Foundation Times - Issue 22 Spring 2018

South Central Ambulance Service

NHS Foundation Trust

Foundation Times

Issue 22 Spring 2018

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Meet the new class of 2018 Governors 17

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Paramedic Julia spends time in Chicago

SCAS digital NHS pioneer

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Happy 3rd birthday 999 Ted!!

Personal safety in the countryside

Issue 22 Spring 2018 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: Clare Daniels Cover photo: South Park, Oxford - Clare Daniels

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Issue 22 Spring 2018

WELCOME Welcome to the spring 2018 bumper edition of Foundation Times

Ambulance service

Ambulance service

Take the quiz on page 66

FRONT COVER PHOTO opportunity If you are interested in photography and would like to see your image on the front cover of the next issue, please send it to us along with details of where it was taken to getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk

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Meet the new class of 2018 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. ire

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Tony Nicholson Charles McGill Bernadette Devine

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Lynn Dove-Dixon Emma Crozier

Loretta Light Stephen Haynes

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Jim Dunderdale

Anne Crampton

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Public constituencies ire

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Bob Crocker I am a Physicist and have worked all my professional life in Research and Development to improve the inspection of engineering materials in safety critical industries such as the aerospace, nuclear and railway industry.

I have decided to stand for election because I believe I could bring a useful perspective to the Council of Governors because of my experience of working with teams of highly skilled people to develop solutions to problems which, by their nature, present huge unknowns, almost always against the constraints of both financial budgets and time to completion.

Bernadette Devine My standing for election reflects my passion for excellence and my commitment to continued public and patient representation and involvement. I have over 25 years’ experience as an NHS adult nurse, mental health nurse, urgent care commissioner, and as a recently qualified First Responder.

Future delivery and sustainability within both SCAS as an NHS organisation and by being in the business of caring will require continued innovation. As an elected Governor my aim would be to work in partnership with the body of SCAS members to continue the good work to date, to challenge where needed, and to hold the system to account when required within the remit of the role.

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Charles McGill MBE I have been operational member of Hampshire fire and rescue service for 52 years serving all over the county of Hampshire, and have had the honour of receiving an MBE from Her Majesty the Queen for services to the community and joint partnership working, in 2016. I am believed to be the longest serving watch manager in the country according to my service.

I feel that I am at a stage in my life where I would like a new challenge and become more involved with something rewarding to enhance the community and society we currently live in. I also feel that my 52 years operational service and working in the local community has set me in good stance to offer my real life experiences and give something back to the community which I am very passionate about.

I have worked extremely flexibly through the years and am in a very good position to continue to be as flexible. My service is aware of my appointment and will give me full support with time off to attend meetings and events.

Tony Nicholson It was several years as a Trustee with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance that first introduced me to the critical role and dedicated people of SCAS. I already had the belief in ‘public services’, starting as a RAF helicopter pilot and onwards right through to a board position in a government Defence Agency.

I am driven by the desire to help make things work and improve outcomes, by drawing on all those accumulated experiences.

It’s clear that, like other public bodies, SCAS faces a range of increasing challenges. Being a Governor, and representing SCAS members and the wider community of Hampshire, offers the chance to support a committed team in delivering a service that matters to all of us.

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Stephen Haynes I am a resident of Thame in Oxfordshire, having lived there for the past 12 years with my wife. I have worked within and alongside the NHS for the last 37 years, much of this time spent across the Thames Valley region. The first 20 years of my NHS career was spent working within ambulance services both as a practicing clinician and latterly as a senior operational manager.

There are two key areas of focus that I intend to support both the South Central Ambulance Service Trust and their users with during my tenure as a public governor. Firstly, to promote the continued integration of the ambulance service with services provided by the wider local NHS to ensure patients can be cared for in their own homes whenever possible. Secondly, to support and represent the needs faced by those living in the most rural parts of the county in terms of rapid response in times of urgent and emergency clinical need.

Loretta Light I qualified in medicine at Guy’s Hospital in 1971 and worked in London and Worcestershire before deciding on Paediatrics as a speciality after post graduate training at Warwick University. I became a Consultant Community Paediatrician in South Staffordshire with a particular interest in Social Paediatrics and was the lead for Child Protection.

Both professionally and as a carer for my late mother, I have always had enormous respect for the ambulance service and I hope the varied experiences of my career will be useful in participating in the governance of the Trust in the difficult demographic and financial climate in which the NHS finds itself.

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Staff constituencies Emma Crozier

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I have worked for SCAS since August 2006 starting in the Contact Centre based at the Churchill Hospital which then moved to Northern House headquarters in 2009. Since then I have had various roles within NEPTS to my now role of Area Manager North Commercial Services.

For me projecting a caring, positive image, listening to concerns and addressing issues quickly and considerately is pivotal in my role and I truly believe that it is these skills that are the key to the staff governor role. I will take forward colleagues’ views confidently and strongly and my passion for improving the service and care for our patients can only get better if staff are listened to and given the opportunity to influence.

It is going to be a privilege representing my staff constituency on the Council of Governors and please contact me at any time.

Jim Dunderdale

I put myself forward as a Staff Governor because I am passionate about SCAS, the job it does and the dedicated staff that work for the organisation.

Since I joined the organisation in August 2014 I have worked as a Call Handler, a Coach and I currently sit on the NHS 111 Staff Engagement Group.

During the last few years I have had cause to use the service on several occasions myself and have always found the staff I have spoken to very professional, understanding and helpful.

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I can assure my staff constituency members that I shall give 100% to promoting the service and of course I will be happy to communicate to the Board any ideas and concerns employees may have.

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Lynn Dove-Dixon I joined Hampshire Ambulance Service in 1985 as an Ambulance Technician. Through my career I became a Paramedic, undertook several managerial roles and for the last fifteen years, until very recently, have been a Scheduling Manager.

My current role is Planning Manager – Workforce and I am part of the Planning, Performance and Forecasting team.

My aim as a Staff Governor is to use my wealth of experience to work with staff addressing any concerns they may have.

Part of my new role is to work with staff with the view of improving their working conditions. I am part of the Policy Review Group team and this means I can communicate, on staff’s behalf, changes that they feel could be made. Likewise I can also discuss with staff why a change cannot be made.

I am looking forward to meeting more staff throughout SCAS and ensuring that I fulfil this role for you.

Kate Moss I am a paramedic based in Didcot with over 10 years road experience within SCAS and previous experience as a Community First Responder prior to joining the service.

Prior to SCAS, I have had a career that covers management in retail at senior levels, training, IT and market research whilst bringing up my family at the same time.

I am looking forward to giving an objective view of the challenges we face within the NHS from a different perspective with a beneficial aspect to the Frontline and SCAS.

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Appointed The Trust would also like to welcome partner governor Dr Anne Crampton to the Council of Governors. Anne is a District Councillor in Hart where she also chairs the District’s forum together with being a member of Hampshire Health and Wellbeing Board.

Anne Crampton I qualified from Sheffield University Medical school in 1985 and worked in hospitals in and around Sheffield until I moved to Berkshire to become a General Practitioner (GP). I was a Partner at a practice in Crowthorne, Berkshire for over twenty years until retiring in 2015. During my time as a GP, I set up and ran a GP out-of-hours service covering South East Berkshire based at Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot.

My family moved to Hampshire in 2001.

Seven years ago I became a District Councillor in Hart just as Health and Wellbeing Boards were being formed. I Chaired Hart’s Health and Wellbeing Board until 2017 and am currently a member of Hampshire Health and Wellbeing Board and I Chair the Districts forum. I began by being the District Council representative on the Fleet Community Hospital Friends Committee but am now a full Committee member.

I am a passionate supporter of the NHS but also recognise it faces many challenges. I am keen to see the service perform well, serve the community and develop its role for the future.

