Foundation Times - issue 14 - Spring 2015

South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Foundation Times A newsletter for every member of our trust

Welcome to the Spring edition of Foundation Times Issue 14 Spring 2015

twitter.com/SCAS999

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Foundation Times A newsletter for every member of our trust

Issue 14 Spring 2015

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PORTSMOUTH MAN PRAISES SCAS CREW FOR SAVING HIS LIFE

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Meet our new Governors

SCAS HART celebrates 4th birthday

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Meet 999 Ted, our mascot

Community First Responders in partnership with O2

Issue 14 Spring 2015 If you would like to submit an article for Foundation Times please send it to getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk.

Foundation Times is produced by South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.

Editor: Monica Moro Design: Ben Hennessy

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SCAS YEAR IN REVIEW CHALLENGING TIMES

Here Will Hancock, our Chief Executive gives us a preview of our achievements and challenges.

South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) has been very busy throughout the financial year 2014/15 which runs from 1st April 2014 through to 31st March 2015. Like other emergency services, SCAS has continued to face significant pressure, as demand for our services remains extremely high.

We have been continually reviewing our processes, performance, resources and results to improve the services we deliver for patients against this background of increasing demand. Working closely with all ambulance services, through the national Association of Ambulance Chief Executives and with NHS England, has been very valuable as we focus closely on areas that we need to improve.

Developing and maintaining effective relationships with our stakeholders and partners continues to be extremely important to us. Working with the hospitals in our area to ensure that we are able to effectively hand our patients into their care and respond to the next patient who may require our help, has been essential.

Our ambulance crews work exceptionally hard to ensure that our patients receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place, which means that only appropriate patients are taken onto hospital for further treatment.

Approximately 45% of our patients are assessed and treated by our expert clinicians at scene rather than being conveyed. This requires us to have many more highly skilled paramedics and the national shortage of paramedics has been of significant concern for SCAS and for other ambulances services across the country.

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Foundation Times A newsletter for every member of our trust

Issue 14 Spring 2015

We currently have approximately 220 Clinical vacancies (Paramedics and Technicians) and 70 vacancies for Emergency Care Assistants.

Our workforce plans for 2014 / 2015 were a combination of extensive ongoing recruitment both locally, nationally and internationally.

Targeting of both experienced and newly qualified paramedics formed a key part of our recruitment plans.

We have been carrying out extensive local recruitment as well as some internationally.

We have recruited paramedics from Poland where the qualifications, skills and experience are very similar to our own and meet our own high standards for staff. Like other ambulance services, we are encouraging applicants from all countries.

We constantly review our demand and the skill mix of our staff to ensure that we have the most appropriate response to best meet the varying needs of our patients. This response might not always be the use of a traditional ambulance and increasingly SCAS has taken a pivotal role, working in partnership with others, in developing and utilising other appropriate healthcare pathways.

SCAS strives to provide the best care for patients. Our staff, our volunteers and our partners, all play a highly valued part in making this a reality.

We are currently working with commissioners and other stakeholders to ensure our service meets the needs of patients who have been referred in to hospital by their GP or another Health Care Professional. This work will ensure this group of patients receive a response that best suits their needs. This may range from a single crewed transport grade vehicle to assist with mobility needs, through to a fully equipped double crewed emergency ambulance. By assessing these calls carefully, we can ensure that our emergency ambulances are available to the most seriously ill patients when needed.

Our Emergency Care Practitioners support our ambulance crews and responders by providing specialist assessment and treatments to patients whose needs may best be met in the community or through a specific specialist referral. This includes those suffering with minor illnesses, minor injuries and long term conditions. We are re-naming this role in line with national guidance to Specialist Paramedic or Specialist Nurse in Urgent Care, and embarking on a large recruitment and training initiative to expand our specialist clinical grades to support the management of patients in the most appropriate setting. We are also looking at specialist roles in critical care to ensure those with critical injuries receive the level of care most appropriate to their needs in partnership with our air ambulance colleagues.

The Trust’s 2014/15 annual report will be available in the summer on our website at http://www.scas.nhs.uk/about-us/ ourpublications.ashx

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BE PART OF OUR FUTURE BY TAKING PART IN OUR ANNUAL SURVEY It’s that time of year again - our Annual Member Satisfaction and Patient Care Survey is out.

