity and she was even nominated for Volunteer of the Year Award at last year’s Association of Air Ambulance Awards of Excellence. Now Di is preparing for our summer programme of events, before getting involved in National Air Ambulance Week (NAAW) which runs from Monday 10th to Sunday 16th September and is sponsored by Specialist Aviation Services. NAAW is a special time in our calendar when Air Ambulances across the country become even more determined in boosting public awareness of their charity status as well as raising vital funds to remain operational.
The Association of Air Ambulances (AAA) explain: “Air Ambulance charities across the country receive fantastic support every single day from the community, businesses and friends of the services. However during National Air Ambulance Week all of the member charities of AAA get together to promote the work undertaken locally but also on a national basis to give a national voice. We hope this annual week will continue to make many more people aware of the work of UK and worldwide Air Ambulances.” As part of NAAW, we desperately need some helping hands to assist at our collection points across Essex and Hertfordshire – as little as two hours makes a massive difference and with the buzz of the week, it really is a great time to join the Team. If you are able to spare a few hours then please visit the following link to see your local collection points and to sign up to help: www.ehaat.org/national-air-ambulanceweek-2018 or phone us on 0345 2417 690.
“I would just say how important this life-saving service is, everyone really is a friendly bunch and while you are meeting people you are helping people as well which is just fantastic.” Di Leggett, EHAAT Volunteer NAAW is sponsored by:
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE AN EXPERT TO SAVE A LIFE School pupils from across Essex and Hertfordshire are being invited to learn potentially life-saving skills as part of a brand new initiative from Essex & Herts Air Ambulance.
Performing CPR helps to pump blood around a person’s body when their heart cannot. Without CPR, a person’s chance of survival is greatly reduced.
Skills for Life aims to teach youngsters, regardless of their age, about the importance of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and how to carry it out.
The Charity’s Critical Care Team will visit schools and carry out the free training session at which pupils will learn the theory and the practical steps of performing CPR. Pupils will take away a certificate to show they have undergone the training. Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Critical Care Paramedic, Adam Carr, said: “Our Skills for Life training programme is suitable for children of all ages and arms them with essential skills that could one day, help save a life. We hope schools take advantage of this great opportunity and get in touch with us.
y O, Jane Gurne Shipley with CE rr Family of Brian edic, Adam Ca ram Pa re Ca al and Critic
“Skills for Life is offered for free and is made possible thanks to The Brian Shipley Fund. Brian was our Founder and he was passionate about educating people. This Fund has been granted to us by his family and we are proud to carry out this work in his memory.” www.ehaat.org
11
FEATURE
SAFER ESSEX
ROADS
PARTNERSHIP
Essex & Herts Air Ambulance have joined Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP) in an attempt to promote road safety and casualty reduction through a number of inventions, programmes and products. These involve a combination of education, engagement, engineering and enforcement, more details of which can be found at www.saferessexroads.org All those involved in SERP share an ambitious vision to reduce death and serious injury on our roads to zero. However we cannot achieve this alone – each road user has a part to play.
MATURE DRIVERS Driving is more complex and demanding than it used to be. There’s considerably more traffic on the road and motorists have to process more and more information as they drive.
• Travelling makes us tired, this can lead to accidents.
Many older motorists bring a wealth of experience, confidence and tolerance to their driving, all of which contributes to making them safer on the road than other age groups.
• Check with your doctor or chemist about the effects of any medicines, prescribed or purchased. They could affect your driving.
However, as you grow older the ability to interpret the movements and intentions of other drivers and react to situations gradually changes. Sight, hearing and judgement of speed may not be quite as sharp as they were when you were younger. Here are a few tips to help you stay safe: • Reduce your stress levels – if you are retired, you could travel outside peak times.
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• Pamper yourself by taking frequent breaks during your journey.
• Plan your route in advance so that you can cope better with the journey ahead. • Take extra care at night or in bad weather. Try to avoid these times if possible. •
FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE / SPRING/SUMMER 2018
Get your eyesight checked regularly. For people aged over 60 years, sight tests are available free of charge every two years, and more frequently for the over 70s and people with certain medical conditions. Check with your optician for more details.