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More info Full Governors’ profile You can read all our Governors’ full profiles at: èèhttp://www.scas.nhs.uk/about-scas/council-of-governors/ meet-our-governors/

Get in touch with our staff Governors If you would like to get in touch with a staff Governor please email: èèstaff.governors@scas.nhs.uk

Get in touch with our public Governors If you would like to get in touch with a public Governor, you can do so at the following address: Company Secretary South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, 7-8 Talisman Business Centre, Talisman Road, Bicester, Oxfordshire OX26 6HR Or you can send an email to: èècompany.secretary@scas.nhs.uk

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Latest news from the Council of Governors

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From Steve Garside, SCAS Company Secretary

MEETINGS

Since the last Foundation Times was issued, the Council of Governors (CoG) has held its twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh meetings in public since SCAS achieved Foundation Trust status back in March 2012. The meetings were on 11 January and 16 April, both held in the evening in Newbury.

At the 11 January meeting, sixteen of the twenty governors in post at that time were present, together with a considerable number of members of the Board of Directors.

The Chief Executive provided a comprehensive update on key, current issues for SCAS, and a range of questions were asked by the Governors. There was considerable focus on performance over the Christmas and New Year period when much of the NHS was under significant pressure. The hard work and commitment of the Trust’s staff and volunteers was acknowledged.

The CoG also agreed a development plan with a range of priorities aimed at further strengthening how it operates and also engages with Trust members and members of the public.

At the 16 April meeting, nineteen of the twenty six governors now in post were present, again together with a considerable number of members of the Board of Directors. A number of new Governors were welcomed to their first meetings

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following public and staff governor elections in late 2017.

The Chief Executive provided a comprehensive update on key, current issues for SCAS, and the CoG spent time considering a range of issues associated with the Trust’s workforce, including recruitment and retention, appraisals and training, staff welfare and the outcomes of the recent staff survey.

The CoG also received details of the outcomes of the recent appraisals of the Trust Chair and Non-Executive Directors, a process for which the governors had contributed significantly.

PApers Papers for all CoG meetings, and dates of future events, are available on the Trust’s website at èè http://www.scas.nhs.uk/council-of-governors/council-of-governorsmeetings/

The next meeting is on:

24 July 2018

and any members wishing to attend would be warmly welcomed.

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Be part of our future by taking part in our annual survey We want to hear from you, our members, and make sure your opinion counts! It’s that time of year again - our Annual Member Satisfaction and Patient Care survey.

We are asking our Foundation Trust Members, members of the public, GP surgeries and other organisations 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 550 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:

Sunday 24 June 2018 at 23:59 A summary of the results will be included in the next members’ newsletter and will be published on the Trust website. èè Take the survey now - http://www.scas.nhs.uk/get-involved/ foundation-trust/patient-experience-survey/ 14

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3 Take the survey now

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SCAS INTERNATIONAL

Paramedic Julia spends time with the emergency services in Chicago

The Windy City has been the home of many famous residents, including Harrison Ford, Oprah Winfrey and of course, Barack and Michelle Obama. Chicago is also a city that had been on the Bucket List of SCAS Paramedic, Julia Cole, for a long time and in March this year, she booked some annual leave, flights and a hotel and off she went.

As well as seeing many of the city’s famous tourist attractions and landmarks, Julia also got to see a side of Chicago that few other visitors experience, thanks to the city’s Fire and Police Departments.

Here is her account of what she got up to.

“Having previously been out with crews from Philadelphia on my last holiday to the US in February 2017, I decided once again to mix business with pleasure. Having made initial contact with Chicago’s Police and Fire Departments over the phone and not got very far, it was connections I made via their social media channels that eventually helped me find the right people. It took nearly three weeks to get clearance for the ride outs with the Fire Department – in America, the Fire Department is also responsible for the emergency ambulance service – and five months to be vetted and cleared to go out with the Police Department. Barring a minor administrative hiccup on my arrival in Chicago, which was quickly sorted out by a very helpful lady in the Fire Department, I was as they say over there, good to go!

“The shift started with a bang: a double heroin overdose on a bus."

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Chicago Fire Department – Ride Along #1 with Ambulance 33

this neighbourhood it is not wise to try to persuade people to go to hospital if they don’t want to go, as this could (and has in the past) led to a gun being drawn on the crew.

We were then immediately sent to another heroin overdose in an alley; this guy was extremely cyanosis (bluish or purplish discolouration of the skin indicating low oxygen saturation) and again in respiratory arrest. It was at this point the crew advised that they had serious issues in Chicago with really strong heroin which is cut with fentanyl. Again the crew gave Narcan, quickly bringing the patient around. We took this gentleman to the hospital. As we arrived at hospital a ‘mayday’ call came over the radio. We quickly dropped our patient off with a nurse and ran to the ambulance.

The mayday call was a firefighter who was in distress. We raced to the scene as fast as we could. It looked like something from a movie. There was a building on fire with about five fire trucks, multiple police cars,

I was allocated to ‘the ghetto’ part of town for my first shift. I was told that this area was run by gangs who often settle their differences by shooting each other.

The shift started with a bang: a double heroin overdose on a bus. I was quickly advised by my crew that it would be a good day to observe as it was payday weekend; Chicago did not disappoint! The two heroin overdose patients were in respiratory arrest.

The crew administered Narcan (Naloxone Hydrochloride) which worked quickly, bringing both patients around. A second crew and fire engine were on scene as well as the police. Our patient refused hospital treatment and opted to continue to go to work instead. I was advised that in 18

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several fire cars and one other ambulance already at the scene. We ran across the road to see a fireman on a backboard being rushed into the ambulance. No one was sure what had happened to him, however he was unconscious, barely breathing and had evidence of severe smoke inhalation.

We helped the first ambulance stabilise him and then he was rushed to the hospital. The next few hours seemed to blur together with concern for the fireman (who was well known to my crew), and the department chiefs debriefing us. I am pleased to report that the fireman regained consciousness by the end of our shift, but was kept intubated for a further three days to prevent serious airway swelling.

not require an ambulance. Each job we attended we were accompanied by the police. I was advised that this was normal due to the neighbourhood we were in. Both the police and fire crews could recount several incidents they have attended where gangs were still on scene.

The ambulance crew I was with told me there was a shooting outside the firehouse two months earlier. The crew had to hide behind the concrete pillars in the firehouse to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

I lasted 17 hours with the crew before giving in to jet lag. The crew advised me the next day that they weren’t sent to any shootings after I left, however they did go to a serious stabbing.

We were extremely busy throughout the shift, barely spending any time at the firehouse. However we managed to return for lunch and dinner, all provided by and cooked by the firemen.

During the shift we were sent to a lot of jobs which over here in the UK would 19

Chicago Fire Department – Ride Along #2 with Ambulance 42

which was waiting, directed to the patient, directed back to the lift which again was still waiting and then directed to the front door. There was no waiting around and all doors were held open for us. This happened in every high rise building we attended.

In the ambulance we did an ECG (or EKG as it’s called over there) which looked normal.

The patient told us that he had a significant family history of cardiovascular disease and he had two stents fitted already. On the way to hospital he told us he was a high end attorney and he owned the building we had picked him up from. I made sure that I was extra nice and professional so I couldn’t be sued for anything! The hospital was made aware that we were coming and on our arrival we were directed straight into the cardiac room.

I was given a ‘down town’ location for my second shift in the largest firehouse in Chicago. I was advised that this would be a completely different shift than with Ambulance 33. This part of town was mainly high rise buildings for businesses and hotels. Ironically this firehouse was mentioned in the crime tour I had been on earlier in my trip as a mob boss was hung outside it for his crimes back in the 1920s.

The ‘bell’ rang straight away at the start of the shift, sending us out to a ‘person down of unknown cause’. We drove to the job and found a woman had slipped on ice and had hurt her ankle. As we arrived there was a TV crew with the patient, who continued to film us as we got her into the ambulance. We again drove to hospital under emergency conditions. I asked the crew why they did this and was advised that there was an incident where a crew didn’t drive someone to hospital under emergency conditions who should have been and the patient sued. To stop this happening again they now drive everyone to hospital under emergency conditions.

I did notice that in this area of Chicago we were working in, the patients appeared to be a lot heavier than in the previous area, with most of them falling between 2140 stone. The crews don’t have ramps in the ambulances, so crews have to lift the patient up into the back. Luckily there is normally a fire crew there to help, but not always and never at the hospital.

This shift appeared a lot quieter than at 33 and I was advised that this was not normal. After nearly every job we managed to return to the firehouse for a while. This gave me time to learn about the ‘squad’ and what made them special as well as the differences between the truck and engines.

