Working Together Winter 2017

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Wo rkin g

toge

ther

A lifesaving call for Baby Zachary Winter Twenty Seventeen

Winter 2017

SCAS honours outstan

Over 5,000 trained on Restart A Heart Day 20

SCAS Military Co Responders honoured at the Millies 33

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nding staff 10

SOS Service returns to Oxford City Centre 52

SCAS presented with Gold Award by HRH Prince Harry 62

Winter 2017

“I think my baby’s stopped breathing, he’s four weeks old…”

These were the words that greeted SCAS Emergency Call Taker, Darren Bradley, when he answered an emergency 999 call in SCAS’ Clinical Coordination Centre in Otterbourne, Hampshire, towards the end of last year.

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Winter 2017

“It’s a call that is going to stay with me for life”, recalls Darren, “thankfully for the right reasons! As soon as Jasmin began describing what was happening, inside I was screaming but that’s when my training kicked in, I knew it was important to stay calm.

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Jasmin Legg, who was at home with Zachary and his older brother in Burnham, Buckinghamshire, on the morning of Friday 24 November, had been worried about her baby as Zachary had been suffering with a cold all week and was getting worse. When she went to pick him up that morning having called her GP who advised her to take him to A&E, he just flopped in her arms and appeared lifeless.

“It’s a call that is going to stay with me for life”, recalls Darren, “thankfully for the right reasons! As soon as Jasmin began describing what was happening, inside I was screaming but that’s when my training kicked in, I knew it was important to stay calm. If I stayed calm, I could help keep Jasmin calm and get her to do what I needed her to do for Zachary whilst our guys were getting there as fast as humanly possible. In these situations, what people do at the scene for the patient in those first few minutes before the crew arrives, is just as important as when the crew actually get there.”

Zachary’s temperature had dropped to a dangerously low 32.7 Celsius causing his heart and lungs to stop working. With guidance and instruction from Darren, Jasmin carried out chest compressions (CPR) and rescue breaths on her baby for just over 8 minutes before Technician, Dan Dean, from SCAS’ partners UKSAS, arrived first on scene in a rapid response vehicle. He had been immediately dispatched by Stacie Sutton, working on the Buckinghamshire Dispatch desk in SCAS’ Northern House in Bicester, and with Dan underway, she also arranged for two further rapid response vehicles – one with paramedic team leader Darren Sweet, and the other with HEMS Paramedic Richard Company and HEMS Doctor James Cudgell on board – along with ambulance crew Daniel Mayhew and David Manners to go to the scene to help.

Dan, who has been working as a frontline Technician for three years, is also not going to forget the incident in a hurry.

“This was my first child resuscitation I had been sent you”, he says. “It’s very rare to be told that CPR is in progress on a four-week old baby. Let’s just say I certainly didn’t hang around getting there.

On arrival, Jasmin had been doing a great job and I could see Zachary was trying to breathe again but he wasn’t in the best way. I took over and carried on helping him try and get his breaths back – when he went pink I certainly started to feel a lot better!”

In hospital, Zachary was diagnosed with bronchiolitis and initially spent five days in intensive care, initially at University Hospital Southampton before being transferred by helicopter to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. Having made a full recovery, he was finally discharged home on Sunday 3 December.

David Legg remembers chatting with Jasmin in hospital, once it was clear that Zachary was over the worst and the prognosis was much more positive, that she had mentioned it would be really nice to meet the team again who had helped save Zachary’s life, and especially the call taker who talked her through how to carry out CPR. As soon as they were all back home in early December, David got in touch with SCAS and secretly arranged for Darren Bradley, Darren Sweet, Stacie, Dan and Richard to all be at the Trust’s Wexham Resource Centre on Thursday 21 December, along with the cameras from BBC South to capture the surprise for Jasmin.

At the meeting, everyone was keen to reassure Jasmin, that despite feeling as though she panicked and didn’t know

Winter 2017

what to do, without her actions in those first few vital minutes, the outcome could have been very different.

Dan told her that when he got there he couldn’t believe how calm she was; “If that was me in the same situation with one of my children”, he concludes, “I definitely would not have been so calm. She was amazing.”

During the conversation, Jasmin mentioned that she wasn’t sure whether she’d be able to listen to the 999 call again, to which Darren, who was on the other end of the line, reassured her that

she should. “It would show you exactly how well you did”, he says.

“Look at Zachary now, he’s full of life and that is down to you Jasmin, as much as everyone else here.”

Husband, David, agreed wholeheartedly.

“Thank goodness it was Jasmin”, he added. “I had gone to work that morning and we were both worried about Zachary.

When Jasmin called me and said that the doctor had told her to go straight to A&E with him, I left work straight away.

I tried to call her a couple of times on her mobile from the car as I drove back and couldn’t get through. I didn’t know then

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she was on the phone to Darren having called 999! I walked in to the living room and there she was, kneeling on the floor over Zachary giving him rescue breaths and pushing down on his chest. She was amazing – I was in pieces and don’t think I would have kept as calm as her. It sounds selfish, but thank God it wasn’t me alone with him when it happened. I don’t think I could have done what she did.”

As well as having the opportunity to meet most of the team that came to Zachary’s aid again, David and Jasmin also made a very generous donation to the South Central Ambulance Charity.

“We’ve got everything to be grateful for this Christmas. It’s only really now that it is sinking in how close we were to losing him”, says Jasmin. “We really wanted to come and say thank you to you guys, although that doesn’t really seem enough for what you did for us.”

The team are unanimous: it’s more than enough to have the chance to see Zachary looking so well. The best Christmas present for all concerned.

Next steps The new Integrated Urgent Care service is a developmental service which allows for further innovations and changes to be introduced throughout the life

“We’ve got everything to be grateful for this Christmas.

It’s only really now that it is sinking in how close we were to losing him”, says Jasmin

Winter 2017

s e i b Am 2017

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SCAS honours outstanding staff It was the turn of Oxfordshire to host the Ambies, our annual staff and volunteer awards, and VIPs, nominees, judges, partners, sponsors and other guests gathered on Friday 24 November at Heythrop Park Crowne Plaza. The Ambies showcase those members of staff and volunteers who epitomise the Trust’s values of teamwork, innovation, professionalism and care.

Winter 2017

This prestigious black tie event is made possible thanks to the generous contribution of a number of sponsors, including main sponsor Hexagon Safety & Infrastructure, along with O&H Vehicle Conversions, Terrafix, Ortivus and Zoll.

It was an evening to remember for the winners below: NHS 111 South Team Leaders and Shift Managers, won the Team of the Year – Operations Award – sponsored

by Ortivus.