RETIRING FROM DRIVING
OLDER DRIVER’S ASSESSMENT
“I’m afraid it comes to all of us at some time – I am now an older driver. Although I have years of experience and feel completely confident at the wheel, my sight, hearing, reactiontime and judgement of speed and distance aren’t as sharp as they once were.” – Peter Andrews
Is your car still suitable for you? Having a driving assessment in your own car may highlight that your car is not necessarily the most suitable car for you and your driving needs. Your assessor will not be looking to stop you driving but will be able to give you advice about making driving easier and safer. For example, they may teach you how to reverse using only your mirrors or may tell you about using a steering ball to make steering easier. Many local driving schools offer assessments for older drivers; as does The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).
This Self-Assessment Checklist may help you to decide whether it is time to think about retiring from driving. As a general guide it may be time to give up driving if any of the following conditions apply:
Deaths and serious injuries among older road users are increasing. Reaching the decision to give up driving is not easy because your own car does provide independence and mobility, however, this must be balanced against the risk to yourself and other road users if you continue to drive when it is no longer safe. SERP’s aim is to keep older road users driving safely for as long as possible but also to be aware of the alternatives and to recognise that, whilst hanging up the car keys can be a major milestone in an older person’s life, it does not signal the end of a busy and fulfilling one. There are many options for getting out and about without a car to enable you to maintain contact with friends and family and to do all the things you normally do in your daily life: taxis, cycling, local and national buses, trains, community transport, mobility scooters, lifts from friends and family.
• • • • • • • • • •
You feel less confident, and worry more about driving than you used to You get lost on roads that you know well Your reactions are noticeably slower than they used to be You find it difficult to judge speed and distance You have had a number of near misses lately Your passengers are concerned about your driving Your eyesight is getting worse Your neck mobility is poor when turning your head Your vision is blurry when driving at night You have a medical condition that might affect your driving such as: Eyesight, Heart Disease, Dementia, Medications, Diabetes, Stroke, Arthritis, Epilepsy, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Sleep Disorders, Hearing, or Surgery.
The internet can also be useful in all sorts of ways for people who don’t use a car. You can easily order goods, including your weekly food shop, to be delivered to your home. You can use social media and Skype (which is free to download and use) to stay in touch with friends and family, however the internet should not be seen as a substitute for ‘getting out’. If you have not been told to stop driving by your doctor or the DVLA, but you, or a family member or friend, are concerned about your driving and think that it may be time for you to stop or at least have a driving assessment, discuss this with your doctor.
For more information and advice, please visit www.saferessexroads.org/road-users/ mature-drivers
www.ehaat.org
13
FUNDRAISING
A group of intrepid adventurers completed a thrilling 70km trek through the land of the Maasai in October, raising over £54,000 for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance in the process!
WELCOME BACK TREKKERS! 21 trekkers explored Tanzania, taking in the sights of amazing African wildlife at the Ngorongoro Crater nature reserve (even being lucky enough to see lions, zebra and elephants!), meeting with the Maasai Tribe, and hiking up to waterfalls, mountains and through the famous African grasslands. Fay Boissieux, the Charity’s Event Manager, led the seven-day trek: “Tanzania was an absolutely incredible experience – it was a once in a lifetime trip and it was such a privilege to be able to raise money for the Charity whilst we were having such a great time and seeing all the wildlife! A huge thank you to everyone who took part, all of our support staff and guides, as well as the Trek organisers, Global Challenges, for helping us make this trip a reality!”
BE PART OF OUR NEXT ADVENTURE Essex & Herts Air Ambulance’s next adventure is to Master Mont Blanc. Trekkers will see three countries in just three days and get to journey around one of the most iconic mountain ranges in the world, exploring everything from waterfalls and glaciers to gorgeous Swiss villages. We currently have one space left for you to Master Mont Blanc from 6th to 10th September 2018. To grab the last spot on this amazing adventure or for more information you can call 0345 2417 690 or email trek@ehaat.org.