We quickly dropped the patient off to hospital and returned to the ambulance.

We were given a job as soon as we left the hospital to a ‘heart attack victim’ in a high rise office building. We arrived to see a fire truck on scene. The patient had the classic ‘MI’ look: grey in colour and sweating profusely. The fire crew got him onto our stretcher and we then went into the lift to the ambulance. I was very impressed how the high rise buildings are so well organised for an emergency. We were met at the entrance, directed to the lift,

We were then called to a drug overdose in a drug rehabilitation centre. The middle aged lady had taken several days’ worth of different medications. She appeared well and was talkative all the way to the hospital.

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We were then sent to a drug overdose on the CTA, the Chicago Transit Authority – the city’s equivalent of the London Underground. I was advised that it was extremely rare for them to have an OD in this part of town. There were no lifts or escalators to get out of the CTA, however the fire crew who attended with us volunteered to carry the patient to the ambulance. It was decided we would keep the patient in his drug induced state (as he was breathing normally) until we got to the hospital. Luckily we did as when we gave the Narcan he came round and wanted to fight us and the hospital staff, which would not have been ideal in the back of a moving ambulance!

During the shift we did about 12 calls and I stayed with the crew for 14 hours.

Both firehouses were extremely welcoming and couldn’t have done more to make me feel welcome and part of the team.

Both houses were interested in how things were ‘back in the UK’ and asked numerous questions about my job and the NHS. I must say the firemen were extremely good cooks and it was great to come back to a fully prepared meal during the shift.

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Chicago Police Department – Ride Along #3 I was given a five hour shift with the police department in the 8th district. I was advised that I needed to report to Police HQ at the start of my shift to get a bulletproof vest and then the crew would pick me up. On my arrival they were expecting me and I was escorted upstairs by two detectives. I was given a huge bullet proof vest and was then taken back downstairs to the front desk, where my crew were waiting for me, John and Pat.

force – was sadly shot and killed two weeks before my visit when, having left a meeting, was one of the officers who responded to reports of a fleeing, armed and dangerous suspect and was shot six times when he tried to apprehend the man.

As we got back in 8th district we immediately got a call for a man who was not being allowed to leave his house by his mum and wife. I followed the police officers into a basement apartment to three adults screaming and shouting at each other. John and Pat managed to calm the situation quickly, establishing what had happened. The man advised that in January he was targeted and shot multiple times due to his old gang affiliations.

They explained to me when we got in the police car that they were nowhere near their district and we would only become available for calls once we were back in it. They were both extremely experienced police officers with around 40 years on the job between them, 11 of which had been spent working as partners. They also explained how gun violence, fuelled by gangs and drugs, was making their job harder and more dangerous every day. The stats show that on average there is a gang related shooting in Chicago every two hours. The Chicago Police Commander, Paul Bauer – a 31-year veteran on the police

The fight today had occurred as the man wanted to leave his house, however the wife and mum were concerned for his safety as he wasn’t very mobile and was thought to be a ‘sitting duck’ to the gangs.

It was decided that we would convey him to a friend’s house so he would be out of the house and safe. During the drive there 22

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I was able to question him about his gang days and how dangerous life is for him now.

with blood around them. The decided to force entry and found a family of six all stabbed to death. They also showed me a street corner where an innocent person was shot and killed in the last week for simply refusing to hand over his phone.

Our second job was to a lady who had caused criminal damage to a subway door as she wasn’t allowed free ice from their drinks machine. When we got to the subway shop we were told that she was now next door in the laundromat. We were given a description of her and we were able to quickly locate her. It was decided that if she agreed to pay for the damages we would leave, she did and we gave the subway shop her details to follow up.

After the amazing pizza we were dispatched to my last call, a pregnant 16 year old girl who had been domestically abused. We got on scene and it started snowing, but she refused to get into the police car. She explained that her boyfriend (an active gang member with numerous guns and weapons in the house) had hit her when she said something he didn’t want to hear. Because she was pregnant they decided to get CFD in attendance. John and Pat knocked on the door, but the boyfriend refused to answer. The girl was given a piece of paper to give to her local police station for an arrest warrant for her boyfriend. CFD then turned up and took her to the hospital for assessment.

It was now time for lunch and John and Pat had promised to take me to what they described was the best pizza place in Chicago. As we drove there, they were able to describe the recent crimes committed on various streets on our route. One of the places was a house with six white crosses outside. They advised that last year someone had called the CPD to advise one of their employees hadn’t come to work for two days and asked for them to check on him. John and Pat were dispatched to the house. Unable to raise anyone at the property, they were just about to leave when one of them looked through the cat flap and saw a person lying on the floor

The crew then drove me back to the Police HQ where I said my goodbyes.

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Main differences between SCAS and the Chicago Fire Department èè The paramedics in Chicago work 24-hour shifts and then have three days off èè If I had worn my SCAS uniform on the ride outs, I was told it would have been highly likely I would have been shot as the uniform would have made me a gang target èè In Chicago a fire engine or the police are dispatched to EVERY call to protect the ambulance crew èè The US ambulances are a lot smaller than ours, but we do share some of the same kit (Lifepaks, for example) èè Every patient is driven to hospital under emergency conditions despite their complaint or condition èè Emergency calls are not prioritised apart from cardiac arrests èè If a patient refuses to go to hospital the hospital must be rung and advised of the refusal èè My crew mates couldn’t believe that I was able to decide that a patient didn’t need to go to hospital – they kept telling their colleagues and hospital staff that I was ‘the lady who can say no!’

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I was extremely privileged to have the three ride outs I did and will remember them forever. Having previously believed some of the areas near my station in High Wycombe were ‘a bit dodgy’, I can now safely say they are nothing compared to the dangerous parts of Chicago I experienced! On the US ambulance, the two person team is made up of a paramedic and an ambulance commander. The paramedic drives to the emergency incident, does most of the patient care and then drives the patient to hospital. The commander role is very similar to our clinical mentor role. This experience has certainly made me more aware of the autonomy I have as a paramedic in the UK and whilst none of us look forward to an over-run on a 12-hour shift, at least we don’t get rostered to work 24 hours in one hit!

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SCAS NATIONAL SCAS announced as one of three digital NHS pioneers

the digital arena. This recognition from NHS England will enable us to deliver further improvements in patient care, efficiency and integration within the local health system and the wider NHS.

SCAS is one of three NHS ambulance trusts that have been awarded a share of £5m to develop into world class digital organisations.

“The additional funding allows us to accelerate our investment in digital technologies and means we will be able to move more quickly towards our digital vision to be ‘paper free at the point of care and to provide seamless patient care leveraging the full resources of the NHS’.”

On Wednesday 24 January, NHS England announced that SCAS and two other ambulance trusts, West Midlands and North East NHS Foundation Trusts, will be the first organisations to enroll on the ambulance version of the Global Digital Exemplar (GDE) programme.

Vince Weldon, Associate Director of Information Management & Technology at SCAS, said: “This recognition of the Trust’s investment in technology over many years to improve patient care and make our staff more effective will allow us to fast-track the next iteration of developments in the digital age. In particular we will see enhanced use of our vehicles as digital hubs, improved forecasting and planning based on the use of wide-ranging data, and direct access for our clinicians (both on the telephone and at the patient’s side) to shared and current care information, all of which will improve our ability still further to provide the right care, first time to the people we serve.”

Over the next two years, SCAS will receive an additional c£1.7m from NHS England (which the Trust will match fund) to continue its pioneering work in digital transformation. Innovations already implemented by SCAS to make its services more efficient, resilient and safe include: • Digitally integrated clinical patient management systems and dispatch systems • Virtual digital telephony platforms

Will Smart, Chief Information Officer for Health and Care at NHS England, said: “We have taken a different approach with the ambulance branch of the GDE programme and are asking the three successful Trusts to think of ways in which they can work together to drive improvements through the use of digital technology.

• Electronic patient record systemem The announcement of an additional £5m in funding takes the total investment from NHS England to £10m as the three ambulance trusts develop into Global Digital Exemplars.

