“We Feel We Need To Let You Know About This”
According to announcements to us and online, Unite Union and DHL Aviation will strike from February 9th (from midnight tonight) until Monday 19th February.
DHL may experience some delays with regards to International Shipments (that’s where the Aviation Team sits).
If you have anything urgent to send, please call or email us as soon as possible.
For anything else, we anticipate one or two days delay.
The FR2 battery is currently out of stock worldwide, our recommendation to you is that you place an order and claim your place on a back order list otherwise you will continually be at the back of the queue. We regret this situation which is due to a shortage of components and beyond our control.
Most if not all courier services are experiencing delays at present over which we and our colleagues have no control.
In most cases our parcels within the UK are delivered next day however we do see some parcels held up for an extra 24 hours. There is nothing we can do control this and most of our competitors have reacted to this by rightly cancelling their timed deliveries.
We no longer use Evri for deliveries as they can often takes months to deliver if they don’t actually lose the parcel entirely. It may however persuade you not to entrust your parcels to us with them as we can’t be held responsible for the loss, and neither it seems is Evri !
If you are sending a parcel into us and you would find it easier we can arrange collection at cost and your risk if that makes it easier for you.
Hopefully the situation will get better as the holidays fade away although it doesn’t seem to be entirely the fault of Father Christmas.
The Credit Card providers have introduced stronger security measures to protect their customers, this is beyond our control and you may find that occasionally you experience that your card is declined. Should this happen to you make sure your address matches the address the card issuer holds and if it persists do please get in touch with us directly and we will do our utmost to help.
Maybe it shouldn’t come as a surprise however we are now halfway through January and shipments via courier both in and out of Europe are showing a delay as the courier systems get used to the extra paperwork involved.
Some of our supply chains emanate from Europe and of course, this is beyond our control and so far appears to only add 24/48 hrs to the delivery schedules.
Please bear with us until this settles down.
Good Afternoon
We have received a notification from DHL, that their European road services to Europe are suspended with immediate effect. This is due to a large backlog of vehicles held in France. They are working closely with partners and currently expect services to be available from Thursday 7 January. Their International air service remains available.
Please do not hesitate to contact your local InXpress office if you have any queries.
Best wishes
Alan
A 25-year-old man has been arrested after the theft of an ambulance.
The emergency vehicle was stolen while the crew were treating a patient in a house on Green Lane in Deeside, Flintshire, on 14 November.
It was later found abandoned and damaged a short distance away in Dee View Crescent and had to be taken out of service.
A North Wales Police spokesman said: “The arrested man, from Connah’s Quay, has been released under investigation.”
The Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust (WAST) said at the time it “could have led to very serious harm” if the patient had urgently needed to go to the hospital.
A good driver will always be aware of his surroundings and give himself plenty of time to react correctly.
You should wash your hands:
Washing your hands properly removes dirt, viruses and bacteria to stop them spreading to other people and objects, which can spread illnesses such as food poisoning, flu or diarrhoea.
It can help stop people picking up infections and spreading them to others.
It can also help stop spreading infections when you’re visiting someone in hospital or another healthcare setting.
N95 respirator (Image from the FDA)
The FDA has authorized the use of certain industrial respirator masks for healthcare workers during the coronoavirus outbreak.
The N95 disposable filtering facepiece respirators have been approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as non-powered air-purifying particulate respirators. Healthcare workers will be allowed to use these, including those that have passed the manufacturers’ recommended shelf-life, to prevent exposure to the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.
The FDA has allowed emergency-use non-cleared devices during previous health emergencies, including the Zika virus outbreak in 2016, the enterovirus outbreak in 2015 and the ebola virus outbreak in 2014.
Manufacturers and government-designated “strategic stockpilers” of the respirators included in this emergency authorization must notify the FDA of adverse events related to their use, according to a letter from CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield.
More information is available here.
Wiltshire Air Ambulance are delighted to announce they have received their own Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and will return to Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) immediately.
Our charity is now just one of four air ambulances who hold their own Air Operator Certificate.
We are delighted to announce we have received our Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and will return to Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) immediately.
Our charity is now just one of four air ambulances who hold their own Air Operator Certificate.
Chief executive David Philpott says: “This has been a hard slog and has taken a lot longer than we anticipated – and a lot longer than it really should have.
“I would like to thank everyone who has worked tirelessly for the charity to get the AOC; they have all gone the extra mile.
“Our trustees have provided rock solid support throughout the process. Equally the backing from our Ambassadors and local MPs has been very welcome.
“Our pilots, paramedics and charity staff deserve immense credit for their work during this challenging period, along with our dedicated volunteers who are out supporting the charity at events come rain or shine.