We are asking our Foundation Trust Members and GP surgeries across our four counties to provide their views on a number of topics and services. The results of this survey will help to inform the Trust’s plans for the year ahead.

Last year we received nearly 500 responses and we want to surpass that number this year.

Please help us by completing our survey. We value your feedback.

Deadline for submitting the survey: 8 June A summary of the results will be included in the next members’ newsletter and will be published on the Trust website.

Take the survey and have your say now at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7V36H7W 5

Foundation Times A newsletter for every member of our trust

Issue 14 Spring 2015

PORTSMOUTH MAN PRAISES SCAS CREWS FOR SAVING HIS LIFE A Portsmouth man has been reunited with SCAS crews who saved his life following a cardiac arrest.

Matt Tanner, 43, was at home in January with family and friends and looking forward to watching football when he had a cardiac arrest.

Luckily, Matt’s wife Kelly knew the importance of early and effective bystander CPR so she started compressions whilst friends phoned 999.

Kelly continued CPR until the arrival of the crews – consisting of Clinical Mentor Lewis Meale, Team Leader Mat Purssey and ambulance crew of Karl Touhey and Paul Snow. On scene, the crews worked quickly and efficiently, each carrying out vital roles to save Matt’s life. Matt was given adrenalin to restart his heart and shocked twice with a defibrillator.

The crews continued treating Matt as they were conveying him to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham. Matt was sent straight to resus before going to the Cath lab to have a stent fitted to unblock an artery.

Matt was sedated until late the next day and when he woke, he didn’t have any memory of the incident.

Matt and Kelly visited North Harbour Resource Centre on 22 April to be reunited with Lewis, Mat and Karl and to express their thanks for all their help that day.

Matt said: “I cannot stress how eternally greatful I am for my wife’s quick response to CPR, and the critical work the paramedics carried out.

My chances of survival were less than 2%, so it was very emotional to meet the SCAS heroes at North Harbour Resource Centre.”

Kelly admitted: “The immediate response of the SCAS crew, and their help whilst I started CPR, saved my husband’s life. When the SCAS team arrived, there was total chaos at the house, but they were so calm and efficient and brought Matt back to life. Thank you guys.”

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REAL LIFE

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Foundation Times A newsletter for every member of our trust

Issue 14 Spring 2015

MEET OUR NEW GOVERNORS Following our autumn elections, we are pleased to welcome some new faces to the Trust. Their three year term started on 1 March this year.

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Foundation Times A newsletter for every member of our trust

Issue 14 Spring 2015

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1 COLIN GODBOLD

Public governor, Berkshire

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I have lived in Maidenhead for 32 years with my wife and two daughters, and have been active in the community as a school governor, charity volunteer and through various sports. I was fortunate enough to take early retirement from my career in IT consultancy and I am now seeking to make use of my skills and experience to contribute to the delivery of public services in our area.

SCAS, like all public bodies, faces big challenges of rising demand and financial austerity, and I would like to help ensure the organisation continues to meet the needs of the people of Berkshire. In particular, as a governor I will seek to raise awareness of the service and represent as wide a range of views from our community as possible.

In addition to my business background, I am currently a volunteer with People to Places, the accessible community transport charity in Windsor and Maidenhead.

This experience brings me into regular contact with local people, in particular the elderly and disabled, and has helped me develop my understanding of the challenges faced by these groups. I am also a part-time adviser to two central government organisations, which gives me a broad understanding of the workings and challenges of delivering public services, and of how to get things done in the public sector.

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I am delighted to have been elected to serve as a public governor of SCAS and to represent the views and interests of the people of Berkshire.

2 MARTIN SHEA

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Public governor, Berkshire Having worked within private, NHS and military medical services for over 35 years, I feel inclined to assist in its running, particularly in the pre-hospital setting.

I am 55 years old and originally from Banbury but have lived for the past 10 years in Windsor.

I am the Coordinator for Windsor area First Responders, through which I have created links with Councils, voluntary organisations and statutory bodies. I feel this will stand me in good position to work on behalf of Berkshire residents.