Charles Porter, Director of Finance at SCAS, said: “We are privileged to have been named a Global Digital Exemplar, which recognises the Trust as a successful technological innovator at the forefront of

“By stepping up to become world class these three Trusts will join the most digitally advanced healthcare organisations across the globe and help deliver a sustainable and 26

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transformed NHS.” The Trust’s participation in the Global Digital Exemplar programme will ensure SCAS continues to lead the way in demonstrating how digital technology can positively impact on patient care and support transformation projects to revolutionise the way in which healthcare is delivered.

As part of the programme, SCAS is keen to work with other NHS organisations and pursue jointly funded projects with the Trust’s external partners.

L A B O GL L A T I DIG R A L P M E EX

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SCAS attends Royal launch of Step into Health In January SCAS Melanie Saunders, Director of HR and Organisational Development attended the formal launch and celebration of NHS Employers Step Into Health Programme with her colleagues HR Manager Victoria Dooley and Recruitment Advisor Laura Farrow.

As a result of the excellent, trail blazing work the Trust does with the MOD and our recruitment of Military service leavers to the Trust, we were invited to have a brief chat with the Duke of Cambridge who opened the event.

We spoke about the support we receive from staff, the veterans we employ and how staff throughout our amazing service deliver high quality patient care.

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Pipped to the post for National Award The Pre-Hospital Obstetric and Neonatal Emergency (PHONE) course received second place for ‘Contribution to Midwifery Education’ at the British Journal of Midwifery Awards 2018 held in Liverpool.

The co-founders of the PHONE course – Darren Best, SCAS Education and Kat Simpson, Royal Berkshire Hospital Midwifery Team – were recognised for “the commitment and influential education that has contributed to the expansion of midwifery knowledge through development of new education strategies and inspirational teaching”.

Congratulations!

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SCAS Director of HR and OD, Melanie Saunders attends ‘women in Leadership’ event On Thursday 15 March, Director of HR and OD, Melanie Saunders (pictured above back row, right corner), had the pleasure of being invited to the House of Lords for the annual ‘Women in Leadership Lunch’.

The event is hosted by Lord Dr. Hastings of Scarisbrick CBE and organised by Clive Lewis OBE DL who launched the annual event in 2012.

The event follows the Davies Review which identified the underrepresentation of females on Boards.

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Melanie said, I was pleased to hear at the event that the NHS is leading the way to address the imbalance and currently has the highest proportion of females on boards.

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Practitioner Rotational Working and the Health Education England pilot SCAS is delighted to have been selected as one of four ambulance services to take part in a Health Education England (HEE) national pilot which trials a model of rotational working for specialist and advanced paramedics.

The model in each pilot site varies but can involve specialist and advanced paramedic practitioners working in the Clinical Coordination Centre (CCC), communitybased multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs), and GP practices, on a rotational basis. The premise of the model is to provide the right response, first time, to improve patient experience and outcomes. The National Ambulance Response Programme (ARP) is acting as a key enabler to new ways of working.

Portsmouth and Reading areas with their acute home visits as well as face-to-face consultations and telephone triage and we are also developing opportunities across the SCAS region. The aim within SCAS is to build a long-term sustainable model.

Commenting on the pilot, Paul Jefferies, Assistant Director of Operations said: “We know from our current paramedic rotation and from our work within primary care that there is great potential to improve care to patients and reduce demand on the ambulance service and secondary care.

Being part of this national pilot gives us additional support to develop our services and work closely with primary care and other health care professionals, whilst developing our paramedic workforce and sharing our experience and learning with the other pilot sites.�

We have already had some experience of rotating our Specialist Practitioners (SPs) within primary care. These rotations showed the potential to reduce avoidable conveyances to A&E and resultant hospital admissions.

Involvement in the HEE pilot will allow us to support a number of GP practices in the 31

3 SCAS WIDE

Happy 3rd birthday 999 Ted!!

999 TED

The second most famous Ted in the country (behind Father) celebrated his 3rd birthday on Tuesday 6 February!

Firstly he went into Bicester where he was bought a 3rd birthday balloon, a badge and a very special Bear-thday Card. He then visited Longfields School where the school’s three and four-year-olds gave him a great reception, culminating in a rousing rendition of

‘Happy Birthday’.

The next day, still buzzing from the previous day’s celebrations, he visited Adderbury ambulance station and then the Children’s Ward at the Horton Hospital.

You can get in touch with 999 Ted on Twitter @scas999Ted

Finally he concluded his birthday tour by doing a surprise visit to Sacred Heart Primary school in Henley-on-Thames to thank the three and four years olds who had all previously sent him a birthday card each.

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South Central Issue 22 Spring 2018 Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

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SCAS THAMES VALLEY SCAS joins UK’s largest autonomous and connected vehicle project SCAS has taken part in a ground-breaking UK trial of connected and autonomous vehicle technology in Milton Keynes.

SCAS was initially one of two emergency services approached by the UK Autodrive project team. The suggestions, challenges and commitment during the planning stages from Mark Begley, Head of Operations, and Steve Winfield, Clinical Operations Manager for Milton Keynes and Aylesbury Vale, along with the local ambulance service team, made SCAS the obvious emergency service partner of choice for the Milton Keynes trial.

The project saw SCAS team up with Ford, Jaguar Land Rover and Tata Motors European Technical Centre to demonstrate a range of the latest vehicle technology including self-driving, self-parking and two connected car safety features.

The first safety feature involved an Emergency Vehicle Warning (EVW) system, which alerts drivers when an emergency vehicle is approaching and also indicates which direction it is coming from. The EVW sends a signal directly from the emergency vehicle (ambulance, fire engine or police vehicle) to nearby connected cars. The driver is then informed that the emergency vehicle is approaching and advised to make way for it.

The second trial demonstrated an Electronic Emergency Brake Light (EBBL) feature which gives a warning when another connected car further up the road brakes heavily – potentially giving drivers several additional seconds to avoid a possible collision.

Paramedic Team Leader, Lisa Pringle, who along with colleague Nigel Mason, Paramedic, took part in the trials over a five day period between 14-23 March in central Milton Keynes, said: “Some people do tend to panic a bit when they see or hear emergency vehicles approaching. As a result their vehicles can become very unpredictable and we have to adjust our driving to manage that risk. The system we’re helping trial tells the driver not just how far away we are, but what direction we’re coming from. This helps them plan ahead even before they can see us and sometimes, even hear us coming.”

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Nigel added: “As well as helping us get to emergency incidents that little bit more quickly, this technology also has significant benefits when we’re then transporting a seriously ill or injured patient to hospital on blue lights. If that journey can be made smoother for the patient, then this also potentially helps improve their chances of making a good recovery.”

Philip Astle, Chief Operating Officer at SCAS, added: “We were delighted to have been approached by the UK Autodrive project team. As well as being an innovative ambulance trust, we have a strong commitment and focus at SCAS on safety – for our patients, for our staff and for the communities we serve. By being involved in trials of such cutting edge vehicle technology, we can provide valuable input from our frontline staff to the engineers, researchers and car manufacturers that will make our roads safer places for all users in the future.”

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The service was nominated in the Royal Berkshire Hospital Staff Excellence Awards and in the Excellence in Partnership Awards, where it was Highly Commended.

The service was also nominated in the SCAS Ambies, where it won the Partners & Stakeholders’ Award for Innovation 2017.

Falls and Frailty Response Team expands Since the original pilot in 2015/16, the project that sees collaboration between SCAS and the Royal Berkshire Hospital (RBH) has grown considerably.

The Falls and Frailty Response (FFR) initiative entails paramedics and occupational therapists working together to assess and support older patients to remain at home and reduce unnecessary conveyance to A&E. Patients must meet the following criteria: èèBe aged 65 and above èèHave fallen or are at risk of falls èèLiving with frailty èèWould be conveyed to the RBH We are not able to convey patients in the following circumstances: èèHead injury èèUnknown length of lie èèHip pain

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Our expanded service runs from 7am to 7pm, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

The benefit of this service is that the patient is having their prehospital assessment, including point of care blood testing, at home and the therapist is able to assess their home environment, cognition and mobility and can provide equipment or signposting to other community support.