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YEAR OF CELEBRATIONS CAMPAIGN We are celebrating 20 years of saving lives at Essex & Herts Air Ambulance and if you are celebrating a special occasion before 30th June, we would love for you to celebrate with us! Whether it’s a special birthday, anniversary, wedding or a personal milestone – you can request one of our ‘Celebration’ collection boxes to encourage donations from your guests throughout the event. If you have everything you need, you could ask your guests to donate in lieu of gifts. Whether it’s a pound for every year of your life, or just what you’d spend on presents, it’s never too small to help save a life. To find out more you can visit our website or get in touch with a member of our Fundraising Team on 0345 2417 690. Not only will you receive a celebration pack with balloons and a collection box, but you will also be able to download posters and invitations from our website. Thanks to all our fantastic fundraisers who have supported us throughout our Year of Celebration, we have raised £16,446 from people donating in lieu of gifts at their special occasions! If you are not hosting an event before the end of June but still want to support us and our milestone, you can now order some of our limited edition Year of Celebration merchandise. This includes peppermint and eucalyptus candles, pin badges and fun light-up pens. Prices and a merchandise form can be found at www.ehaat.org/fundraise/a-year-of-celebrations
BUNTINGFORD SHOP OPENS A crowd of supporters, Charity staff and Volunteers and a local family who were aided by the service gathered for the ribbon to be cut. EHAAT’s Chief Executive Officer, Jane Gurney, led the proceedings.
to be able to have our own shop here too. Our Charity continues to make a difference to people’s lives every single day, and by the public visiting our shops, they’re helping our service to continue operating.”
VIP guests included Mayor of Buntingford Cllr John Noades, Chairman of East Herts District Council Jeff Jones, Town Clerk Gill Jones, and EHAAT Trustee Rob Forsyth, the Charity’s Chair of Trustees Jonathan Trower, and former airlifted patients.
We continue to expand the number of Charity shops this year as our Hitchin shop opened for trading in March, with the official opening following in May.
Matt Seccombe, Head of Retail, said: “It was a great day and we’re very grateful to the people of Buntingford for welcoming our Charity shop. Having had our Hertfordshire Charity office based here since 2012, it’s wonderful
Our very first shop, on Mersea Island in Essex, now generates over £70,000 each year for the Charity. The first shop in Hertfordshire was launched in Ware on 1st December 2015, and the Buntingford shop takes the Charity to a total of six Charity shops, including Royston which opened in early 2017 and Burnham-on-Crouch in Essex.
We are looking for more Volunteers to help us run our Charity Shops. If you can spare some time then we’d love to hear from you. You can apply via our website. Donations can be dropped off at any of our shops.
www.ehaat.org
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FUNDRAISING
FESTIVE FUNDRAISING A huge thank you to everyone who got involved during the Christmas period to raise money for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance – an amazing £36,451 was raised through your festive fundraising efforts! We saw incredible support this year with dozens of homes across Essex and Hertfordshire lighting up and creating spectacular displays. Other fundraising activities included individuals holding Coffee and Mince Pie Mornings, companies organising Christmas Jumper Days and donations to the Charity in lieu of sending Christmas cards.
Thank you all very much for your contributions and support over what we know is a busy and usually costly time of the year. We would also like to give thanks to all our Volunteers who helped to collect donations at Christmas Fayres and shopping centres across the festive period.
COLCHESTER HALF MARATHON 2018 A big thank you to all those determined runners who took part in this year’s Griffin Chapman Colchester Half Marathon at the end of March. An incredible £48,750 was raised for EHAAT after marathon organisers, Colchester Colne Round Table, chose us as beneficiaries of the event for the second year running, alongside MSUK. Thanks goes to more than 80 EHAAT Volunteers who helped make sure everything ran smoothly on the day.
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A massive cheers to everyone who either hosted or attended a Big Pub Quiz in March. We are still counting the fundraising total but with over 80 pubs across Essex and Hertfordshire taking part we hope to have reached our target of £16,500. Look forward to reading about some of the quizzes in the next issue.
FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE / SPRING/SUMMER 2018
Well done also to our very own Critical Care Paramedics Lou Rosson, Joe Dowsing and Scott Wallman, who completed the gruelling 13 mile route in less than two hours whilst running in their flight suits! “A big thank you to the runners in our Charity team, who all worked really hard training for the event, making it a very special day. We were extremely privileged to have been chosen as a beneficiary for the second year by Colchester Colne Round Table. This generous donation will help us continue saving lives across Essex and Hertfordshire.” Clair Mitchell, Essex Fundraising Coordinator.