“Importantly we are now able to return to what we are here to do, providing helicopter emergency medical services for the people of Wiltshire and surrounding areas.”
Our Bell 429 helicopter is available to be called to incidents immediately.
A wide range of silver-themed donations are being sought by the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance, which will help support the life-saving service as part of their 25th Anniversary celebrations.
The local Air Ambulance has recently launched its brand-new ‘Donate Your Silver’ fundraising initiative, which asks members of the public to donate their silver items throughout the Charity’s silver anniversary year.
Anyone who would like to Donate Your Silver to the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance and support this new initiative, you can request your very own supporter pack by emailing fundraising@ambucopter.org.uk/
Contents
1. Introduction and scope
2. General points
3. Suggested minimum equipment list
3.1 Airway and Breathing
3.2 Circulation
3.3 Notes
1. Introduction and scope
Primary dental care facilities have an obligation to provide a high-quality resuscitation service and to ensure that staff are trained and updated regularly to a level of proficiency appropriate to each individual’s expected role.
As part of the quality standards for cardiopulmonary resuscitation practice and training, this document provides lists of the minimum equipment required for cardiopulmonary resuscitation in primary dental care. This document is referenced from, and is a component of, the ‘Quality standards for cardiopulmonary resuscitation practice and training for primary dental care’.
The core standards for the provision of cardiopulmonary resuscitation across all healthcare settings are described in:
Introduction and overview Quality standards for cardiopulmonary resuscitation practice and training
Statement on Anaphylactic Guidelines
We seek to clarify misinterpreted information about Resuscitation Council (UK) guidance which has been referred to in recent press coverage following the coroner’s report on the tragic death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse.
The RC (UK) guidance which has been referred to is entitled Emergency treatment of anaphylactic reactions and is specifically written for healthcare providers. The RC (UK) does not provide guidance for the use of auto-injectors, as they are not universally used in a healthcare setting as a method of administering adrenaline.
Both the length of the needle and the dose recommendations of adrenaline referred to in recent press coverage are intended for healthcare professionals treating an anaphylaxis reaction.
With regards to needle length, for intramuscular injections, the needle needs to be long enough to ensure that the drug is injected into the muscle. A 25 mm needle is best and is suitable for all ages. [1] This guidance is based on recommendations from the Department of Health UK. [2]
The guidance only makes reference to auto-injectors (prescribed to patients at risk of anaphylaxis, for their own use) if they are the only available adrenaline preparation when treating anaphylaxis in a healthcare setting.
With regards to dose recommendations, we would like to stress that 500 mcg is the dose healthcare professionals should give to patients over 12 years of age and is not, as has been incorrectly quoted, an RC (UK) recommendation for the provision of adrenaline through auto-injectors.
The British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI) produces guidance on the prescribing of and use of adrenaline auto-injectors.
The following comment regarding the safety of AED defibrillators comes from the Resuscitation Council. A UK body of medical professional tasked along with international colleagues of investigating and improving resuscitation protocols.
“Modern AEDs are very reliable and will not allow a shock to be given unless it is needed. They are extremely unlikely to do any harm to a person who has collapsed in suspected SCA. They are safe to use and present minimal risk to the rescuer. These features make them suitable for use by members of the public with modest (or even no training), and for use in Public Access Defibrillation schemes.”
If anybody still has any doubts call in for a chat, I started selling AED’s in 1987, when medical professionals were just being introduced to the concept of a machine doing the work for them.
What is an automated external defibrillator (AED)?
Unlike the models of defibrillators intended for use by healthcare professionals (and the ones seen most often on TV), automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are designed to allow minimally trained laypersons to respond to cardiac emergencies, particularly sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). AEDs are about the size of a portable laptop computer and provide a brief, but powerful, electrical stimulation to the chest, interrupting the abnormal rhythm and helping to restore the heart’s natural rhythm. The devices are pre-programmed with the expertise needed to analyze the heart’s electrical function. They also use voice prompts and screen displays to instruct the user on how to operate the device.
Who can use an AED?
Police, firefighters, security officers, athletic trainers, flight attendants and lifeguards in the U.S. and around the world are currently using AEDs. The devices are designed to be used by anyone even those who have not had any prior training. It is considered more effective to try than to do nothing.
How safe are AEDs?
AEDs are very accurate and will not deliver therapy to someone who is not in cardiac arrest. When used properly and with appropriate precautions, AEDs are very simple to operate and pose no risk to either the rescuer or the patient.
Is sudden cardiac arrest the same as a heart attack?