Here is a typical patient journey with FFR: The patient was found on floor by carer who called for an ambulance. FFR operated a blue light emergency response to reduce length of lie on the floor. On arrival patient was behind the front door. It appeared patient had gone to collect newspaper and fell as she had not taken her frame. She was assessed as not having any injuries and we put in the mangar cushion. Once up, she was able to mobilise with her frame. She was medically checked and had point of care blood testing. All results were within normal range, with no clinical indication patient was unwell. The occupational therapist (OT) was able to confirm with carer that patient was managing well and did not usually fall.

The patient’s son arrived and was anxious we were going to take her to hospital. Family had expressed strongly to carer that we were not to take patient to hospital. We explained our role to the son and OT completed environmental assessment, providing additional equipment and mobility advice.

The son was very grateful for our input and pleased his mum could be assessed at home without the need for conveyance to A&E. As patient is living with dementia, assessment at home was much less stressful and avoided disruption to her routine. The patient remained at home.

The patient and her family were very pleased with the outcome.

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Issue 21 Winter 2017/18

Ground-breaking ceremony for £14m Blue Light Hub

SCAS Chief Executive, Will Hancock, and Head of Operations for Milton Keynes and Aylesbury Vale, Ma Begley, were amongst the invited VIPs and guests at a ground-breaking ceremony in West Ashlands, Milton Keyn on Thursday 12 April.

The ceremony marked the formal start of construction of a new tri-services hub for local ambulance, fire and police services and also attended by BBC Look East and Heart FM.

Will Hancock said: “SCAS is proud to have been involved in this exciting project from the outset. We already have great working relationships with our partners, and this state-of-the-art tri-servi facility will help strengthen those partnerships even further for t benefit for our communities.”

The facility is planned to open in Autumn 2019 an will house SCAS teams currently operating from th existing two resource centres in Bletchley and Mil Keynes University Hospital.

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Reading Minster and the SOS Bus one year on In February Stephen Pullin, Vicar of Reading Minster and Arch Deacon of Reading hosted a dinner to celebrate one year of the Reading First Stop project moving to Reading Minster.

It was a celebration of the collaborative working project and how much has been achieved in the last year, and the short four weeks we had to set up the Minster in January last year as the SOS scheme moved from our previous home of a double decker bus before our opening in February 2017.

Setting up a clinical area within a minster which has been in existence in parts for 1000 years was quite daunting. ‘What would modern cleaning products do to a 1000 year old door and an 500800 year old tiled floor?’ was one of the questions which needed to be answered. We now use a vestry as our treatment room and our patients now have a warm and comfortable church to wait in and be kept safe whilst we sort a variety of problems both medical and social and get them home safely.

SCAS and the Reading Minster staff were joined on the night by the Sanctuary Volunteers, the Reading Street Pastors, Thames Valley Police and Councillor Liz Terry from Reading Council who has been the Lead Councillor and sponsor of the SOS Bus and Minster.

The project has been a great success, with a 9.5% increase in patients seen at the Minster since the move from the Bus one year ago.

We have developed a presence in the Church and regularly see rough sleepers and provide medical care that would otherwise not be provided for this community, along with our regular work of caring for patients who have consumed too much alcohol and/or sustained injuries on a typical Friday and Saturday night.

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SCAS SURREY AND SUSSEX

Surrey NEPTS ‘Focus Week’ a Great Success It’s the anniversary of SCAS winning the contract to provide non-emergency patient transport in Surrey, and with this the KPI performance targets will be changing. This will help us to improve the already good service we give to our patients in Surrey.

The whole NEPTS management team from SCAS spent the week before Easter out and about in Surrey, helping the crews to learn about the changes to KPIs, and spending time at Dorking introducing new processes in Dispatch to assist them in meeting the new requirements for discharges.

The spotlight on the Dispatch function helped to improve the performance by 5-10% on a daily basis, and for the first time ever all of the major KPI targets were regularly met.

In the weeks following this focus, the new procedures and attention on discharges has been continued at Dorking with regular liaison between ops and control continuing to show an improved focus on, and increase in, performance.

NEPTS staff across Surrey have been very pleased to be involved in this process.

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Tweet us @SCAS999 43

SCAS HAMPSHIRE Cardiac arrest survivor Mike meets SCAS team who saved his life It was a new year to remember for some of SCAS’ Hampshire staff when Mike Smith and members of his family, paid a visit to our Hightown Resource Centre in Southampton on 2 January to meet some of the team that helped save his life when he suffered a cardiac arrest.

Mike suffered his cardiac arrest at home in Southampton on 13 July 2017.

“I had just done my usual thing during the day”, recalls Mike, “which included a game of walking football. I remember coming home for lunch and knew I wasn’t feeling right. I called out to my wife, Jill, and she then dialled 999.”

The call was taken by Emergency Call Taker, Aaron Winn, in SCAS’ Clinical Coordination Centre in Bicester. Recognising the severity of the symptoms Jill was describing – chest pain and struggling to breathe – the call was prioritised as a potentially lifethreatening emergency. Dispatchers Phil Hallinan and Jenny Burrett, based in the Clinical Coordination Centre in Otterbourne, then immediately began sending help to the family’s home.

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Paramedic Kev Moore arrived eight minutes after the initial call and as he was talking to Mike and carrying out his initial assessment and observations, Mike’s condition worsened and he went into cardiac arrest.

Kev radioed for immediate backup and two ambulances – the first crewed by Paramedic Anne Carnell and Emergency Care Assistant Torran Elliott, the second by Paramedic Sandy Stephens, Emergency Care Assistant Chris Young and Student Paramedic Aaron Ochiltree – were also dispatched to the scene.

Daughters Amanda Lowe and Helen Smith couldn’t praise the team’s efforts highly enough, saying “they all provided outstanding care, working tirelessly to save our father by providing CPR from the

Issue 22 Spring 2018

moment that his heart failure occurred, right up until they passed his care onto Southampton University Hospital. Without their amazing response and tremendous effort, our father would not be around today.”

Mike initially found it a little unusual to be pushed around everywhere in a wheelchair as he had always been quite active. He was keen to tell everyone at Hightown that whilst he is not yet completely back to normal, he is able to manage a walk of around 3-4 miles every day at a good pace and the family had enjoyed a very special Christmas together.

The team performed over a dozen defibrillator shocks on Mike at home and en route to hospital. Mike was taken out from his home through the back door, moving the family car out of the way in the process, in order that the CPR could be maintained all the way into the ambulance and on the drive to hospital.

“I am hoping to get back to my walking football in the near future”, adds Mike.

“It’s just the grandchildren now that need to be reminded a little bit to go easy on me still!”

“I travelled behind in the second ambulance”, says Jill, “it felt like such a long journey but Chris kept me company and was talking throughout, which helped a lot.”

The grandchildren in question, Alex and Freya, had also made the SCAS team some thank you cards and helped check that the cake their Mum, Amanda, had brought for everyone

Whilst difficult to hear, Mike was very keen not just to meet the team again and say thank you face-to-face, but also to understand what they did for him as he has a complete memory loss from when Jill called 999 to waking up in hospital a few days later.

Wife Jill added, “Mike was sedated initially and required further shocks at hospital after he had been handed over. Despite all that he had been through, he was only in hospital for two weeks before being well enough to continue his recovery at home.”

was as good to eat as it looked!

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Personal safety in the countryside In spring the countryside comes alive, bursting with colours and with wild animals and livestock getting around after a long and cold winter.

It’s also the starting season for getting out and about and enjoying countryside strolls, jogs or bicycle rides. However, please be aware of the dangers and also your obligations which come with these activities. The following mini guide gives you some very useful tips.

Know where you are allowed to go

Use gates and stiles to cross fences, hedges and walls

Most land is private property and access is only available with the goodwill and tolerance of the owner. Whilst most landowners do not object to recreational users on their land, some do. Always respect a landowner’s wishes.

When crossing fences, hedges and walls, use the nearest gate or stile.

Damage to fencing can allow animals to stray. If you must climb a gate because it is difficult to open, always do this at the hinged end.

Keep to paths across farmland

Do not interfere with livestock, machinery and crops

Help prevent damage to crops by walking around the edge of a field unless there is an existing path across it.

These are valuable commodities and should be left alone. Interference with animals and equipment may endanger you. Pay attention to warning signs as these are for your protection.

Avoid fields where there are animals, as your presence may cause them stress and endanger your own safety.