Calling all bakers of Essex and Hertfordshire. We hope you can join us this June by putting your baking trays, cake stands, and novelty aprons to good use whilst fundraising for your local Air Ambulance! My name’s Kate and, to put it simply, I wouldn’t be here today without Essex & Herts Air Ambulance. I don’t remember the day that my car hit a tree at just 23mph and the Air Ambulance were called, but it’s something I’ll live with forever. I had severe head and chest injuries, and flatlined twice before the Air Crew could get me on to the Air Ambulance.
On the third time, I was finally resuscitated, repositioned and remained stable. Within ten minutes of being loaded into the Air Ambulance, I had arrived at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. This journey would have taken me over an hour by land ambulance. Twelve months and three different hospitals later, I was back at home and I’m still continuing to recover every day. Following the accident, which left me in a wheelchair with limited mobility, I was unsure how I would earn a living again. Whilst housebound I tried baking and discovered – happily – that I was quite good at it! I was given the opportunity to start my own Afternoon Tea at my parents’ pub and Kate’s Vintage Afternoon Tea (especially my chocolate brownies…) has been a hit ever since. For the second year running I will be hosting my own A Very British Afternoon Tea in my Tea Room in June. I hope that you will also be able to organise your own party to support Essex & Herts Air Ambulance. I can’t wait to see what wonderful bakes everyone comes up with! Sponsored by:
To get your free A Very British Afternoon Tea fundraising pack, including recipes and fundraising ideas, please call 0345 2417 690 or email afternoontea@ehaat.org
www.ehaat.org
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FUNDRAISING
GREGORY & EREN’S CHARITY MOUNTAIN CLIMB
In 2017, Gregory Perdon and Eren Osman took on the challenge of a Charity Mountain Climb in aid of EHAAT and The Sierra Club. With an overwhelming amount of support the two raised £11,997.33 from their climb for EHAAT alone. Originally, the two aimed to summit L’aigulle du moines in the Mont Blanc massif; however due to an unfortunate weather forecast consisting of severe thunderstorms, the two were forced to regroup to another area of the Alps where the weather pattern was predicted to be more favourable. After a 4am wake-up call, Gregory and Eren had reached the summit of Besso (3,668m) by 8.45am! After a brief pause, they began the traverse to the second peak with drops up to 400m on either side of them – neither of the
pair suffer from a fear of heights, although they both admit to being taken aback with the level of exposure during this section of the climb. At 12.30pm they reached the second peak, Blanc de Moming (3,661m) before beginning the arduous descent over glacier and rock scree to return to the refuge. With sore feet and hurting knees, Gregory and Eren found themselves back at their car by 7.30pm with a lot accomplished in one day! A massive well done to you both – what an incredible personal achievement as well as an outstanding fundraising effort. Thank you for your support!
FUNDRAISERS Are you taking on a challenge or hosting a charity event this year? Why not raise money for your local life-saving Charity! Our Fundraising Team can help support your journey so don’t hesitate to get in touch and receive your FREE fundraising pack by visiting us at www.ehaat.org/fundraise or calling us on 0354 2417 690.
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0m drops of 40 d Eren face Gregory an
Blanc de M oming
EHAAT VOLUNTEER BECOMES ROTARY INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT GOVERNOR Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) Volunteer, Lesley Sulley, is due to take on the exciting role of Rotary International District Governor for Essex and East Herts from 1st July 2018 to 30th June 2019. During Lesley’s year as District Governor, she will be encouraging all 63 Rotary Clubs within her District (1,600 Rotarians) to undertake at least one fundraising event for EHAAT. We would like to thank Lesley for being such a dedicated and valued member of our Volunteer Team and really appreciate the support she will be providing the Charity over the next year in her role!
CALLING ALL SCHOOLS AND GROUPS IN ESSEX AND HERTFORDSHIRE Are you a member of a community group, an organisation, or involved with your local school and interested in the Charity and helping us with our mission? We’d like to invite you and up to 20 members/pupils of your group/organisation/school to meet with the Fundraising and Volunteer Teams at one of our Visitor Centres in either Earls Colne (max. 20 attendees) or North Weald (max. 15 attendees).