NHS 111 Clinical Service Manager, Nicola Harper, based at the Trust’s Clinical Coordination Centre in Otterbourne, won the 111 Person of the Year Award.

The person who nominated the team wrote: “The team is immensely proud of working for SCAS and everyone is dedicated to their roles. They never give up and this constant reflection and analysis makes them a strong team and a great example of team working.”

Nicola also received a number of nominations from colleagues, one of whom wrote: “She continually puts the needs of the service, her colleagues and her team before her own, Nicola has compassion for her patients and her staff. This is demonstrated in her calls and her endeavour to meet both patient and staff needs.”

Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service Team Leader, Lenore Mulford, based at the Trust’s Southern House in Otterbourne, won the Commercial Services Contact Centre Person of the Year Award.

Lenore received a number of nominations from colleagues with one writing: “She is understanding, kind and always willing to help no matter what service area it concerns.”

Recruitment Advisor, Laura Farrow, based at the Trust’s Bicester Headquarters, won the Support Person of the Year Award.

Her nominator wrote: “Laura’s attitude and dedication to SCAS shines throughout everything that she does; she is passionate and driven to deliver a service of quality and high standards and she does this with a smile.”

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Team of the Year – Operations Award

Commercial Services Contact Centre Person of the Year Award* Collected by Jo Burke on behalf of Lenore Mulford

*

Support Person of the Year Award

111 Person of the Year Award

Winter 2017

Governors’ Ambassador Award

Paramedic Team Leader, Caroline Edwards, based at the Trust’s Wexham Resource Centre, won the Governors’ Ambassador Award.

Caroline was nominated for the award by a colleague in Thames Valley Police, who wrote as part of the nomination: “I cannot recommend Caroline highly enough for this award. Thanks to her dedication, enthusiasm and professionalism, she has made a significant and important difference to the way that our two emergency services interact and work with each other, resulting in the best possible outcome for our patients.”

Senior Emergency Call Taker, Michelle Barford, based at the Trust’s Bicester Headquarters, won the Clinical Coordination Centre 999 Person of the Year Award – sponsored by Hexagon Safety & Infrastructure.

Michelle received a number of nominations from colleagues with one writing: “Her commitment and enthusiasm for this job, the Trust and the patients are outstanding and she is an asset, a credit and an exceptional friend and manager.”

Senior Operations Manager, Simon Bosher, based at the Trust’s Bicester Headquarters, won the Commercial Services Operations Person of the Year Award.

Simon also received a number of nominations from colleagues, one of whom wrote: “Simon has completely transformed the non-emergency patient transport service. He is always ready to listen to issues or questions and has a positive attitude that is infectious.”

HEMS Paramedics Neil Plant and Andrew Colledge, along with Dr Oliver Hawksley, based at RAF Benson on the Thames Valley Air Ambulance, won the 999 Person of the Year Award.

Neil, Andrew and Oliver were nominated for their utmost professionalism and teamwork in response to a serious road collision that had left one van driver trapped and critically injured. They carried out a complex, clinical procedure on the patient in the mangled cab – having to surgically amputate one of his legs. Their nominator concluding: “Performing this exceptional level of care in such a physically challenged situation, under such pressure, was a truly amazing example of brilliant patient care.

Without these three inspirational individuals, the patient would not be here today.”

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All the winners received their awards from award-winning broadcaster, Chris Tarrant OBE, who said at the event:

“When I or members of my family have had to call on the ambulance service, the response has always been fantastic. You are all wonderful people and I thank you for what you do. It was my absolute pleasure to be at the Ambies 2017 and we all had an amazing night.�

Clinical Coordination Centre 999 Person of the Year Award

Commercial Services Operations Person of the Year Award

999 Person of the Year Award

Winter 2017

Education Manager, Paul Grant, based at the Boars Hill Education Centre, Oxfordshire, and Paul Haly, Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) Team Leader, based at Winchester & Eastleigh Resource Centre, were Joint Winners of the Educator of the Year Award.

Paul Grant was nominated for “his willingness to go the extra mile for students, even for those on courses he is not assigned to. He is always willing to work with students who are struggling to develop their knowledge and/or skills in an attempt to overcome barriers and issues to improve competence and confidence.”

Paul Haly’s nominee wrote: “He is a natural educator who has developed and delivered a variety of different educational packages which are massively in demand not only from SCAS staff but from partner agencies.

These packages enhance staff safety, increase staff knowledge and improve patient care.”

Educator of the Year Award* Paul Grant’s award was collected on his behalf

by Melanie Saunders *

The Patient Experience Team, based at the Trust’s Southern House in Otterbourne, won the Team of the Year – Support Award.

The team’s nomination included: “The team is continually improving and changing the way they do things for the better. Despite an ever-increasing workload, they have remained a dedicated and flexible workforce with a strong work ethic who never fail to console, comfort and provide support and guidance to all those who contact them.”

Team of the Year – Support Award

Partners and Stakeholders’ Award for Innovation

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Scheme Co-ordinator and Community First Responder for New Milton, Penny Smith, won the Volunteer of the Year Award.

In the nomination submitted for Penny, her nominator wrote: “Before April 2016 there were no community first responders in New Milton. In a little over a year there is now a strong team of nine CFRs in the town, the group has a high local profile and that is largely down to Penny’s efforts, her passion, commitment and dedication to her local community.”

Reading-based paramedic, Spencer Winch and the Royal Berkshire Hospital Occupational Therapy (RBH OT) Team, along with the Demand Practitioner Team (who operate across SCAS) were joint winners of the Partners and Stakeholders’ Award for Innovation, sponsored by Hexagon Safety & Infrastructure.

Volunteer of the Year Award

Spencer and the RBH OT Team were nominated for: “Developing a falls and frailty response programme to provide a rapid response service to those patients at risk of falls or the frail elderly and provide a collaborative approach to their care. Patients who had fallen were supported and preventative measures undertaken to ensure they could remain safe and cared for appropriately in their own homes.”

The Demand Practitioners were nominated for: “showing great innovation not only for SCAS but country-wide. The patient plans they develop are used within the clinical coordination centres to better understand a patient’s needs and provide them with a higher level of support. This process reduces the number of inappropriate dispatches and vastly improves patient care.”

Winter 2017

People’s Pride Award Specialist Paramedic, Gary Toohey, based at the Chipping Norton First Aid Unit, won the People’s Pride Award – sponsored by O&H Vehicle Conversions.