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Keep dogs under control

Keep your dog on a lead when walking on roads or when close to farm animals. A dog can cause distress to animals and endanger you. Keep your dog under control always so as not to disturb wildlife or annoy or frighten other visitors.

Guard against all risk of fire The countryside is vulnerable to fire especially during dry weather.

Accidental fires pose a great risk to farmers and foresters. Be careful to extinguish all used matches and cigarettes. Use a stove for cooking rather than a fire. Never throw cigarettes from a car window.

Take special care on country roads

Always drive carefully with reduced speed on country roads. Consider others when parking and avoid blocking entrances, gateways or other drivers’ visibility. Walkers should take special care on narrow country roads and if uncertain should walk in single file.

Consider your personal safety If possible do not go alone. If you do, please make someone you trust aware of your itinerary. Wear suitable clothing and footwear as the weather can change very quickly. Ensure your mobile phone is fully charged.

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Don’t go if the weather conditions are beyond your experience.

North Harbour RC Team Leader Gilbert Hall Gilbert Hall, a Team Leader at North Harbour Resource Centre, has recently embarked on an educational project with EBP, a charity that provides a range of support for both primary and secondary school year groups.

The charity is a major provider of work experience placement for year 10 pupils and its goal is to inspire and mentor pupils to make choices about future career goals, and develop an understanding that the world of work is open to them with many and varied opportunities.

I feel easily inspired to try and engage with pupils to encourage them in their own development”.

Heather Smith of EBP was also very persuasive in identifying the positive benefits of having a wide and varied input from different people already in a career, or who are able to tell pupils about the differing ways that someone may take to get into a job, and the wider world of work. This was the catalyst for me to attend a ‘Guess my job’ afternoon session on February 21st at Southsea’s Cottage Grove School.

Inspiring schools is EBP’s continued initiative from the Shaping Portsmouth programme of the last three years and here Gilbert tells us about his involvement as SCAS volunteer representative.

I was one of four volunteers attending the school and we were divided across four groups of year five pupils, who had been briefed by their teachers prior to the visit.

“As a Team Leader at North Harbour Resource Centre, I was contacted by one of EBP’s representatives with a view to engaging with SCAS staff who may be prepared to volunteer to be invited into school careers fairs, such as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) which is held annually at CEMAST College Fareham, and Portsmouth’s “Get Inspired” Skills Fair; both aimed at year six students.

We had to answer closed questions initially, and using props associated with our work, we encouraged the children to guess our role. This then opened up the questioning once they had established what we did, and enabled us to talk individually about our particular job and be specific about what we do on a day to day basis and allow the children to ask all about our own individual career pathway.

“Having watched my own children struggle with direction for their study in relation to career development, and understanding the obvious dilemma of where their focus should be at school in relation to future prospects, 48 48

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Issue 22 Spring 2018

MESSAGE TO SCAS STAFF MEMBERS There are many and various opportunities open to SCAS staff with EBP’s supervision and direction and I would like to encourage clinical and non-clinical staff to volunteer.

You can attend a “Guess my job” event or engage with smaller groups of students in a business speed networking event, where you are asked about your career and paths into it. Alternatively you could support in a one-to-one mentoring capacity where you would be carefully matched to 14-16 year old after completing training with EBP, and ongoing supervision.

lbert all ctured n the ft

It was a surprisingly positive experience, one which allowed me to look at my own role as a paramedic and what it had taken to get to where I am today. Seeing my job from the view of sixty 9-10 year olds was enlightening because their focus was on simple elements of what we do with some very direct questions such as :

a life?”

èè gilbert.hall@scas.nhs.uk or

“Did you expect to be doing this job” “How many hours do you work?”

èè EBP directly via www.ebpsouth.co.uk/

“How much do you ge t paid?”

“Does your job satisfy you?”

Monica Moro, SCAS Membership and Engagement Manager, said “Gilbert is a great communicator and motivator and I am delighted that he is involved with this project.”

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If you would like to get involved or for further information please contact me at

May National Walking Month May is National Walking Month and Living Streets, the national charity that works to create safe, attractive and enjoyable streets, will be encouraging people to walk with their successful annual initiatives - to encourage everyone to get more walking into their day.

This year they have introduced a pledge - #Try20. Throughout May Living Streets will show 20 fun and easy ways to fit 20 minutes’ walking in to your day.

Through these events, they hope to show children and adults how easy, enjoyable and rewarding walking is and how it can lead to real changes in people’s habits and lifestyles. For more information visit the Living Streets - https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/ website.

See also our article about personal safety in the countryside for useful tips on page 46

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While a lot of people have a good understanding of diabetes and how to manage it, many others aren’t getting the right help and support to look after their diabetes.

Today, 65 people will die early from the condition and hundreds more will face life-changing complications that could have been avoided or delayed if they’d had the right knowledge and support to manage their diabetes. Some of you have that, and are already doing everything you can to manage your diabetes well. But this isn’t true for everyone.

Know Diabetes There are lots of ways to support Diabetes Week. èè Join the conversation on social media using the hashtags #diabetesweek #knowdiabetes #fightdiabetes

#diabetesweek

June National Diabetes Week - 11 -17 June 2018

èè Hear from Diabetes UK supporters on social media – they’ll be sharing their stories of how they ‘know diabetes’ and ‘fight diabetes’ during the week. èè Download the Diabetes UK posters to put up in your local community and help raise awareness.

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If you have any questions about Diabetes Week, contact diabetesweek@diabetes.org.uk.

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Source: Diabetes UK

New NEDs on the SCAS Board Here is the quarterly round-up of the senior hires and long-serving staff leavers across SCAS Following a competitive recruitment process led by the Trust’s Council of Governors, three new non-executive directors have recently joined the Trust’s Board.

Dr Anne Stebbing Anne has lived and worked in Hampshire for more than 30 years.

She was appointed as Consultant Surgeon in February 1994 at Basingstoke, now Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Currently she works part-time in a clinical role and has a special interest in breast, and minor paediatric surgery.

For the last 20 years Anne has held a variety of senior medical management roles at Hampshire Hospitals NHS FT including Divisional Medical Director and Director of Governance. For the last 5 years Anne has held the post of Secondary Care representative for East Berkshire CCGs. Anne is a passionate believer in helping all parts of the NHS to achieve the very highest possible quality of care, while recognising the significant constraints in the system. Anne is also a Trustee for St Michael’s Hospice, Basingstoke

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Les Broude Les is a Chartered Accountant by background and spent 20 years with the Mars Group before moving to a senior executive role with Barclays Bank.

Until recently he was a NED for Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and Chairman of the Audit Committee.

He is a Trustee for the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability in Putney and Chairs the Audit Committee.

He also coaches CEOs of Charities and Social Enterprises in leadership and personal development.

During his career he has lived and worked internationally for 8 years being based in Brussels, Oslo and Dusseldorf. He is married and lives in Buckinghamshire.

Dr Priya Singh Priya’s medical career began in general practice, following which she specialised in legal medicine. She brings broad strategic and operational experience in international healthcare, legal services, professional indemnity and risk.

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Priya is also President (board chair) of the Society for Assistance to Medical Families, a mutual benevolent fund with charitable status, a Non-Executive Director of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, and an Associate with Working With Cancer, a social enterprise helping people with cancer to return to and remain in work.

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She advises on legal, ethical and regulatory standards and quality assurance in healthcare, robust governance systems and the delivery of safe patient care. She is a trained mediator and trainer in communication skills, managing change and in resolving conflict where behavioural issues predominate. She has a particular interest in supporting existing and aspiring leaders to fulfil their potential.

Emergency Care Assistant and retained firefighter Stuart Millsom hangs up his hose for the last time after 31 years’ service Stuart Milson - Pictured above top left

Stuart Millsom, Emergency Care Assistant at Didcot Resource Centre retired from his role as a retained firefighter last February after 31 years’ service serving the Wallingford community in Oxfordshire.

In addition to his time serving in the fire service he has also worked within SCAS. Stuart should be applauded for his length of service to the public. His one regret is that he never saved a cat from a tree!! The thin red lines loss is the thin green lines gain, as his experience gives us so much when we are faced with fire related incidents.