We’ll be able to tell you more about our work and, subject to operational commitments, you may have the opportunity to speak to our Critical Care Team, see our Air Ambulance and Rapid Response Vehicles, and discover how fundraising or volunteering with us can make an undeniable difference within your community. Alternatively we could send an Essex & Herts Air Ambulance representative to attend one of your meetings or assembly and give a presentation on our vital work.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR TO BOOK A TOUR OR PRESENTATION, PHONE 0345 2417 690 OR EMAIL US AT CONTACTUS@EHAAT.ORG
A STAGGERINGLY SUCCESSFUL BLACK TIE BALL Beresfords estate agents raised an outstanding figure of £31,575 for the Charity through their gala ball held at Braxted Park in October last year. This is the second year that Beresfords have chosen to raise funds for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance – with their previous ball raising over £14,000.
Paul Beresford, CEO of Beresfords Group, said: “We are so pleased with the outcome of the event, we never imagined it would be possible to double the amount raised last year. We are truly overwhelmed with the support and generosity that we have received from the community. Without such fantastic auction and raffle donations we would not have been able to achieve such a phenomenal amount for a vital service benefiting us all.”
www.ehaat.org
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EVENTS
STRICTLY AIR AMBULANCE
RAISES £20,300 FOR EHAAT! Our spectacular evening of dance and entertainment, Strictly Air Ambulance, raised £20,300 for EHAAT in March this year – £5,000 more than last year. Nearly 1,000 audience members were wowed at Charter Hall in Colchester as five amateur dancers and their professional partners showed off their routines and their hard work from months of training. Celebrity judges and professional dancers Gorka Márquez and Dianne Buswell performed their own routines and sat on the panel to give praise and advice to the contestants. The prized glitter ball was presented to our very own Critical Care Paramedic, Chris Keeliher, who performed the Waltz and the Cha Cha. Alongside the winners, we had some equally fantastic dances from our four other amateurs and their professional dance partners: Benjamin Scarsbrook of Southend, whose film company Blatella Films have been supporting EHAAT for many years, and his professional partner Emma Burrell; Richard Haines, a Managing Director in the Energy sector from Mersea Island, and his professional partner Jennifer Mistri; Jeanette Blyth, an evening and prom dress shop owner from Southend, and her professional partner John West; and Daryl Lonergan, an apprentice hairdresser from
Colchester whose family friend was airlifted to hospital by EHAAT, and her professional partner Chris Burrell. Events & Volunteer Lead at Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, Jen Wall, said: “We are thrilled for Chris and Zoe. Their dances were phenomenal and a real pleasure to watch. The contestants alone raised £11,700. We’ve received so many lovely comments from audience members too.”
“We would like to say thank you to everyone who supported us to make Strictly Air Ambulance such a successful event. Without everyone at Charter Hall, our event sponsors Jamesons Chartered Accountants and GCS Alarms Ltd, fundraisers, dancing couples, our audience who filled out Charter Hall and our Volunteers – none of this would have been possible without you.”
Thank you to our sponsors
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FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE / SPRING/SUMMER 2018
Essex & Herts Air Ambulance hosted their debut Curry and Casino event at Bishops Stortford Golf Club on Saturday 17th February. Thank you to all our attendees who joined us to enjoy a curry buffet, a funky disco from Evolution Discos and who rolled the dice to raise money. Casino games included roulette and blackjack, and there were prizes aplenty with a ‘balloon game’ full of raffle prizes and four star hampers on offer, including one from Tiptree Jam and another from Fortnum & Mason. Each mission for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance is estimated to cost £2,500, meaning that the 76 guests at Curry & Casino may have contributed enough to
Pre-register for only
£17!
save a life in the Charity’s upcoming operations. Fay Boissieux, Events Manager, said: “Curry & Casino was an amazing way to spend a Saturday night! It was a great excuse for friends to get together for a night out – we even had a 50th birthday celebration join us. Everyone had a great time, from pulling silly faces in the photobooth to putting their money on roulette or blackjack. Of course, we couldn’t have done this without our sponsors, Cordell Maintenance, and I’m really pleased that we’ve managed to work together to put on this exciting new event.” Thank you to our sponsor
s d n Hu HELI
WALK THOSE PAWS FOR A LIFE-SAVING CAUSE ESSEX & HERTS AIR AMBULANCE
Sunday 1st July 2018 Welwyn Rugby Club, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6HX
New this year is our 80 mile route in addition to the 50 mile, 20 mile and 3 mile family cycle ride.