My own activities in addition to first responding include the teaching of first aid and public speaking to fundraise for our air ambulance.

3 EMILY WILLIAMS

Public governor, Oxfordshire

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I am a Coroner’s Officer and have come to settle in Oxford, having previously worked the Coroner’s Service in Essex. I am originally from Dorset and have previously worked for the National Health Service in various locations around the UK and in health care abroad.

I have been interested in the field of medicine and patient care since I began working as a Health Care Assistant at an early age. I went on to train for four years as an Anatomical Pathology Technologist in an NHS hospital mortuary in Berkshire. It was during this time that I was able to learn more about all aspects of medicine and I developed an appreciation for the challenges that SCAS staff frequently face and their determination to make every possible effort to save lives, even in the most difficult of circumstances. In meeting the relatives of patients it is always apparent just how important every action of the ambulance service had been.

They are there for us in the times when we most need them, and they care.

As a governor, I want to listen to your views and to be part of shaping the future of a service that continues to provide the quality patient care and which strives to be the best despite the challenges it faces.

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Foundation Times A newsletter for every member of our trust

Issue 14 Spring 2015

4 ANDY BARTLETT

Public governor, Hampshire

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Having recently retired from the Ambulance Service after 43 years both in Operations and Education I have seen and been involved in many changes both in staff training, equipment and vehicles to ensure the patient gets the best possible treatment.

Completing an apprenticeship as a carpenter and joiner, my interest in the voluntary sector led me to begin my career at Havant Ambulance station in 1971.

Over the years I was fortunate to gain an insight and experience into the many various areas and the changing roles of the service mainly within Hampshire.

Selected for the forerunner of paramedic training in the 70s I was able to develop my skills in patient care over my career to a foundation degree in Paramedic Sciences via the Open University. Other areas have included winning two travelling scholarships to Scandinavia to look at how schools teach basic life support to children, setting up a local basic life support Heartstart scheme and Presidency of the Ambulance Service Institute (ASI).

As an education manager for the trust before retiring, staff development was a priority and my aim as a Governor is to help ensure this progressive Trust maintains its high standards both in patient care and staff development. My outside interests include DIY, photography walking and travel.

5 RAY ROWSELL

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Public governor, Hampshire Over the last few years my late wife and I have used the ambulance service a number of times. My admiration of everyone involved is immense. However, I recognise the challenges and opportunities that abound and I feel the experience gained during my 38 years as a qualified Transport Manager with a national company will enable me to contribute effectively as a Governor. The cost of operating vehicles is a significant part of the Trust’s budget and my experience of this activity will enable me to support the Council with this element of the Trust’s activity.

As chairman of the Solent Centre of the Institute of Transport Administration I am experienced in the working and protocols of committees. I am also a lay auditor of that organisation’s national accounts. This voluntary work and my long career in management help ensure my understanding of financial accounts and accountability for working to agreed processes, activities and targets.

Finally, what about me? I am a fit, active 70 year old widower with two adult children and a granddaughter. Born in Portsmouth, I have lived and worked all my life in Hampshire. In addition to The Institute of Transport Administration I have undertaken other voluntary roles, e.g. Regional Chairman and National Treasurer, Lorry Driver of the Year Competition and School Governor. Most of these roles include(d) representing “local” views at a higher level.

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I feel sure I will make a positive contribution as a Governor for SCAS.

STAFF GOVERNORS

6 JAMES BIRDSEYE

Staff governor, 999 Operations - North

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I have been employed by the ambulance service since leaving the University of Plymouth in 2004 completing my degree in Business. I worked for South Western Ambulance Service in EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) working at all roles in the centre. My family relocated to Berkshire in 2007 and I worked in SCAS EOC as both a 999 call taker and EMD (Emergency Medical Despatcher).

I had a desire to become a Paramedic and was sponsored by the Trust to attend the FdSc (Foundation Degree) Paramedic Emergency Care at Oxford Brookes University. I was supported at Wexham Resource Centre and registered with the HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council) in 2008.

I currently work at Wexham Park RC as a Paramedic.

As a staff governor I will ensure the view of staff in 999 operations – North are heard both within the Council of Governors and the Non-Executive directorships.