Gary received 11 nominations, mostly from members of the public, who have seen firsthand what a fabulous job he and his team do at the Chipping Norton First Aid Unit. One nominee wrote: “Gary cared for my five-year-old daughter after

she received a nasty burn in an accident at home. He could have referred her back to our GP or the hospital for her daily dressing changes, but as he’d worked hard to build up rapport with her (he was incredible at calming her down and helping her to be brave), he welcomed her back every day with a big smile. Gary is calm, bright, bubbly, warm, friendly and professional and I know a number of people in the community who all have similar stories about this wonderful man.”

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Chief Executive, Will Hancock, said:

“The Ambies was a fitting celebration of our most successful year to date and I am very proud of what we have all achieved together.

We had a record number of entries from our staff, partners and members of the public so it was a tremendous achievement to be shortlisted let alone be announced as a winner on the night. On the eve of the NHS’ 70th birthday, our winners and nominees have shown that we have the people with the determination, pride and ability to meet any challenge and keep the NHS the envy of the world.”

Winter 2017

Over 5,000 trained on Restart A Heart Day

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On European Restart a Heart Day, which this year fell on Monday 16 October, we were delighted to be able to train over 5,200 students and members of the public in CPR at events held across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire.

Winter 2017

Together with first aid trained emergency service colleagues from Thames Valley and Hampshire Police, local Fire & Rescue Services and St John Ambulance, our staff and our community first responders went to 37 schools taking part in this year’s Restart a Heart Day and we also had public CPR training sessions at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, The Oracle Centre, Reading, and the Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth.

Our efforts were filmed and broadcast on BBC South on the evening news on the day, as well as featuring on many local radio and newspapers in our region.

This all helped us raise awareness of the importance of more people learning this vital skill, as well as highlighting the fact that SCAS has the best cardiac arrest survival rate for patients leaving hospital of any ambulance trust in England.

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Cardiac Arrest Survival To Leave Hospital Rates, April 2016-July 2017 Trust

Patients Treated

Left Hospital

Survival Rate

SCAS

1,777

228

12.8%

Yorkshire

3,945

399

10.1%

Isle of Wight

151

15

9.9%

West Midlands

4,806

437

9.1%

East of England

4,470

387

8.7%

London

5,507

454

8.2%

North West

4,689

386

8.2%

South Western

4,757

386

8.1%

East Midlands

2,975

229

7.7%

North East

2,474

188

7.6%

South East Coast

3,609

227

6.3%

England

38,534

3,332

8.7%

As well as the skills of our 999 staff and colleagues in local hospitals, part of the reason for our higher survival rates in the South Central region is due to an average bystander CPR rate of nearly 50%.

Our support for Restart a Heart Day, and similar efforts by staff and CFRs throughout the year, is to increase that still further so that it is at the level of places, such as Stavanger in Norway, where bystander CPR is 75%.

Winter 2017

When Jim met Kate (and Lelani) It was a very fitting end to European Restart a Heart Day efforts, when Banbury resident Jim Tomlinson, arrived at our Adderbury Resource Centre to meet SCAS Technician, Kate Hudson, who was first on scene on 16 August when Jim collapsed having suffered a cardiac arrest.

Along with Dispatcher, Lelani Vockins, based at the Trust’s clinical coordination centre in Bicester, Kate and Lelani were delighted to see Jim looking so well, and passed on the best wishes of all the team that came to his aid last summer.

“I thought I was suffering from indigestion”, recalls Jim, “but after two days and lots of Gaviscon, it hadn’t cleared up so I decided to go and see my GP. He was quite concerned and wanted to call an ambulance for me to take me to the Horton General. But I told him, ‘I can see it from here – I’ll walk! No need to bother the ambulance service.’ He gave me some paperwork to hand in at the hospital and off I went.”

Jim’s walk from the Windrush Surgery was a distance of just under a mile; however, it was uphill nearly all the way. He almost made it, but outside the Lismore Hotel just round the corner from the hospital, he collapsed. A member of the public called 999 and the call was answered

by Emergency Call Taker, Beth Wilcox, in SCAS’ emergency operations control room in Bicester.

A short distance away in a rapid response vehicle and available, Kate was despatched immediately by Lelani, who remembered the incident well as she thought the location was ‘a bit weird’.

“If you’re going to be unlucky enough to have a cardiac arrest”, says Lelani, “there could be worse places than round the corner from the local A&E.” Kate arrived on scene and picks up what happened next.

Kate Hudson, Technician, and Lelani Vockins, Dispatcher

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“I thought I was suffering from indigestion", recalls Jim, “but after two days and lots of Gaviscon, it hadn’t cleared up so I decided to go and see my GP.”

Winter 2017

“I saw this gentleman on the floor and just by looking at him thought it was serious. He looked very, very unwell. My initial worries were quickly confirmed when a bystander showed me the paperwork that Jim must have been carrying; a referral for an urgent ECG at the Horton!”

Kate used her defibrillator to give Jim two shocks, and had asked a bystander to help raise his legs. As she explained to Jim when they met, this helped his blood pressure and got an increased blood flow into his brain. The defibrillator had helped Kate achieve ROSC (return of spontaneous circulation) so Jim had a pulse and by the team the rest of the SCAS team arrived on scene, Kate was helping to maintain Jim’s airway and was much happier about his condition than she had been on arrival.

Jim was taken by ambulance to the Horton and after initially being stabilised there, he was then transferred to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford where he had two stents fitted. Apart from some memory loss of the day it happened and a few days afterwards, he has made a complete recovery. Having never smoked, played a lot of football when he was younger and still walking everywhere, he feels his active lifestyle certainly helped him survive.

“It’s been lovely meeting the girls today and my heart belongs to Kate now – despite her cutting up my new jumper”, laughs Jim! “I want to say thank you very much to them and everyone who helped me that day.

I wouldn’t be here without them.”

Beth Wilcox, Emergency Call Taker

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Tweet us @SCAS999

Winter 2017

SCAS implements new National Ambulance Response Programme

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SCAS successfully implemented the new ambulance response standards (ARP 2.3) on 31 October.

The way ambulance services had been organised around the previous target of an eight minute response time had remained pretty much unchanged since the 1970s. Following the largest clinical ambulance trials in the world, lasting 18 months and covering 14 million emergency calls, it was announced by NHS England in July that all ambulance trusts would move to the new operating model and set of targets under ARP 2.3

What are the changes?

Emergency call takers have been given more time to assess 999 calls that are not immediately life-threatening.

This enables them to identify patients’ needs better and send the most appropriate response.

Life-threatening and emergency calls, under the previous standards, were responded to in eight minutes; most patients do not need this level of response.

Winter 2017

Under ARP 2.3 there are now four categories of call:

1 2 3 4

Category 1 Calls from people with life-threatening illnesses or injuries.