For more information please call 0345 2417 690 or visit www.ehaat.org
Thank you to the patience of our registered walkers and their pups for this year’s Spring Heli Hounds. We are still trying to rearrange a new date for the walk after the first two dates were cancelled earlier this year due to the snow and bad weather conditions. We will be in touch as soon as we have information on
the rescheduling of the event. Thank you for your continued support.
www.ehaat.org
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PATIENT STORY
“IT ALL HAPPENED SO QUICKLY“ What started as a normal day working on his farm for Peter Kerr soon turned into a day he would never forget after an attack from a bull.
The 44-year-old farm worker, who looks after arable land and livestock in Ongar, Essex, was tending to the cows as he had done every day for 20 years, when a bull charged towards him and pinned him against metal railings inside the cow shed. Peter explained: “I remember being in the shed with the cows, trying to get them outside. Suddenly the bull headed straight for me. I couldn’t get out of the way in time. I was up against the railings and he started to head butt me against the barriers. “It all happened so quickly – no more than a couple of minutes – and I knew I had been injured. I just didn’t know the extent of my injuries. Somehow I managed to stop him doing it and got away.”
Pre-hospital Care Doctor, Ainsley said: “It takes a lot of force to fracture the pelvis. There are big blood vessels in that area so there’s the potential for major blood loss. From that level of force, there is also the potential for a lot of damage to other internal organs, the intestines, bladder and the nerves, which is why the Air Ambulance was called. “We were able to safely administer really powerful medication, make sure Peter’s injuries were welldressed and put a pelvic binder on him. If Peter’s blood pressure crashed we could give him fluids to restore it. After this, we transported him smoothly and quickly to the nearest major trauma centre, which was the Royal London Hospital.”
A land ambulance would have had to travel across a mile of rough, rural road before reaching the main road and it would have taken approximately As Peter staggered away he saw his brother, Simon, 50 minutes to reach the hospital. The Air Ambulance was able to bypass the bumpy terrain which could who dialled 999. have aggravated Peter’s injuries and landed at the “Peter had collapsed on to the straw bed in the shed Royal London Hospital in just 11 minutes. and at first we weren’t sure if we should move him, Peter explained: “I was lucky not to have internal but there were animals in there so it was safer for injuries. The Air Ambulance Crew didn’t know that him outside. In the end adrenalin must have kicked at the time so their speed was vital to get me to in because he walked out by himself. He wouldn’t normally have been able to with the injuries we later hospital to check. They do a fantastic job and there isn’t enough of them to be in all the places they need found out he had, but somehow he did it.” to be. It’s a shame.” An Essex & Herts Air Ambulance arrived at the farm Since his recovery Peter, who didn’t know the Air within ten minutes of receiving the 999 call being Ambulance was a Charity, has visited the Essex & received. Herts Air Ambulance base in North Weald and to After circling the farm to find a safe place to land, meet Patient Liaison Manager, Adam Carr, and the Pre-hospital Care Doctor Ainsley Heyworth and Crew on duty. He has also raised funds to support its Critical Care Paramedics rushed to Peter’s side. life-saving work. East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust Peter added: “We held a tractor run event which (EEAST) worked with the Air Ambulance Crew to raised around £1,000, with another one planned for assess Peter’s condition. The Crew was concerned this year as I wanted to give something back. that Peter had sustained a pelvic fracture, a It’s not until you are on the receiving end of a serious potentially life-threatening injury. accident that you realise the extent of what the Air Ambulance can do. It’s a no-brainer to want to help out in return.”
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“It takes a lot of force to fracture the pelvis and the bull’s attack had left Peter with fractures in three areas of his pelvis.”