I will aim to listen to staff at all grades so that as a member of the Council of Governors I am able to speak robustly, ensuring that staff have a voice in the strategic direction of the Foundation Trust.

7 DEBBIE SCOTT

Staff governor: Corporate/support/other

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My career in the NHS spans 34 years during which I have widened my knowledge and skills base tremendously. I began by becoming a Registered General Nurse which I found very rewarding as it allowed me to care for patients whilst driving continuous improvement from the frontline. I chose to move my career away from an acute setting to become part of an innovative NHS telephone triage service that still exists today in the form of 111.

During this time as well as using my clinical skills I became an effective operational performance manager so I understand the need to deliver an efficient, effective and productive service to the general public.

My leadership and managerial skills have also enabled me to understand the needs of staff in a role which involves caring for people when they are vulnerable and how important it is to listen and acknowledge staffs ideas on how to improve patient care. More recently I have become a Project Manager for SCAS which is rewarding as it enables me to manage change initiatives on behalf of the organisation and to use my skills to deliver both improvements and new innovations.

I understand the importance of supporting staff through change and I am happy to challenge issues. As a Staff Governor I will help share the views of staff while shaping the strategic changes in the Trust which will ultimately improve the patients’ experience

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Foundation Times A newsletter for every member of our trust

Issue 14 Spring 2015

MICHELE FOOTE

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Staff governor, Contact centres including NHS111 and EOC Firstly let me tell you a little about my self and interests. I started my career in the Ambulance Service in 2001 in the Patient Transport Department, eventually working in the EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) as call taker moving onto Shift Officer and then to my present role as Control Duty Manager.

I believe staff in EOC work extremely hard every single day and I passionately believe that their welfare and wellbeing is an important part of my role as a senior Manager to support and nurture them so that we may provide the best possible service to our patients.

As a governor I will ensure that your comments and concerns are represented and I will communicate any feedback. I can’t promise to change everything but I will certainly try!

I enjoy taking my dog Alfie for long walks along the beach, Kayaking, going to the theatre and socialising with friends.

KATHARINE NAYLOR

Staff governor, PTS and Logistics field staff

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As a Governor I will represent and look after our service users and the interests of the community.

I’m currently in the role of Hospital Liaison Officer for Patient Transport Service and on a daily basis interact with NHS staff and the public who are in need of our services.

Every day I see the complex needs of our service users and the successes. I am involved with the management team and the Hospital Clinical Site Team in working together to provide all our service users the safest and most comfortable way of transporting them. I’m also involved with complaints from our service users, where I have the ability to put actions in place to prevent any incidents re-occurring. I visit all departments within the Buckinghamshire area to speak with our service users, where they are able to provide feedback, not just on the Ambulance Service but also the departments that they visit within the Hospitals. In turn this helps to provide a better service.

Before I worked for the Trust I was employed as a Business Banking manager and set up weekly networking events for the public to attend to discuss any concerns and how we could improve.

The Trust would also like to take this opportunity to thank those Governors who chose not to stand for re-election for their support over the past few years.

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TWEET US @ s ca s 999

999 TED

999 TED

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Foundation Times A newsletter for every member of our trust

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Issue 14 Spring 2015

SCAS HART CELEBRATES 4TH BIRTHDAY 17

Foundation Times A newsletter for every member of our trust

Issue 14 Spring 2015

On 31 January 2015 SCAS the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) celebrated their 4th birthday and the launch of their very own twitter feed @SCAS_HART. Since the inception of HART in 2011 the team have gone from strength to strength seeing more applicants being interested in the role of HART operative than ever before.

It has been a very exciting year in HART, and during this financial year we expect them to have to attended over 1,000 across our four counties of Hampshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire. The top three types of incidents they are dispatched to are Road Traffic Collisions, domestic fire related calls requiring medical assistance and providing support to frontline ambulance crews at emergency incidents. In the last 12 months they have worked in partnership with frontline crews at many high profile incidents such as the floods and adverse weather of early 2014.

In February 2014 they attended a seafront restaurant where they rescued and treated 20 casualties who’d become trapped in the restaurant by the dangerous storm raging on the south coast.