Responded to in an average of seven minutes and at least nine out of ten times within 15 minutes Category 2 Emergency calls Responded to in an average of 18 minutes and at least nine out of ten times within 40 minutes Category 3 Urgent calls Responded to at least nine out of ten times within 120 minutes.

You may be treated by ambulance staff at the scene.

Category 4 Less urgent calls Responded to at least nine out of ten times within 180 minutes.

You may be given advice over the phone or referred to another service, such as a GP or pharmacist.

Commenting on the successful implementation, Philip Astle, Chief Operating Officer at SCAS, said: “I would like to thank everyone who has worked on this project over the past few months and the staff who worked so hard to ensure that the move to the new standards was implemented smoothly.

SCAS was the only ambulance trust to not only go live with the new standards during the day, but also do so without taking any systems down.

The upgrade to ARP 2.3 is based on clinical evidence and will ensure that we are able to further enhance the care we deliver to patients, getting the right resource to the right patient in the right time.

As part of the rollout process we will continue to monitor the changes that have been made to address any problems and to ensure that any issues which do come to light are dealt with promptly.�

Find out more about the new ambulance response programme, including some short films providing more details on the four categories of calls, on our website at www.scas.nhs.uk/about-scas/ performance

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Previous response standards Category

Percentage of calls in this category

National standard

Red 1

3%

75% within 8 minutes

Red 2

47%

75% within 8 minutes

Green

50%

No national standard

New response standards Category

Percentage of calls in this category

National standard

1

8%

7 minutes average (mean) response time 15 minutes 90th centile (9 out of 10 times) response time

2

48%

18 minutes average (mean) response time 40 minutes 90th centile (9 out of 10 times) response time

3

34%

120 minutes 90th centile (9 out of 10 times) response time

4

10%

180 minutes 90th centile (9 out of 10 times) response time

Winter 2017

SCAS Military Co Responders honoured at the Millies

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On 13 December, Amanda Cundy, Co Responder Training and Liaison Officer (Armed Forces) and Military Champion at SCAS, along with some of our amazing Military Co Responders, attended the 10th Annual Military Awards, affectionately known as The Millies.

how very proud I am to work with this group of people. They were nominated for ‘The Millies – Heroes At Home Award’ by one of their own who has recently left the Royal Air Force to take up life in the civilian world, WO Jim Underhill.

As this is a national award, to be in From thousands of entries, SCAS’ the top three nominations was an Military Co Responders were shortlisted amazing achievement for everyone and in the Hero At Home (Unit) category. they should be very proud. We had an The team’s nomination highlighted amazing day. Firstly, visiting Number how they had attended 5,626 incidents 10 Downing Street for a reception with and undertaken an impressive 2,496 Gavin Williamson, the Secretary of volunteering shifts between September State for Defence. We were served with 2016 and August 2017. This included refreshments and had an opportunity to being part of the emergency team at the mix with the other nominees for all of scene of four cardiac arrest incidents the awards before a large group photo where the patient had started breathing was taken. by the time they arrived at hospital. And all this was achieved on top of their day The evening event was very jobs in the Armed Forces. glamourous; the Banqueting Hall in Whitehall is an impressive building and Speaking about the team’s nomination that, coupled with the celebrities who and attendance at the awards, Amanda joined us for the evening, made it a said: night to remember. Just being a part of an event that celebrates such brave and “The enthusiasm, dedication and heroic men and women, not just in their professionalism shown by every team primary roles, but here at home in their member of the Military Co Responders local communities, was a truly humbling is exceptional. I’m sure everyone knows experience.”

Winter 2017

Portsmouth A&E pair help provide international medical relief

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In November, SCAS Paramedic, Stian Mohrsen, and Queen Alexandra Hospital A&E Nurse, Nikki McDonald, swapped their normal working environments in Portsmouth for the Greek island of Lesbos. The pair took annual leave and travelled to Greece to volunteer for Medics Bergen, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) providing emergency medical support to the hundreds of refugees that are still arriving on the island.

On their return, they spoke to the i newspaper and the article published at the end of December on the i news website is reproduced here with their kind permission. “Despite working flat out for 10 days helping some of the thousands of refugees still making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean, one particular case still sticks out in Nikki McDonald’s mind.

Winter 2017

“He was so small I was able to carry him in my arms, like a baby,� Nikki, who has a young daughter herself, tells i.

The 31-year-old A&E nurse at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham, Portsmouth, took unpaid leave at the end of October, and left her threeyear-old daughter Amelia behind, to volunteer with a 24-7 emergency medical team on the Greek island of Lesbos. She joined her colleague Stian Mohrsen, a paramedic with South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust who moved to Portsmouth from Norway two years ago, after discovering a shared interest in wanting to help the international relief effort.

Stian had already agreed to join a group of emergency medical volunteers organised by Medics Bergen, a Norwegian-based NGO, and Nikki was keen to do the same. It was their first experience of using their emergency medical skills abroad.

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While on Lesbos, Nikki was asked to go and assess a woman in a lady’s changing room on the interim camp of Moria, where the vast majority of refugees fleeing Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, among other countries, are processed after arrival. Within half a minute, she had come running out with a malnourished 10-year-old Afghan boy who was slumped in her arms.

“He was so small I was able to carry him in my arms, like a baby,” Nikki, who has a young daughter herself, tells i. The boy appeared to have underlying medical conditions akin to spina bifida – a condition that occurs when a baby’s spine and spinal cord don’t develop properly in the womb, causing a gap in the spine.

Stian says: “His arm was as thick as Nikki’s thumb, probably not that even. We just had to assess him and everything was wrong. His blood sugars were off, his temperature was off, he wasn’t breathing properly.

His weight wasn’t great. That really stood out for us – as a patient really dependent on high level care who we had nothing to help with.”

The pair immediately asked for an ambulance. Before emergency services arrived the pair managed to ascertain, with the help of an interpreter, that the boy was given a huge overdose of sedatives. Parents often drug their terrified children to stop them from crying and screaming to avoid attracting the attention of nightime Turkish coastguard patrols who, following a deal reached with the EU, will bring any refugees they find back to Turkey if they are intercepted before they cross into Greek waters.

“I know with my three-year-old daughter, putting her in a boat at night, travelling across the water, she’s going to be trying to jump out of the boat,”

Nikki says. “She’s going to be agitated.

If adults are terrified on that water, what’s a child going to be like?

“I can feel for the parents, I can understand why they would want to give a child something to calm them down, but these are adult drugs they’re giving to their children – given to them by the smugglers who are organising the trip – and that’s the concern. This child had five times the adult dose – in a child who is emaciated with health conditions and who was absolutely tiny.”