No. A heart attack occurs when a blood vessel feeding the heart itself is blocked by plaque or a blood clot. The longer the blood flow is interrupted, the more extensive the damage done. The majority of heart attack victims survive the first attack. Treatment for heart attack includes angioplasty — using a tiny balloon to widen blocked blood vessels — and “clot-busting” drugs known as thrombolytics.
Sudden cardiac arrest involves problems with the heart’s electrical system, which can cause it to stop beating entirely. When that happens, blood flow to the rest of the body is interrupted and the victim passes out. Defibrillation is the only known treatment for this condition, and AEDs are the quickest and most efficient way to reach individuals with this life-saving therapy.
Haven’t AEDs been in the news recently?
Yes. Two studies reported in the October 2000 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine show that persons with minimal training can successfully use simple, portable defibrillation devices in public places to save lives that might otherwise be lost. Also, the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act, the nation’s first legislation recognizing the life-saving role played by AEDs, now requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop recommendations and guidelines for AED placement and use in federal buildings nationwide and in post offices and other buildings housing federal agencies. (US Only)
The term “Heart Attack” isn’t used in medicine. It has no specific meaning
We are here to treat a cardiac arrest. That is when the heart stops circulating blood around the body
The cause may be one of four different heart arrhythmia’s
Pulseless Electrical Activity
Asystole
Ventricular Tachycardia
Ventricular Fibrillation
We are only interested in the last two only when using a defibrillator
Defibrillation is the delivery of an electrical shock to the heart
It “stuns” the heart and hopefully allows it to restart in the correct sequence
Defibrillation is the only treatment for VF/VT
It must be delivered within a few minutes
An AED or automatic external defibrillator is a medical device designed and recommended the use by almost anyone. Its function is to deliver a powerful electric shock to the heart of somebody who has collapsed. It is the only treatment for somebody in this condition and speed is of the essence. No doubt you’ve seen a similar defibrillator being used many times on television programmes.
To date, the British government have purchased and installed around 10000 AED’s across the country with the aim of getting a defibrillator to a victim within 3 minutes. Around 300,000 people a year die from sudden cardiac death, often with no previous history and no warning. You will find them already installed in airports, railway stations, police cars, homes, shops and pubs factories and offices.
The biggest concern anybody has when they consider whether to purchase an AED is whether they can do any harm. The simple answer is no. AED’s are designed to be instinctively easy-to-use and will only operate if the patient is in one of two potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmias. Every other medical condition from a simple faint to something more serious will not allow the device to deliver a shock.
So, every minute that is wasted in delivering a shock to a patient in cardiac arrest their chances of survival deteriorate by at least 10% so if you think you can get to the patient before an ambulance does, you’ve answered the question of whether you need to buy an AED.
The AED shown here is incredibly instinctively easy-to-use. It has a long life no maintenance battery and checks itself daily. The AED will guide you through what to do using voice and visual commands. All you need to do when you find the patient in a collapsed state is attach two self-adhesive electrodes to their chest, switch the machine on and listen.
Using a defibrillator does not mean that you don’t need an ambulance, you still need medical support but you are giving the patient the greatest possible chance of survival and the paramedic the greatest chance of delivering that patient to the hospital alive.
AED’s have dropped dramatically in price over the last twenty years and the leading defibs are now available at a little over GBP800. A small price to pay for peace of mind and an even smaller price to pay for saving someone’s life.
Courses are available to teach you CPR and AED use should you require this. There is an additional cost for this in most cases but it is an extensive course for your staff.
An AED or automated external defibrillator is a medical device designed and recommended for use by almost anyone without any previous training, although familiarisation does help.
Its function is to deliver a powerful electric shock to the heart of somebody who has collapsed. It is the only treatment for somebody in this condition and speed is of the essence. No doubt you’ve seen a similar defibrillator being used many times on television programmes. It can save a life.
To date, the British government and others have purchased and installed around 10000 or more AED’s across the country with the aim of getting a defibrillator to a victim within 3 minutes. Around 60,000 people a year die from sudden cardiac death, often with no previous history and no warning. You will find them already installed in airports, railway stations, police cars, homes, shops and pubs factories and offices.
I started to sell defibrillators exactly 30 years almost to the day, in those days customers were sceptical of the technology and the prices were around £2700
Police fire and ambulance services are working under one roof for the first time in the Gwent Police force area.
Abertillery fire station is now an “emergency services station” with ambulance crew, firefighters, police and community support officers (PCSOs).
Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Jeff Cuthbert said it would cut costs and give an “enhanced service”.
The first meeting between staff from the three services focused on reducing grass fires and arson in the area.