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HART mobile command centre

They set up a medical unit at Wraysbury during the floods which saw the team responding in the village around the clock providing medical cover and response to those stranded by the flood water and more recently they attended at a spate of fires in Oxfordshire. The team have also been called to assist outside of the SCAS area including providing support to patients in Dorset, Wiltshire, Surrey, Sussex and the Isle of Wight.

During the last year the teams have been asked to be involved in more training sessions with frontline staff, with requests coming from other organisations to educate their staff in the capabilities of HART. We are really pleased that the success of this training has shown itself through continued requests for training and multiple nominations in last years AMBIES awards.

SCAS HART now have their own twitter feed, and in its first month they have seen over 400 people or organisations follow them. If you’re interested in knowing more about SCAS HART and their work just follow them on Twitter at @SCAS_HART.

HART FACTS AND FIGURES èè SCAS HART launched on 31 January 2011 èè Currently 40 staff work for SCAS HART – of the 40 staff 7 are women èè Staff work 12 hour shifts èè They work across 7 close knit teams, each team has a Team Leader, Team Educator and HART Operatives èè HART have a selection of specialist vehicles, e.g. the Polaris is a 6 wheel all terrain vehicle which is most often used to get personnel and treatment to patients injured in remote locations such as in the middle of the New Forest èè In order to become a HART operative staff have to undergo approximately 12 weeks training. This includes training across the various HART specialisms: ›› Responding to incidents involving hazardous chemicals ›› Providing Paramedic care during Chemical, Biological, Radiological & Nuclear incidents ›› Safe working at height ›› Confined space e.g. providing care in collapsed buildings ›› How to effect safe rescue & patient care in and around water including, responding safely during times of flooding ›› Emergency driving & vehicle familiarization

èè Every 7 weeks each team have a training week during which they are required to facilitate over 200 training competencies to ensure that their skills are kept up to date èè In addition to responding as HART they also respond to medical emergencies in Rapid Response Vehicles providing additional resources to compliment frontline operations èè HART takes part in multi-agency exercises and training èè HART regularly supply staff to work as instructors at the National Ambulance Resilience Unit (NARU) Education Centre at Winterbourne Gunner training new and existing ambulance staff èè In the last 12 months the top four reasons that HART were called were: ›› RTCs ›› Requests for assistance from crews ›› Domestic fires ›› Incidents involving hazardous materials èè During the last year they have seen an increase in SCAS staff observing the team to find out more about their work.

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Foundation Times A newsletter for every member of our trust

Issue 14 Spring 2015

OUT AND ABOUT Monica Moro, SCAS Membership, Engagement and Marketing Support Officer tells us what has been happening across our four counties.

During the winter months Monica has been very busy organising college and school visits, summer events and undertaking engagement activities, including The Hope Festival in Southampton, the Public Awareness Day at Reading FC, Patient Experience and Health Awareness Days, Patient Forums, Control Centre visits and filming an educational video aimed at nursery and primary school children, teachers and parents/carers.

Monica works very closely with colleagues from our Patient Experience, First Aid Training, Equality and Diversity, Education and Recruitment Teams and also with our Corporate Secretary and Governors to promote the Trust services. Furthermore she liaises with external organisations such as Healthwatch groups and the Communications Teams of the Clinical Commissioning Groups and sits at the Trust’s Membership and Engagement Committee meetings and as SCAS representative at the Buckinghamshire Family Information Service partnership, the Oxfordshire Child Safety Education Partnership, the MK Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy meetings and SCAS four constituency Patient Forums. Lastly she meets on a regular basis with her counterparts of other trusts to discuss ideas and work jointly for some events.

In the following months we will be joined by 999 Ted, our mascot, at various events.

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Foundation Times A newsletter for every member of our trust

Issue 14 Spring 2015

MEET 999 TED, OUR MASCOT 999 Ted, our mascot, made his first public appearance at the Fair Oak Junior and Infant Schools, near Eastleigh in March where he co-starred in an educational video.

The mascot was designed and named by school children Jo-Jo Muenprom and Phoebe Moulton respectively, winners of last year’s Name and Draw the Bear competition. Both are former pupils of Fair Oak Junior School.

999 Ted will continue his tour at various events in our four counties and will also be available for hire for companies’ promotions, fundraising events etc.