Due to “island bureaucracy” over helping refugees – only the Lesbos port police are allowed to call emergency services – it took so long for the ambulance to arrive that the pair were tempted to take the boy to hospital themselves. However the pair, who both live in Portsmouth, could then have been arrested for helping “illegal aliens”, as the Greek authorities call the refugees until they have been officially registered and processed under refugee status.

Winter 2017

“If we got caught, they would say you are trafficking illegal immigrants,” Stian says. “It’s a political minefield we don’t want to step too far into. It was out of our hands… We don’t know what happened to the boy.”

Volunteers attacked Stian, 27, came to the UK to work for the NHS two years ago due to the lack of opportunities to progress as a paramedic in Norway, feeling that he had “stagnated as a paramedic without much challenge”. Now he also helps train new paramedics and the pair hope to return to Lesbos in the New Year to join the international relief effort once more.

The refugee crisis has now gone on for so long in Greece that the majority of locals on Lesbos have begun blaming the volunteers for the situation, some of whom have even been attacked.

“Where the interim camp was, people were ok but on the other side [of the island] if you didn’t look like a tourist people wouldn’t serve you in shops, you’d get looked at, gestures,” says Stian.

“Where the interim camp was, people were ok but on the other side [of the island] if you didn’t look like a tourist people wouldn’t serve you in shops, you’d get looked at, gestures,” says Stian.

Nikki says: “We had a lady stand in front of our car, blocking our path on the road and we had to drive around her, because she could tell we were volunteers. They resent us because they see us as part of the problem. It’s a really worrying tone that’s being set across not just Lesbos, but other islands too. It’s all becoming very right wing and rather scary. We had to be very careful about where we ate at night.”

Tourism to Lesbos plummeted in 2015, when the refugees began arriving, and locals have blamed them for the loss of business ever since. “You can understand where they are coming from but [the anger is] misdirected,” says Stian.

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‘Prison camp’ Close to 6,000 people are now being held at the island’s main camp in Moria, which was initially established as a temporary measure to house no more than 2,000. In November, the Mayor of Lesbos criticised the Greek government for allowing the island to become “a giant prison camp”, a description both Stian and Nikki agree is apt. Moria itself – a vast open-ended warehouse – is very secretive, with volunteers such as Stian and Nikki, barred from entering.

Inside are two big “burners” that can “sear your skin off if you get too close”, Stian says. The weather is bearable in day time but come night the pair were fully kitted out in thermal clothing. “I’m Norwegian and I thought it was cold,” he adds.

Containers are stacked one on top of the other housing families, big groups of people. Some refugees say they would rather be outside the camp in the elements, just in tents – not surprising when you hear the Portsmouth pair describe the appalling conditions inside.

“The sanitation is disgusting because the camp is so overcrowded,” says Nikki. “There’s videos on YouTube documenting rivers of raw sewage running through the camp.

“It was a real worry for me seeing pregnant women with urinary tract infections and to try and make sure that was treated, because UTI is so easily treated, but if it’s let to linger the outcomes can be sickening.

It’s normally treated with a threeday course of antibiotics, but first the refugees have to be registered, cramped into an area that’s overrun, then eventually they get to see a doctor who clears them medically, but that’s more to do with saying whether they are disabled, or need treatment.

“And this can all take days. Knowing what these people needed and not being able to give it to them was one of the main frustrations.”

In September 2015, the shocking images of three-year-old Alan Kurdi lying dead on the beach prompted international responses to the refugee crisis. On one day last month, the bodies of at least three children washed ashore on Lesbos in less

Winter 2017

than 24 hours, but there was no global outrage this time. The world’s media may have moved on, but the refugees have not – and they are still desperately trying to get to European shores in their thousands. With temperatures rapidly falling, the UN Refugee Agency has said it is planning for the imminent arrival of winter, but there was little sign of preparation on the ground.

Stian says: “They have their own dirty clothes, they don’t need any more.

Proper winter clothing is something we just didn’t see. The children seem to have what they need. It’s the adults who are struggling to keep warm and alive now.

“Donate money, that’s what’s needed.

And medical supplies, syringes and bandages, things like that. In the coming months I think we’re going to see a lot of deaths from hypothermia and infections… there already have been because people aren’t getting appropriate medical help in the camps.

We need to put this back on the agenda. It’s not over. At all.”

Organ Donation Week “When the refugees are asking for a warm jumper or blanket, they are just told ‘tomorrow, tomorrow’. It just doesn’t seem like it’s happening,” Nikki says. “I’ve been in contact with people still there who say there are no [winter] preparations going on.

“People can raise awareness, send warm clothes – we heard feedback that people are just sending out their dirty old clothes they didn’t want and that the refugees should be grateful for these. But clothes that are appropriate are what’s needed.”

This article was published on 29 December 2017 here: https://inews.co.uk/news/world/ refugee-crisis-greece-island-lesbosnhs-volunteers/

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Winter 2017

Chief Constable’s Commendation for Georgette

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Winter 2017

On 25 October, SCAS Specialist Paramedic, Georgette Eaton, was awarded a special commendation from Thames Valley Police Chief Constable, Francis Habgood at a dedicated ceremony.

Here are her recollections of the incident for which she received the commendation: “Georgette Eaton is commended for her actions in saving the life of a man after an attempted murder when the victim had been hit by a car on the Southam Road, Banbury in October 2016.” Incredibly humbled, I walk to meet Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Francis Habgood who warmly shakes my hand and says ‘well done’ as a photograph is taken.

Although a year ago, the incident is still fresh in my mind. After an unassuming start to my late shift, I was mobilised to an unconscious man in the street. I arrived at the same time as two local Police Constables to find an unconscious man stacked against a wall. On my approach, I wasn’t sure if he was breathing or not, and called for an ambulance to

be sent to scene, and the helicopter emergency medical service (with a doctor) if it was available. Between me and the PCs, we were able to move him down from the wall and onto his back. He wasn’t breathing. Despite never working together before, the three of us worked automatically, one PC started chest compressions whilst another began to cut off the man’s clothes so I could attach the defibrillator. His heart was beating, but he still wasn’t breathing, so I inserted an airway device and took over his breathing by manually ventilating him.

Witnesses reported he’d been hit by a car and so I moved from thinking

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about medical reasons behind the patients’ presentation to traumatic ones. Although I have specialised in urgent and unscheduled care (which is mostly minor injury and illness), as a paramedic I am still trained and must be competent in the management of traumatic incidents. In my head, I switched protocols to follow the traumatic algorithm.