Stuart Milson - Pictured above right

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SCAS and local community wish Specialist Paramedic Gary a happy retirement In January SCAS said goodbye to quite possibly the current longest serving frontline member of staff in the Trust.

Specialist Paramedic Gary Toohey, who qualified to practice in 1980, completed his last shift at the Chipping Norton First Aid Unit on Saturday 20 January, and when the doors closed at 21:00 and the last patient had been seen Gary started his very well-deserved retirement.

Gary was the driving force behind the establishment of the First Aid Unit in Chipping Norton in April 2011. Since it opened, the team at the FAU has treated nearly 12,000 patients, delivering a very high level of clinical care with great compassion, and taking pressure of local A&Es and our own 999 service in Oxfordshire particularly at times of peak demand (the service operates Mon-Fri 17:00-21:00 and Sat/Sun/Bank Holidays 10:00-21:00).

At last November’s SCAS annual staff and volunteer awards, known as the Ambies, Gary’s standing in the local Oxfordshire community was quite rightly rewarded by winning the inaugural People’s Pride Award following an incredible 11 nominations from members of the public.

Clive Hill, from The League of Friends of Chipping Norton War Memorial Community Hospital spoke for many local people when he wrote the following letter to SCAS: “We wish to place on record the community’s heart felt appreciation for the superb work Gary has done in Chipping Norton. Everyone I have spoken to about the unit speaks in glowing terms. I know of no other unit concerned with healthcare in the town and the surrounding district that gets such rave reviews. The unit is not a one man band and others in the team at Chipping Norton and behind the scenes at head office also play their part in full – we thank them all.

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Specialist Paramedic Manager, Dan Holliday, added: “The likes of Gary are unlikely to be seen again – such longevity and dedication to his profession are rare traits. Gary has constantly developed throughout his career and has latterly been instrumental in delivering a nationally unique service in Chipping Norton which has demonstrated innovation and professionalism at its core. On behalf of everyone who knows Gary, I am sure you will join me in wishing him a happy and relaxing retirement.”

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“Gary has however been associated with Chipping Norton the longest and has played a major part in making it the hugely successful service it is today. Such is its success that Chipping Norton and the surrounding area have come to rely on it. We simply cannot think how we would cope if it was not there. It is a model of how healthcare in rural communities can work.”

Chris’s vast experience and knowledge has been absolutely invaluable to the Trust in the last few years.

Chris Price Pictured left

SCAS says goodbye to Assistant Driving Standards Manager Chris Price After 20 years with Thames Valley Police, predominantly within Roads Policing, and then around 10 years within their training school teaching officers to drive and ride under response conditions, Chris came to join SCAS. Chris joined the Trust in 2009 and was initially responsible for delivering emergency response training to all our Military Responder colleagues. Three years later he joined the Driving Standards Department where he managed all associated responsibilities of the department in the Thames Valley area. He quickly built up a strong rapport and high level of respect from those he came into contact with.

Jon Porter, Driving Standards Manager said: “Chris’s vast experience and knowledge has been absolutely invaluable to the Trust in the last few years. His retirement is a great loss to the Driving Standards Department, but also to those staff in the Thames Valley who have come to depend and rely on his honest and approachable persona.

“He has been a valuable member of our small team and has contributed greatly in promoting and encouraging staff to maintain and improve their driving standards as well as ensuring accidents and driving issues were managed appropriately and in line with policy.

“We are very proud to be amongst the leading ambulance trusts in the country for the way in which we manage driving issues and incidents and we have enjoyed the associated reduction in insurance premiums these systems attract. The work Chris has put in over his time with the department has undoubtedly been a significant factor in achieving this.”

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Friends gather to wish Jim Mcwilliams good luck as he bids farewell to SCAS Jim started in Two Shires Ambulance Service at Wycombe station, returning to Wycombe after a stint at Stoke Mandeville.

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Andrew Battye Head of Operations for South Bucks and East Berkshire said “Jim has always held high standards and encouraged others to strive for the best for the patient and each other. He will be greatly missed by his friends and colleagues at Wycombe and beyond, we all wish him well in his new venture, returning to Scotland, where it all started. We know the Scottish Ambulance Service will be better for having him there and we will be poorer for it. Good luck Jim and thank you for all your hard work, and friendship.�

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Jim was one of the Shift Officers with Two Shires becoming an Operational Supervisor with SCAS and then a Team Leader following the implementation of that role. As an Ambulance Technician, Jim seized the opportunity to undertake his university training and became a Paramedic, returning to lead his team at Wycombe.

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CAWC INTERNATIONAL

r aise ama zing am ount of money for loc al Community First Responders

Last November Chiltern American Women’s Club (CAWC) International held their annual Christmas Bazaar in Buckinghamshire.

In total ÂŁ18,000 was raised for the CFRs in South Buckinghamshire.

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All monies raised by CAWC will go directly to invest in the services provided by the Community First Responders - South Buckinghamshire.

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The charity will be the recipient of CAWC fundraising during the next two club years, and will specifically benefit from 100% of the proceeds from the 30th Annual Charity Christmas Bazaar.

20 years on the road In January Oxfordshire Community First Responder Phil Simmonds celebrated 20 years as a CFR (Community First Responder) with a surprise lunch with his fellow coordinators and was presented with a bronze statue for his dedication and commitment to the Trust.

Phil was one of the very first CFRs in the country and the first in Oxfordshire, starting with Oxfordshire Ambulance Service in 1998.

He has touched so many lives in the thousands of volunteer hours he has given to the NHS. Phil’s caring nature and reassuring manner have been vital when helping to save lives and calming patients’ family and friends whenever needed.

Phil is now a Coordinator in West Oxfordshire and manages 15 CFRs who look to Phil for help, support and guidance and he is always on hand to help.

Community Engagement & Training Officer David England said ‘Phil is an excellent CFR and Coordinator. Nothing is ever any trouble and he will always go the extra mile to look after patients and his CFRs. Phil will always attend training schools and assist with new starters making them feel welcome and I think I would be lost without his support’

Phil Simmonds Pictured left David England - Top right

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Win for SCAS CFR Mike Jukes at AACE Alf Awards 2018 In March SCAS CFR Mike Jukes won the Exceptional Volunteer award at the Association of Ambulance Chief Executive (AACE) ALF Awards, The award was presented to Mike on the night for his outstanding service to SCAS, his community and his patients.

His nomination said “Mike has been a volunteer community first responder (CFR) in Bransgore, Hampshire, since 2005 responding to appropriate emergency medical incidents. In addition to this he is also the Bransgore CFR scheme co-ordinator looking after the team of other local volunteer responders. Mike is an excellent ambassador for SCAS and works tirelessly in his local area bringing the community together. Over the past 12 years Mike has been an inspirational character not only in his commitment to the CFR role responding to emergency incidents but also as a successful fundraiser and education provider.

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Congratulations Mike on a well-deserved award!

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“Mike has been nominated for recognition as the legacy of his achievements to date are a testament of his drive, innovation and selfless vision to supporting his local community and co-ordinating a team of dedicated volunteers who share that spirit and essence.”

Community First Responders come from all walks of life. If you are interested in joining SCAS as a volunteer you will need to be over the age of 18, physically fit and healthy, able to carry out effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for up to 20 minutes (after training) and be a car owner with a full UK driving licence.

Community First Responders (CFRs) receive full training by SCAS to provide lifesaving treatment and if they are sent to an emergency they are always backed up with the nearest available ambulance. Every six months, all CFRs must complete training to refresh their skills and there are optional monthly training sessions they can attend too.

SCAS is currently supporting all CFRs to achieve a national qualification – Level 3 Certificate in Ambulance First Response – which will provide them with enhanced emergency medical skills they will be able to utilise prior to our ambulance crews arriving on scene.

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Issue 22 Spring 2018

Co-op Community awards support CFRs’ schemes Six of our Community First Responder (CFR) Schemes recently received community grants from their local Co-op stores. Slough, Maidenhead, Bitterne, New Milton, Lower Earley and Hayling Island Schemes all received cheques of between £1300 and £4500.

Funds were raised by local shoppers as well as Co-op staff who came up with a number of ways to support their local CFR Scheme.

Our CFRs also spent time in their local stores talking about the volunteer support they give to the local community, demonstrating CPR as well as recruiting new volunteers.