Furthermore our mascot will help raise money for our Community First Responder schemes.

Monica Moro, SCAS Membership, Engagement and Marketing Support Officer said: “I am proud that our 999 Ted mascot will play an important part in the Trust’s public engagement programme.”

Follow 999 Ted at the forthcoming events: èè Saturday 6 June, Oxford Pride 2015, Castle Quarter and Paradise Street, Oxford èè Saturday 20 June, Portsmouth Pride 2015, Victoria Park, Portsmouth, Hampshire èè Saturday 18 July, Community Festival MK, Campbell Park, Milton Keynes, Bucks èè Sunday 26 July, Hampshire Emergency Show 2015, Bordon, Hampshire èè Wednesday 5 August, Bicester Activity Day & Teddy Bear’s Picnic, The Garth Park, Bicester, Oxfordshire èè Thursday 27 August, Bucks County Show, Weedon Park, Nr Aylesbury èè Saturday 5 September, Reading Pride 2015, Kings Meadow, Reading, Berkshire If you would like to hire 999 Ted for events please contact monica.moro@scas.nhs.uk for details.

For details of all our upcoming meetings visit: www.scas.nhs.uk/ft

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Foundation Times A newsletter for every member of our trust

Issue 14 Spring 2015

INAUGURAL BERKSHIRE & OXFORDSHIRE PATIENT FORUM MEETINGS

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Berkshire Patient Forum Ian Hammond, public governor for Berkshire and chair of Berkshire Patient Forum, welcomed attendees to our inaugural meeting at Swallowfield Parish Hall, Reading on Thursday 5 March 2015.

Participants discussed the role of the Forum and how it will help to develop patient services in the county. Made up of members of the public, foundation trust members and representatives of local organisations, the Forum has been formed to represent the interests of the Trust’s Membership, the public, staff and the wide range of external stakeholders with which the Trust works to deliver its services, and feedback information about the Trust’s developments to these groups.

Representatives from Healthwatch Wokingham, Reading Samaritans, NHS South Reading CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group), Priory Avenue PPG (Patient Participation Group) and our foundation trust membership were in attendance, together with Colin Godbold, one of our newly elected Berkshire governors, Ellen Masters, Berkshire Emergency Services Manager, Senga David, Head of Patient Experience and Monica Moro, Membership, Engagement and Marketing support Officer.

Oxfordshire Patient Forum Mike Shread, one of our Oxfordshire governors and chair of Oxfordshire Patient Forum welcomed attendees to our inaugural meeting at the Trust’s Bicester HQ on Tuesday 17 March.

At their first meeting, attendees discussed our challenges and achievements, patients’ feedback and how the Forum will work with the Trust, its Membership, patients’ representatives in the community and its wide range of stakeholders to develop future patient services.

To welcome the forum and provide attendees with a better understanding of how the Trust operates operationally, they were given the opportunity to meet Richard McDonald, our Interim Area Manager for the county.

Representatives from The Orders of St John Care Trust, Royal Voluntary Service, British Red Cross, Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group locality’s Public and Patient Health Forum, West Oxfordshire Locality Forum, Oxfordshire Neurological Alliance and West Oxfordshire MS Society Branch were in attendance together with members of the public, Tim Windsor-Shaw, Oxfordshire governor and vice-chair, Emily Williams, our newly elected Oxfordshire governor, Ludlow Johnson, Equality and Diversity Manager and Monica Moro, Membership, Engagement and Marketing Support Officer.

The Trust has four Patient Forums, one in each county of coverage (Buckinghamshire and MK; Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Hampshire).

Each Patient Forum meets every six months to allow local people the opportunity to get involved and influence local health services.

If you or one of your colleagues, family members of friends would like to join one of our four patient forums, please contact the Membership and Public Engagement Office at getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk and specify county. Alternatively, please ring 01869 365126.

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Issue 14 Spring 2015

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A newsletter for every member of our trust

HEALTH CORNER 26

Allergy advice Spring is here and this also means for many people the onset of the hay fever and other allergies season. Here are some facts and tips if you are a sufferer.

What is an allergy?

An allergy is an adverse reaction that the body has to a particular food or substance in the environment.

What cause allergies?