The patient wasn’t breathing; in fact his lungs weren’t inflating with any of the ventilation I was providing and my machine told me the oxygen in his blood was low. He must have a collapsed lung (a tension

pneumothorax) that was preventing his lung from inflating and allowing him to breath. I quickly used a small needle and left a small tube into the top of each lung to allow air in. I held my breath. He started breathing, but too slowly we needed to manually ventilate his lungs. I was incredibly lucky, by this point there were more police constables on scene, and some of them were trained in advanced first aid. They told me what they were trained in and what they could do to help. One of them was able to carry on providing the patient’s ventilations whilst I was able to further assess him. Another PC had informed me that

Winter 2017

they believed the car had been travelling around 50 mph, so I was conscious of the presence of other injuries. The patient was exposed with an obvious broken leg and arm. There was no obvious external blood loss but given the patient had been hit by a car and the obvious broken upper leg, internal haemorrhage to the abdomen and perhaps pelvis was likely and so I applied a pelvic splint in case the pelvis was broken (this can be a major source of blood loss).

I checked back on the PC who was ventilating the patient: his technique was still good, the lungs had re-inflated following my earlier intervention and the oxygen in the patient’s blood was better, but his other basic observations (heart rate and blood pressure) were still abnormal. He must be bleeding internally.

I needed to give a drug that would assist in preventing any additional internal blood loss more than what I expected to be in the pelvic cavity. This involved putting a special type of catheter into the bone.

I administered this drug and within moments the patient’s condition improved. I reassessed the patient. No changes. He was unconscious. He would not accept any additional adjunct into his airway other than our simplest to stop the tongue slipping back (he had a gag reflex, which is a good thing!). He was breathing much less than the average person but was still making a respiratory effort which was supported by slow ventilations. His heart rate was fast and his blood pressure low, but it had stabilised since I gave the drug to help the blood to clot.

I noticed for the first time how dark it was; I’d been working under torches by additional PCs who had arrived on scene.

I checked my watch. I’d been there less than 10 minutes, and had provided some treatment but I needed transport (as a solo responder, I drive a Ford Mondeo – certainly not the transport I needed).

Dispatch had already informed me that the helicopter was unavailable and that there were no pre-hospital doctors in the area. They said the nearest ambulance was on its way to me and would be there soon.

I continued to re-assess the patient, following the same algorithm: CABC. Catastrophic haemorrhage: suspected but not obvious. The pelvic binder and the drug I’d given would help. Airway: maintained with the adjunct. No deterioration. Breathing: the chest had been re-inflated and the small tubes I had put in were still in place. The patient was trying to breath but needed assistance (the same policeman was providing slow steady ventilations with my equipment).

Circulation: heart rate is fast but weak. I had intra-osseous access (the tube in the bone). CABC, CABC. With relief, I saw the ambulance driving blue lights and sirens down the road.

Within moments the police had assisted my colleagues to get the equipment needed from the ambulance and the patient was quickly in the back of the ambulance, a much warmer environment than the floor outside. Still needing more hands, the police officer who had been assisting me with the patient’s breathing came in the back with me and a colleague, and the others followed the ambulance to the nearest trauma centre, informing the hospital we were on our way.

The police officers on scene were fantastic. Communication was on point throughout the whole incident. I knew exactly who could help with which aspect of first aid in terms of their training, and they knew which equipment I needed and could help me perform the treatment required. I may have provided the treatment, but I wouldn’t have been able to successfully manage the patient and the overall incident without

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the teamwork of the Police. We do regular SP team trainings (Chrissy and Gemma), but I had never done any scenario training with the Police. This incident was an excellent example of two different professions working together seamlessly with the success of a shared goal. Humbled that they should nominate me for this award, I am pleased to report that the Police on scene were also commended. The certificate reads, “Her actions working in partnership with the policing team led to a positive outcome for this incident.� The patient survived due to the joint actions of all those present on scene, and I think survival is a pretty good indicator of successful teamwork.

This incident was an excellent example of two different professions working together seamlessly with the success of a shared goal.

Winter 2017

Scott taking the first steps on long road to recovery On Sunday 17 September, 13-year-old Scott Turner – a very talented footballer – was playing in the garden at his family’s home in Finchampstead, Berkshire, when he fell from the fence he had been climbing on and landed in the next door neighbour’s garden.

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“I heard Scott scream, I heard my neighbour scream”, remembers Mum, Vickie Robertson, “and when I rushed round to the garden to find out what was happening, I was absolutely shocked and immediately called 999 whilst my neighbour, who was amazing, cradled Scott.”

Scott had landed awkwardly on his right leg on the neighbour’s concrete patio and suffered an open fracture just above the ankle. Vickie remembers thinking that his foot appeared to have completely snapped off the bottom of his leg and was pointing in the wrong direction.

HEMS Paramedic, Lisa Brown, visited Scott at home on 7 November, along with cameras from BBC South, as she was keen to see how he was recovering from his horrific injury and report back to all her colleagues who also rushed to the family home that day. Scott had only been discharged from hospital the previous week (on 1 November following the midSeptember accident) prior to Lisa and the BBC arriving to see how he was doing.

Lisa said: “I was really pleased to be asked back to meet up with Scott and Vickie again. And it’s great to see how well he is recovering. He’s obviously still got a long way to go but he’s doing really well, getting about on his crutches and I’m sure being back at home with Mum’s cooking and his brother and sisters around him is all going to really help too.”

Lisa was on duty in the Thames Valley Air Ambulance Emergency Response Vehicle, and arrived at the address in Finchampstead shortly after the SCAS ambulance crew of Natasha Cowmeadow and James Burt.

Natasha and James, having arrived on scene first and begun the initial assessment and treatment of Scott, confirmed to the SCAS control room that Lisa was to continue running to the incident as it was very serious.

They briefed Lisa on arrival that there was no major bleeding and continued to treat and monitor Scott. He was still very distressed and the nature of the injury meant Lisa and the team had to think and act fast.

Winter 2017

“Open fractures are not very common – fortunately”, says Lisa, “so therefore I wasn’t expecting to see what was, to all intents and purposes, a stump at the end of Scott’s leg where his foot should have been. It was what we call a ‘clean break’ but the foot, whilst having been rotated 45 degrees, was still attached to the leg by tendons, ligaments and some skin.”

Despite her more advanced clinical skills as a HEMS paramedic, Lisa knew that she also needed some urgent help. She realised that her colleague, Dr Simon Brown, lived nearby and so she gave him a call. Luckily he was at home and despite being off-duty, came round immediately.

Simon was able to administer stronger, intravenous pain relief and sedation to Scott, which then allowed the team to carefully manipulate his foot back over the exposed bone.