Station commander Mark Kift said collaboration with PCSOs was already making a difference with two long-standing issues.
“We’ve got a big issue in Abertillery with bin fires. They’re often put out but the fire service hasn’t necessarily been called to the scene,” he said.
“We can use our data and data from the police to compile a view of what we need to do and target our resources – the fire crime unit, more patrols.”
He said double parking on narrow valleys streets was also a problem and a hazard for fire engine crews.
“The police use their resource to move them for us for access of the fire appliances which wouldn’t happen if they weren’t here and that’s a massive thing for us.”
Insp Sarah Greening, who covers Blaenau Gwent, said the change had “massively cut out the bureaucratic process” when contacting other services or arranging meetings.
Abertillery police station closed several years ago due to budget cuts but the newly named facility features a police inquiry desk open to the public on Thursdays and Fridays.
Patsy Roseblade, deputy chief executive at the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust, said the new agreement would benefit communities as well as achieving “operational efficiencies”.
It is believed the only other similar arrangement is in Queensferry, Flintshire, where the three services have been working from the same building.
Ambulance crews are finding it “increasingly difficult to cope”, an audit of the service in England says.
The warning by the National Audit Office comes just two months after a BBC investigation highlighted increasing delays answering 999 calls.
The NAO said rising demand, recruitment problems and wider NHS pressures meant crews were failing to hit targets.
It comes as NHS bosses are looking at relaxing the eight-minute target for calls where it may not be necessary.
In November the BBC revealed ambulances were increasingly being delayed outside A&E units as hospital staff were too busy to take on the patients being brought in.
And the investigation found just one of the 13 services in the UK was meeting its key target – the eight-minute goal to reach the most life-threatening cases.
This NAO review just looked at performance in England. It too highlighted these problems and urged NHS bosses to review what was happening.
It pointed to the discrepancy between the rise in demand – 30% over four years – compared to the rise in budget – 16% over the same period.
NAO head Amyas Morse said action was needed as ambulances were a “vital” part of the service.
Christina McAnea, of Unison, which represents ambulance staff, said: “There’s simply not enough money to cope.”
NHS England said steps were being taken. Ambulances have been given longer to assess calls before a response needs to be sent – about a quarter of crews are called back before they reach the scene because call handlers have to make quick decisions about who needs an emergency response.
Three ambulance services – South Western, Yorkshire and West Midlands – are piloting a scheme which is seeing some urgent calls, such as strokes and fits, re-categorised as not needing an eight-minute response. Evidence suggests such quick responses are not necessary in these cases.
Prof Keith Willett, of NHS England, said: “These trials are designed to makes sure ambulances focus on the right priority – getting to the most urgent patients in the quickest possible time and improving the service to all patients who dial 999.”
Ambulance staff body-cams ‘to tackle paramedic attacks’
Paramedics could start wearing body cameras in the south east of England as part of efforts to tackle a 46% rise in assaults on them.
South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb) trust data showed attacks rose yearly from 98 in 2011-12 to 184 in 2015-16, including a jump from 126 in 2014-15 to 184 last year.
Secamb said several ambulance services were looking at using “body-cams”.
Unison has called for a government-led task force to tackle the problem.
Secamb security manager Adam Graham said current measures included CCTV, risk assessments and conflict resolution training.
He added: “One thing that’s being looked at nationally is additional devices and additional training – so for the devices, body-cams, such as the police have, [are] being considered.”
The ambulance service, which released its figures under a Freedom of Information Act request, can also take sanctions ranging from warnings to prosecutions over violence and aggression, he said.
In 2015-16, Secamb submitted 44 sanctions.
Paramedic Gemma Fitzgerald was assaulted while trying to help a lady who was collapsed in the street.
“When we got there, she was lying in the road and we knew that she was quite agitated, screaming and shouting at passers-by,” said Ms Fitzgerald.
“She became really verbally abusive, so we backed off and made sure the road was safe with the ambulance and called police.
“But whilst we were waiting for them, she actually started to attack a friend. She also started to hurt herself.
“As we stepped in, she sort of caught my eye, and that was it. I became the target of her aggression.
“[She was] very verbally abusive, lashing out, and actually managed to – I was kneeling down next to her – kick up and kick me in the face, knocking me off my feet.
“The police arrived and pretty much arrested her straight away. I went to hospital and found I had a broken jaw.”
When several services met last year for a presentation by Kent Police on body-cams, one of the features was the quality of evidence, Mr Graham added.
West Midlands Ambulance Service is also looking at body-cams – a spokesman said the trust was looking at costs but “nowhere near piloting it”.