CLINICAL NEWS
LATEST REPORT FROM THE HEALTHCARE REGULATOR FINDS EHAAT OUTSTANDING ACROSS ALL AREAS The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is an independent regulator of health and social care in England and ensures health and social care services are provided with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care. As a Charity, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance have been voluntarily registered with the CQC since 2011 to ensure the Pre-Hospital Critical Care we deliver to our patients is of the highest quality. The inspection process takes between two and three months: from the notice of inspection when evidence is requested to the physical inspection. Areas for inspection focused on ensuring the Charity was caring, responsible, effective, well-led and safe. CQC inspectors visited our Earls Colne Airbase and Head Office on 30th January and our North Weald Airbase was visited on 6th February. The Charity also had a second visit to the North Weald Airbase on 13th February. Inspectors spoke with clinical staff, flew with us in our helicopters and took us through a rigorous process to ensure everything we do is within the health regulations. We have now received the CQC report and we are exceptionally proud to say that we received amazing feedback across all areas of our Charity, with no areas for improvement! We’re also incredibly proud of all of our Staff and Crew that continue to work hard every day to make EHAAT outstanding. We would also like to thank our partners for their continued support and collaborative working. You have all helped made our exceptional report possible. Stuart Elms, Clinical Director at EHAAT, added: “All the inspectors were incredibly professional and thorough and left no stone unturned in their in their quest to ensure that we were performing to the highest standard within the regulations. We are immensely proud of these outstanding inspection reports which reflect the professionalism, passion and dedication of all the charity staff as well as the amazing Pilots, Pre-Hospital Care Doctors and Critical Care Paramedics that work so hard to deliver a world class service to the people of Essex and Hertfordshire.”
Earls Colne Airbase Summary of Findings:
The service had robust, committed leadership in place with a very positive learning culture. There were effective processes to identify, and learn from incidents and share best practice. Safety was paramount with systems in place to ensure patients received safe, high quality care and treatment at all times.
North Weald Airbase Summary of Findings:
There were effective processes in place to identify, report and learn from incidents. We found medical records to be complete, legible and reflective of the care and treatment provided. Safety was a key focus for the service. Pertinent risk assessments were completed, with effective leadership and governance processes in place to monitor and oversee the risk to both staff and patients. To view the full reports, please visit www.ehaat.org/cqc
TOUGH TRAINING FOR OUR NEW PRE-HOSPITAL CARE DOCTORS Four new Pre-hospital Care Doctors have joined the EHAAT Critical Care Team in the last few months, with all four undergoing the intensive training required to fly as a part of the Helicopter Emergency Medical Crew. A part of this included passing the Pre-Hospital Care Course, run by The Institute of Pre-Hospital Care. The one-week long training course, which takes place at Royal London Hospital, puts Critical Care Paramedics and Pre-hospital Care Doctors through their paces with simulated situations, theory and an exam at the end. Dr Ali Watts, Dr Cosmo Scurr, Dr Stellios Elia and Dr Kosti Koivisto-Kokko completed the training in February this year. Those on the course have to demonstrate that they can provide excellent care while under immense pressure and were faced with demanding and traumatic medical scenarios. We’re proud to say our four new Pre-hospital Care Doctors did incredibly well. They now move on to the EHAAT internal training and mentoring period, getting ready to sign off and go solo with a Critical Care Paramedic on missions. Dr Cosmo Scurr said: “The training was a great way to bond as a team but you also learn so much about yourself and what you are capable of. “While we all have experience in dealing with stressful cases, we were learning from the experts who deal with these situations in very intense and traumatic conditions. We were learning how to apply our knowledge in these situations, learning from mistakes. “As well as experiencing the time and urgency pressures the Crew regularly face, we realised how much you rely on your team. The week was incredibly valuable and essential before going out on that first mission.”
www.ehaat.org
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WHAT’S ON
WHAT’S ON IN 2018 Now – 30th June
A YEAR OF CELEBRATION
Across Essex and Hertfordshire
20th May
MOTORCYCLE RUN & NORTH WEALD FAMILY FUN DAY
22nd May
AN EVENING OF CELEBRATION
Throughout June 1st July
Chelmsford Cathedral A VERY BRITISH AFTERNOON TEA
Across Essex and Hertfordshire
SUMMER CYCLE RIDE
Hertfordshire
6th – 10th September
MASTER MONT BLANC
9th September
MOTORCYCLE RUN & HARWICH FAMILY FUN DAY
10th – 16th September
NATIONAL AIR AMBULANCE WEEK
14th October
Across Essex and Hertfordshire HELI HOUNDS
Hertfordshire
Throughout December
FESTIVE FUNDRAISING
Throughout the year
GO RED, GO YELLOW
Across Essex and Hertfordshire
Across Essex and Hertfordshire
Check out your local community’s fundraising events on our calendar at www.ehaat.org/community-events If you are hosting an event in aid of EHAAT then contact us at communications@ehaat.org to feature on our website.