Dr Brown recalls the challenging scene well; “We couldn’t have done the relocation of Scott’s foot effectively without the help and support of Natasha and James. Each one of us needed to be doing something at the same time, whether that was preparing a soaked dressing or monitoring and documenting vitals, as well as supporting and advising Scott and Vickie. Natasha and James’ actions were vital to how well Scott has been able to recover from such a major trauma and the fact that he has such a good prognosis for the future. They did an exceptional job, not just from their

initial treatment and assessment but also undertaking the long transfer to hospital.”

Lisa adds, “It was a difficult thing to do but once we had it in place, it looked like a normal leg again and Scott could wiggle his toes a little – which was very reassuring for us, him and of course, Vickie. It was really important for us to do that so we could minimise any risk of blood loss as that could have meant Scott would ultimately have lost his foot.”

Rather than go to a local hospital, Scott needed to be taken to the major trauma centre for the Thames Valley at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. At the John Radcliffe, Scott underwent a number of long and complex surgeries, including inserting plates and pins, muscle transplants and skin grafts. He also unfortunately contracted sepsis in one of the donor areas, which temporarily set his recovery back and extended his hospital stay still further. After just over six weeks however, he finally made it home.

Vickie was keen to pay tribute to friends and neighbours for their help on the day and subsequently. “The community here have been amazing”, she said. “Being a single Mum, not financially supported and with three other kids, everyone has rallied round with transport help, meals and even a fundraising page that has meant that we could stay in a hotel near the John Radcliffe at the weekends as a family whilst Scott was in hospital.”

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Football-mad Scott, who spent his 14th birthday in hospital, says that whilst things have been and still are sometimes tough, there have also been some great surprises that have really helped when he was feeling at his lowest.

“I’ve always dreamt about being the next Steven Gerrard”, he says, “so when I received a ‘Get Well’ message and signed plaque from Liverpool FC whilst in hospital, it put a smile on my face just as I was about to have another operation. I’ve been told that I won’t be able to play again this season or next season, but hopefully by the summer of 2019, I’ll be back training.”

His local team, Reading FC, also sent Scott a signed shirt and another Premier League Club has been in touch since his accident to offer Scott the chance of a trial with them once he is fit and playing again. With the best wishes of Lisa and the SCAS team, along with his family, friends, neighbours and the footballing community behind him, this is one lad who definitely isn’t walking alone as he recovers.

“I’ve always dreamt about being the next Steven Gerrard”, he says, “so when I received a ‘Get Well’ message and signed plaque from Liverpool FC whilst in hospital, it put a smile on my face just as I was about to have another operation.

Winter 2017

SOS Service returns to Oxford City Centre

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Winter 2017

With funding secured for the project into 2018, it looks like the SOS Treatment Centre will continue to help make a real difference at peak demand times for SCAS and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

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The SOS Treatment Centre made a welcome return to Oxford City Centre on 10 November 2017 and SOS Project Lead and Paramedic Team Leader, Craig Heigold, and his team provided a much needed service every Friday and Saturday night, as well as on Sunday 31 December, until the weekend of 5-6 January 2018.

Launched in November 2014, the SOS was unable to operate in 2017 for a number of reasons. This resulted in growing concerns from Oxford Street Pastors, Thames Valley Police and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust about the lack of medical provision in the city centre which may have led to an increase in 999 responses and A&E presentations for alcohol-related incidents.

Located on the Cornmarket, the SOS Treatment Centre operated from 22.00 to 05.00 on Friday and Saturday nights.

During its latest operating period (10 November-7 January) the team dealt with: •

63 patients seen (compared to 18 for the same period 2016/17) • 14 of those needed to go to A&E at the John Radcliffe Hospital for further treatment which included: - Specialist review for facial lacerations x4 - Assessment and treatment for drug use x6 - Head injury x3 - Chest pain x1 • The remaining 49 patients were treated and cleared on scene, preventing 999 attendance, transport and admission to hospital Patients arrived with a whole array of presentations, including intoxication, lacerations following alleged assaults, wound assessment and dressing, as well as sexual and wider health advice and signposting.

Craig said: “I was humbled by the support the project has received; staff signed up to cover the shifts and worked hard to ensure it was a success and engaged with those who had volunteered. The community first responders have been fantastic and their support is appreciated by all. Being part of the SOS project enabled the CFRs to engage with frontline staff while facilitating practice of their new advanced skills. The police, street pastors, licensed premises and City Council have all provided positive feedback and are delighted the SOS treatment centre is back up and running, even if for a short period.”

Speaking to some of the sisters and charge nurses at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Craig discovered that the ED team had seen a fall in the number of intoxicated patients arriving at A&E and those that did so had other complaints, such as a head injury, and therefore would have been unsuitable to be treated at the SOS Treatment Centre.

With funding secured for the project into 2018, it looks like the SOS Treatment Centre will continue to help make a real difference at peak demand times for SCAS and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Winter 2017

It’s the most, busiest time of the year

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The festive period from Friday 22 December to New Year’s Day saw a significant, and expected surge in demand for both our 999 and 111 services.

We initiated robust and well-practiced escalation procedures, including making more managers operational on the frontline, establishing a silver command cell and moving resources to help the worst affected areas and working closely At a time when most people are away with our volunteers to increase their from work, our staff and volunteers once availability. again displayed incredible dedication, professionalism and care in helping Many staff carried on providing high keeping our services running and being levels of care to our emergency patients, there for the patients who needed us. despite the challenges at hospitals, as well as enduring late shift finishes and Whilst SCAS was well-resourced for missing meal breaks. Staff working the expected demand, what we had in our clinical coordination centres on not factored in was the significant both our 111 and 999 service were also challenges caused by pressure at under intense pressure. Their hard work hospitals across our region, and and commitment did not go unnoticed particularly in South East Hampshire, within the Trust and certainly not by the which led to large numbers of patients they served so admirably. ambulances being delayed for long periods handing over patients at emergency departments.

Winter 2017

The example below from a Buckinghamshire patient is just one of many we received over Christmas and New Year, and typifies how our staff across all our services, continually went the extra mile for our patients.

“I wanted to pass on some feedback to the ambulance crew of three who attended my home address in Hazlemere this morning (31 December) at around 08.30 to treat my one-year-old son who had difficulty

breathing. My wife and I thought that the crew were fantastic; very well-mannered and professional throughout, giving us reassurance and caring for our son. They went above and beyond to arrange for my son to have an emergency doctor’s appointment on this busy bank holiday weekend. This was greatly appreciated as we understand the stress that the NHS is under, particularly this time of year.”