The schemes will use the money to purchase items such as CFR kit bags, upskill kits for volunteers and, for one scheme, the donation will go toward their target to buy a CFR vehicle for their area.

Thank you to all our local Co-op staff and customers who have once again been so supportive.

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èè Visit http://www.scas.nhs.uk/cfr èè Email cfr@scas.nhs.uk èè Call 0800 587 0207

i t e y

To find out more about the role of a CFR:

Membership Get your friends, colleagues and family to join!

Do encourage your friends and family to become members. They can become a member of SCAS as long as they are aged 14 or over and live in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire or Oxfordshire.

They can also join if they, whilst not residing in one of the four counties listed above, have a connection with the Trust. For instance, they may be somebody who receives services from SCAS, works in one of our four counties or has friends or family who work for the Trust or live in the South Central area.

Update your details If we need to cancel an event it is important that we can contact members at short notice.

We would appreciate if you could please promptly notify the membership office of any future changes to your contact details.

Contact You can contact the membership office with any queries about membership or this newsletter. Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk or telephone 01869 365126.

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Issue 22 Spring 2018

Out and About – What’s on in your area We are always keen to engage with our members and the public.

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Re g it u

la

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Our list of events is published on our website at www.scas.nhs.uk/get-involved/events/ and is always being updated so don’t forget to keep checking back for more. You can see upcoming Board Meetings, Community Engagement Forums, Engagement or Recruitment events. See you there!

QUIZ

Ambulance service

The National Health Service is turning 70 on 5 July 2018. It’s the perfect opportunity to celebrate the achievements of one of the nation’s most loved institutions, to appreciate the vital role the service plays in people’s lives, and to recognise and thank the extraordinary NHS staff – the everyday heroes – who are there to guide, support and care, day in, day out.

But how well do you know the history of the NHS and some of its milestones? Take the quiz now.

1.

The National Health Service came into being on July 5th 1948. Which city was home to the first NHS hospital?

a) Birmingham b) London c) Manchester d) Southampton 2. Who was the man responsible for the setting up of the NHS? a)

Aneurin Bevan

b)

Clement Attlee

c)

Harold Wilson

d)

Stafford Cripps

3.

In which year were NHS prescription charges introduced?

a) 1952 b) 1957 c) 1964 d) 1968 4.

In 1960 a particular transplant was performed in an NHS hospital for the first time. It was carried out for which part of the body?

a) heart b) kidney c) lung 66 66

Issue 22 Spring 2018

Ambulance service

5.

When was the world’s first baby born as a result of in vitro fertilisation (IVF)?

a) 1968 b) 1972 c) 1975 d) 1978 6.

After a number of high-profile deaths, the first AIDS advertising campaign was launched in:

a) 1983 b) 1985 c) 1986 d) 1987 7.

What was introduced in 1984?

a)

MRI scans

b)

NHS Community Care Act

c)

NHS Direct

d)

NHS Organ Donor Register

8.

When was the Stroke Act F.A.S.T. campaign launched?

a) 2002 b) 2006 c) 2008 d) 2009

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Answers on page 72

F C U

How are we

doing?

A year to date snapshot

Apr 2017-Feb 2018 NHS 111 calls answered is the number of calls answered through the non-emergency healthcare service.

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.

Category 1 – life-threatening calls. Responded to in an average (mean) of seven minutes and at least nine out of ten times within 15 minutes (90th percentile).

CFR stands for Community First Responder.

Figure opposite is all responses from 1 Apr – 31 March.

NEPTS stands for Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service.

Category 2 – emergency calls. Responded to in an average (mean) of 18 minutes and at least nine out of ten times within 40 minutes (90th percentile).

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Issue 22 Spring 2018

Total 999 activity

Category 1 Mean

Category 1 90th Percentile

520,148

7:18

13:18

Category 2 Mean

Category 2 90th Percentile

16:46

33:22

NHS 111 calls answered

No. of NEPTS journeys

No. of CFR responses

1,158,037

800,777

19,546

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(to end March 2018)

Public Governors

Berkshire constituency

Mark Davis

Frank Epstein

Colin Godbold

Appointed Partner Governors

Staff Governors

Public Governors

Hampshire constituency

Andy Bartlett

Richard Coates

Barry Lipscomb

David Luckett MBE

Charles McGill MBE

Emma Crozier

Lynn DoveDixon

Jim Dunderdale

Kate Moss

David Palmer

Sabrina Chetcuti

Jeanette Clifford

Dr David Chilvers

Dr Anne Crampton

David Drew

COUNCIL OF GOVERNORS

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Tony Nicholson

Cllr. Keith House

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

Issue 22 Spring 2018

Public governors

Buckinghamshire constituency

Bob Crocker

Bernadette Devine

Bob Duggan

Public governors

Oxfordshire constituency

Paul Ader

Stephen Haynes

Loretta Light

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

If you would like to get in touch with a governor, you should do so at the following address: Company Secretary South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust 7-8 Talisman Business Centre Talisman Road Bicester Oxfordshire OX26 6HR Or you can send an email to company.secretary@scas.nhs.uk

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999 Ted, our mascot, is hidden in one of our articles……

999 Ted 999 TED

did you spot him?

Quiz answers 1. Park Hospital in Manchester (today known as Trafford General Hospital).

For the first time, hospitals, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, opticians and dentists were brought together under one umbrella organisation to provide services that are free for all at the point of delivery.

5. 1978 Louise Brown, the world’s first test-tube baby, is born on July 25 1978. Her parents Lesley and John Brown had failed to conceive because of her mother’s blocked fallopian tubes.

Dr Patrick Steptoe, a gynaecologist at Oldham General Hospital, and Dr Robert Edwards, a physiologist at Cambridge University, develop a new technique to fertilise an egg outside a woman’s body before replacing it in the womb.

2. Aneurin Bevan 3. 1952 Prescription charges of one shilling (5p) are introduced and a flat rate of £1 for ordinary dental treatment is also brought in on June 1 1952. Prescription charges are abolished in 1965 and prescriptions remain free until June 1968, when the charges are reintroduced.

More than a million children worldwide will go on to be conceived in this way.

6. 1986 After a number of high-profile deaths, the AIDS advertising campaign sets out to shock, using images of tombstones and icebergs. It was followed early in 1987 by a household leaflet carrying the slogan “Don’t die of ignorance”.

4. Kidney The first UK kidney transplant takes place at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary on October 30 1960 and involves an identical set of 49-year-old twins. The procedure is a success, with both donor and recipient living for a further six years before dying of an unrelated illness.

This campaign was in line with the original NHS intention to improve health and prevent disease, as well as offer treatment.

Kidney transplants, which for many are a welcome alternative to a lifetime of regular dialysis, now have a very high success rate, but demand outstrips supply due to an ageing population. This means there is an increased incidence of renal failure, while the number of donor organs available has fallen.

7. NHS Organ Donor Register The NHS Organ Donor Register was launched in October 1994, following a five-year campaign by John and Rosemary Cox from the West Midlands. In 1989 their 24-year-old son Peter died of a brain 72

Issue 22 Spring 2018

8. 2009 F.A.S.T., which stands for Face-ArmSpeech-Time, is a simple test to help people recognise the signs of stroke and understand the importance of emergency treatment.

tumour. He had asked for his organs to be used to help others. The Coxes said there should be a register for people who wish to donate their organs.

By 2005 more than 12 million had registered. Organ donation is needed as demand outstrips supply and this register ensures that when a person dies they can be identified as someone who’s chosen to donate their organs.

The campaign encourages people to call 999 as soon as possible. The sooner a stroke patient receives treatment, the better their chances are of surviving and reducing long-term disability.

Want to know more about what goes on in the Trust?

This newsletter is a very important method for us to keep our members up to date but so much happens across our services every day that it is hard to fit it all in! If you want to know more about what goes on in your ambulance service or want more details on what you have read in this newsletter, there are a number of ways for you to do this: Visit our website http://www.scas.nhs.uk/ Watch our videos on SCAS999 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UC58tlgillDAUA2gVGFNh78A Follow us on Twitter @SCAS999 Like us on Facebook https://en-gb.facebook.com/SCAS999/

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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 | getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk | www.scas.nhs.uk