Most substances that cause allergies are not harmful and have no effect on people who are not allergic.

Any substance that triggers an allergic reaction is called an allergen. Some of the most common allergens include: ÙÙ ÙÙ ÙÙ ÙÙ

grass and tree pollen (hay fever) dust mites animal dander (tiny flakes of skin or hair) food allergy (particularly fruits, shellfish and nuts).

An allergy develops when the body’s immune system reacts to an allergen as though it is a threat, like an infection. It produces antibodies to fight off the allergen, in a reaction called the “immune response”.

The next time a person comes into contact with the allergen, the body “remembers” the previous exposure and produces more of the antibodies. This causes the release of chemicals in the body that lead to an allergic reaction.

Symptoms of an allergy can include sneezing, wheezing, itchy eyes, skin rashes and swelling.

How common are allergies?

Allergies are very common. According to Allergy UK, one in four people in the UK suffers from an allergy at some point in their lives. The numbers are increasing every year and up to half of those affected are children.

The reason for the rise is unclear. Some experts believe it is associated with pollution.

Another theory is that allergies are caused by living in a cleaner, germ-free environment, which reduces the number of germs our immune system has to deal with. This causes it to overreact when it comes into contact with harmless substances.

Seeing your GP If you think you have an allergy, see your GP. Depending on your symptoms, the condition of your skin and any medication you are taking, you may be offered further tests to identify the allergen.

Managing an allergy In some cases, the most effective way of managing an allergy is to avoid all contact with the allergen causing the reaction.

Medication Most treatments are available over the counter such as: ÙÙ Antihistamines ÙÙ Decongestants ÙÙ Leukotriene receptor antagonists ÙÙ Steroid sprays

Always ask your pharmacist or GP for advice before starting any new medication.

The nature of the symptoms depends on the allergen. For example, you may experience problems with your airways if you breathe in pollen.

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Foundation Times A newsletter for every member of our trust

Issue 14 Spring 2015

COMMU RESPON IN PART WITH O SCAS Community First Responders (CFRs) have been chosen by O2 as one of their charity partners. Under this partnership O2 have funded and produced an excellent video highlighting the fantastic job done by our CFR’s, which you can see on our website here.

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They have also helped to create a portfolio of advertising material that can be adapted and used by individual trusts to help develop groups around the country, along with a CFR brand logo that will help to bring together all the volunteer efforts nationwide. Using their contacts with a local marketing agency, O2 helped SCAS to review and redesign our own CFR marketing material, bringing together the new logo, theme of the video and message in a very clean and professional manner.

O2 also used their PR resource to publicise the work of CFR’s (and help to recruit more), and the work of CFR’s has featured in a full-page article in the London Evening Standard, as well as a number of local media outlets.

Marc Lister, Community Liaison & Training Officer at SCAS, says “so far O2 have spent many hours listening to how we operate and the challenges we face. They are committed to bringing some world experts together to help us deliver the best care to the local community. With this level of help, we are confident that Community First Responders will be catapulted to the next level of national charity recognition, which will help when it comes to recruitment and even funding to support the volunteers.”

UNITY FIRST NDERS TNERSHIP O2

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Foundation Times A newsletter for every member of our trust

Issue 14 Spring 2015

HOW WE’RE DOING APRIL 2015 FIGURES TOTAL 999 ACTIVITY

40,570

111 CALLS ANSWERED

99,388 NON CONVEYANCE

NON CONVEYANCE %

16,022

44.00%

What does it mean?

Total 999 activity equates to the number of calls which received a SCAS response or were dealt with by our clinical support desks Non conveyance is the number of incidents we responded to where the patient was not taken to hospital.

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Non conveyance % is the percentage of incidents we responded to where the patient was not taken to hospital.

Red 1 - Red 1 calls are the most time critical and cover cardiac arrest patients who are not breathing and do not have a pulse, and other severe conditions.

Red 2 - For Red 2 calls, which are serious but less immediately time critical and cover conditions such as stroke and fits.

RED 1 [8 mins]

76.67% RED 2 [8 mins]

76.54%

RED 1 [19 mins]

96.57% RED 2 [19 mins]

95.59%

CFR RESPONSES

1,174

PTS JOURNEYS

41,671 111 calls answered is the number of calls answered through the non-emergency healthcare service.