Matt, Chloe & Leo Catlin

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Key figures •

999 call demand increased by 34% New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day compared to last year

•

999 incidents attended stayed broadly the same as 2016: just under 5,000 incidents 24-26 December and 3,600 incidents 31 December-1 January

•

111 call demand increased by 17% from 24-26 December compared to last year and 12.5% from 31 December-1 January compared to one year ago

Winter 2017

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow.

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As sure as night follows day, the first significant snow fall of the winter sees schools closing, flights cancelled, trains delayed, the road network grinding to a halt and national and regional TV news dominated by footage of throngs of people enjoying the rare privilege of sledging down their local biggest hill.

This winter, snow arrived in the South Central region in the early hours of the morning on Sunday, 10 December.

“I would like to commend all our staff and volunteers who kept our services going for a very challenging 24 hour period once the first significant snowfall arrived in our region. The weather conditions, coupled with high demand, really tested the professionalism and dedication of our staff and once again, they rose to the challenge.

Without their efforts and people going the extra mile on countless occasions, we would not have been able to keep meeting the needs of our patients, both over the phone and face-to-face. I’m sure I speak for everyone in the South Central region who is extremely grateful that the arrival of the worst of the winter weather demonstrated once again how fortunate we are to have such dedicated people here at SCAS.” Will Hancock, Chief Executive

Winter 2017

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SCAS presented with Gold Award by HRH Prince Harry

Winter 2017

Will Hancock said: “It was an honour to be presented with this award by Prince Harry and Sir Michael Fallon and Victoria, Laura and myself were delighted to be able to tell His Royal Highness and the Defence Secretary about the fantastic support that our people and organisation give to veterans looking for a fulfilling second career and those members of our staff still serving as reservists in our Armed Forces.�

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Chief Executive, Will Hancock, HR Manager, Victoria Dooley and Recruitment Advisor, Laura Farrow, were formally presented with the Ministry of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award

by HRH Prince Harry and Defence Secretary, Sir Michael Fallon.

At a special event held at the Imperial War Museum, London, on Monday 9 October, SCAS was one of 33 employers to be presented with the 2017 Gold Award. The award is the highest accolade the Ministry of Defence can bestow on employers who have demonstrated outstanding support for the Armed Forces community.

SCAS is one of only two ambulance trusts in England to have received the prestigious Gold Award. The Trust previously held the Silver Award.

Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon, added: “This year’s Gold Award winners should be extremely proud of the work they are doing to live up to the Armed Forces Covenant pledge and to promote the pledge to others.

“I’m delighted to recognise employers who make it crystal clear that regardless of size, location or sector, employing people with military skills is good for business. I hope others follow their example, thereby delivering a better deal for veterans and armed forces families.”

The Employer Recognition Scheme encompasses three award tiers: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Gold Award winning employers have to first make pledges under the Armed Forces Covenant, then demonstrate and advocate their support for the Armed Forces.

So far, 79 employers have been recognised with a Gold award.

Winter 2017

Charity Round Up It’s been a busy few months for the volunteers and supporters of the South Central Ambulance Charity, and staff have also been supporting causes close to their hearts. Here’s a small selection of some of the recent activity.

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Winter 2017

Bishop’s Waltham Community First Responders were crowned ‘Community Responder Scheme of the Year’ at the UK Heart Safe Awards on Friday 3 November.

Jake Walcombe, Bishops Waltham CFR and NHS 111 Call Handler for SCAS, represented the group at the gala awards evening in Manchester and said: “It was a brilliant evening and good to see all the amazing nominees. We are honoured to receive this award and would like to thank everyone in our local community who helps the CFRs in Bishops Waltham for their support.

We couldn’t keep doing what we’re doing without their help.”

New Milton Community First Responders benefitted from an approximately £7,500 windfall thanks to the residents of Byron Road, New Milton.

Every year, Byron Road is illuminated into a visual festive feast, with visitors to the Christmas lights giving donations to local charities. This year, New Milton CFRs and The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy in Bransgore, shared around £5,000 in visitor donations. Funds were further boosted when the street was named as ‘Britain’s Most Festive’ by Christopher Biggins in a competition sponsored by the Daily Mail. The win came with a further cheque for £10,000 to be shared between the two charities.

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Swallowfield Community First Responders were delighted to receive their Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services, which was announced in June.

At a special ceremony held at Ufton Court in October, the team – along with Lead Community Responder Manager, Nic Morecroft – were formally presented with their awards by the Lord-Lieutenant of the Royal County of Berkshire, Mr James Puxley, HM The Queen’s representative in the county.”

Buckinghamshire’s CFRs were the local charity supported by CAWC International at its 30th Charity Christmas Bazaar held on 12 November in Gerrards Cross at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Thanks to the organisers, vendors, volunteers, sponsors and shoppers who attended the event a recordbreaking £18,000 was raised for Community First Responders Bucks!

Winter 2017

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The Twilight Walk Windsor raises money for the Brain Tumour Charity, a cause close to the hearts of the North East Team after they sadly lost friend and colleague Adey Varley, Clinical Mentor in High Wycombe, to a Brain Tumour in 2016.

Eight staff from the North East took part in the charity walk. They were Neil Durrant, Clinical Operations Manager, Andy Battye, Head of Operations, Dave Cave, Team Leader, High Wycombe, Babs Mudge, Team Leader, Wexham, Jade Mason, Clinical Mentor, High Wycombe, Matty Campbell, Acting Clinical Mentor, High Wycombe, Liesl Bowes, Paramedic, High Wycombe, Marie Delorie, Technician, Stoke Mandeville.

The 10km walk set off at 16:30 on Sunday, 15 October, and allowed the team to take in the sun setting over Windsor as they set off on the route, which took in Windsor Castle, the Great Park, Windsor Town, Eton and the River Thames. Their efforts raised over ÂŁ1,000.

Email your CFR news, South Central Charity or other charity fundraising news for the next edition of Working Together (April 2018) to david.gallagher@scas.nhs.uk

Winter 2017

How are we doing?

A year to date snapshot

Apr-Nov 2017 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).

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).

NHS 111 calls answered is the number of calls answered through the non-emergency healthcare service.

CFR stands for Community First Responder.

Figure opposite is all responses from 1 Apr – 31 Oct. NEPTS stands for Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service.

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Total 999 activity

Category 1 Mean

Category 1 90th Percentile

380,791

7:16

13:01

Category 2 Mean

Category 2 90th Percentile

14:40

28:29

NHS 111 calls answered

No. of NEPTS journeys

No. of CFR responses

667,639

515,821

11,110

Winter 2017

Winter Twenty

Seventeen Please send articles, or ideas to communications@scas.nhs.uk along with any photos or images.

Wo rk

ing t

oge

ther

Copy deadline for the next issue of Working Together is 26 March 2018

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