CFR stands for Community First Responder.

PTS stands for Patient Transport Service.

All figures are provisional.

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Foundation Times A newsletter for every member of our trust

Issue 14 Spring 2015

FOUNDATION TRUST MEMBERSHIP 13,230

13,000

public members to date

12,000 8,000

You can make a difference!

5,000

For more information, email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk or phone 01869 365126.

NUMBER OF FOUNDATION TRUST MEMBERS

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or f u o y nk port a h T up s r you mbers! me

WE ARE COMING TO MEET YOU We actively seek to involve our members, patients and the public (and those who represent them) in our decision making, ensuring that we engage with our local communities and members.

Come and talk to us at one of our events.

For details of all our upcoming meetings visit: www.scas.nhs.uk/ft/ Date

Event

Location

Time

Sat 6 June

Oxford Pride 2015

Castle Quarter and Paradise Street, Oxford

From 11am

Sat 6 June

Hampshire Constabulary Families Day

Hampshire Constabulary Southern Support and Training HQ, Hamble Lane, Southampton,

Wed 10 June

Your Health, Your NHS

Guildhall Square, Portsmouth PO1 2AB , Hants

11am - 5.30pm

Sat 20 June

Portsmouth Pride 2015

Victoria Park, Portsmouth, Hants

From noon

Sun 21 June

Hayling Island 999 Emergency Services Day

Hayling Island, Hants

10am - 4pm

Wed 24 June

Love Your Bones Conference

Mountbatten Centre, Twyford Avenue, Portsmouth, Hants

10am - 4.30pm

Sat 27 June

Fawley Armed Forces Day

Gangwarily Recreation centre Fawley, Hants

11am - 6.00pm

Sat 4 July

Warsash Festival 2015

Warsash, Southampton, Hants

11am - 5pm

Sat 18 July

Community Festival MK

Campbell Park, Milton Keynes, Bucks

1pm - 7pm

Sat 18 July

Baffins Pond Association Summer Fayre

Baffins Pond Tangier Road Field Portsmouth, Hants

12 noon - 4pm

Sun 19 July

Gosport Lifeboat Blue Light Services Open Day 2015

Gosport, Hants

11am - 4pm

Sun 26 July

Hampshire 999 Emergency Show 2015

Bordon, Hants

10.30 - 6pm

June

July

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Get to know your governors Public governors

Berkshire constituency

Martin Shea

Colin Godbold

Ian Hammond

Appointed partner governors

Staff governors

Public governors

Hampshire constituency

Ray Rowsell

Andy Bartlett

Paul Carnell

Jonathan Cotterell

Vacant

Debbie Scott

David Palmer

Michele Foote

Katherine Naylor

James Birdseye

Cllr Jan Warwick

David Chilvers

Cllr Keith House

Sue Thomas

Sabrina Chetcuti

Vacant

Cllr David Burbage

Contact the Membership Office Please get in touch with the membership office if you: Email: getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk »» want more information about what we do or Tel: 01869 365126 »» have a story you want to share with other members »» want us to come along to an event in your local area »» want to change your contact details »» want to get more involved and update your involvement choices »» want membership forms or other literature to distribute »» want to raise an issue with a governor 34

Have your say and support your governors.

Buckinghamshire constituency

Make a difference by helping them shape the future of your local ambulance service.

Email them at getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk

Bob Duggan

Dave Johnson

David Ridley

Oxfordshire constituency

Emily Williams

Michael Shread

Tim WindsorShaw

COUNCIL OF GOVERNORS

The Council of Governors meets four times a year and represents the interests of members and stakeholder organisations. Meetings are open to the public. For more information please visit our website at www.scas.nhs.uk/ft The next COG meeting will be on 1 July 2015 at Shaw House, Newbury (6.30pm - 9.00pm).

Want to find out who your governors are? Go to www.scas.nhs.uk/ft 35

Produced by South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust Units 7 and 8 Talisman Business Centre Talisman Road Bicester Oxfordshire OX26 6HR Tel 01869 365000 | Fax 01869 322814 | getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk | www.scas.nhs.uk Design > Ben Hennessy

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