But Bea Adi, from Unison, said: “It’s not just about things like CCTV, it’s about educating people to let them know the impact that these incidents have on people who are working to protect them.
“Unison itself is calling for the government to set up a special task force that looks at ways of keeping people safer in their roles.”
NHS Protect said it undertook research into assaults in the ambulance sector, including aggravating factors such as likelihood of injury, times incidents were most prevalent and the demographics of the perpetrator.
It said it was working to provide guidance for the future and the protection of NHS staff.
In a sample of 2,479 incidents between 2010 to 2015, NHS Protect found 1,184 had one or more aggravating factors and of those 22.1% were attributed to illegal drugs and 72.2% to alcohol.
More than 1,200 people were treated by ambulance staff at this year’s V Festival at Weston Park – with 40 having to be taken to hospital.
A total of 1,218 patients were treated, a slight increase on last year.
West Midlands Ambulance Service and St John Ambulance provided medical cover which included a medical centre staffed by doctors and nurses, as well as a command and control centre which co-ordinated the responses of ambulances and other medical staff stationed across the site to patients in need of medical assistance.
West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman Claire Brown saied: “The wet weather didn’t let up much throughout the weekend for revellers and consequently played a part, with many injuring themselves after slips, trips and falls.
“A number of patients were also treated for the effects of too much alcohol and people with a flare up of pre-existing medical conditions were also seen.”
Steve Wheaton, Assistant Chief Ambulance Officer, added: “With tens of thousands of people all in one place, we’re always prepared for the unexpected as it’s inevitable that people will fall ill and require our help.
“The team of staff and volunteers have worked extremely hard to ensure every patient received the very best care. A special thank you to the day staff that remained onsite after their shift had ended last night to lend an extra pair of hands during a particularly busy period in the medical centre.
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“As a trust, we’ve provided medical cover at V Festival for several years now and are proud when months of planning culminate into a smooth and successful operation.
“Thank you to St John Ambulance and all of our staff for their hard work throughout the weekend which ensured it was another safe festival. We’ll remain on site all day today, until the last of the campers have left.”
South East Coast Ambulance SECAMB
An ambulance trust SECAMB is being investigated after reports of bullying and harassment and an “unfit for purpose” dispatch system.
Long call waits and out-of-date maps affected the service offered by the South East Coast Ambulance Trust (Secamb), which now faces investigation by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The Department of Health said: “poor leadership” had “put safety at risk”.
The trust said it was working hard to address the issues raised.
Last October it emerged that Secamb, which covers Sussex, Surrey and Kent, had delayed sending help for certain calls to allow extra time for patient assessments.
Its chairman, Tony Thorne, resigned in March, and chief executive Paul Sutton left the trust in May
The latest revelations concern the computer-aided dispatch system (CAD) used to send out ambulances to emergency calls.
Staff have told the BBC about problems with the ambulance dispatch system, with calls not answered quickly enough and out-of-date maps for crews.
An internal memo sent in May this year said there had been continuous problems with the system.
Targets missed
Preliminary findings during a CQC inspection the same month were leaked to the BBC, and include concerns that the system did not appear to have been updated to provide “the most contemporaneous record of addresses.”
In addition, it said it had “received a number of calls from staff following the inspection indicating a continuing culture of bullying and harassment” and that “accountability is absent in many areas”.
Call handlers told the BBC they were “missing” 1,000 calls a week – a term used when callers are held on the line for longer than the five-second target.
Ambulances were also widely missing key arrival time targets of eight minutes for the most serious cases, which include patients not breathing and cardiac arrests.
And an internal memo seen by the BBC, sent by Geraint Davies, the acting chief executive, said that having reviewed the initial feedback of the CQC, there were “very serious concerns” including “serious system weaknesses”.
Mr Davies added: “It’s fair to say that many of these won’t come as a surprise and are areas of weakness that the trust has been aware of for some time.
“It’s equally fair to say that, despite awareness, not a great deal has been done to really address these issues adequately.”
‘Subject to review’
Staff said that bullying had contributed to the problems, while the CQC said: “The number of outstanding grievances within the executive team itself is also a serious concern.”
Linda Southouse, who worked at the trust as an emergency call handler, said: “You could be in the middle of a call and the computer system will fail – you have to go into the emergency screen, which is not conducive to good practice – it doesn’t help you with your call.
“I ended up in tears most days. And the pressure just builds up and it gets so bad. I had chest pain which I thought was a heart attack and I was admitted to hospital, but it was stress that was causing it, not heart pain.”
Paul Maloney, of the GMB union, said: “The trust has lost the confidence of the public and have lost the confidence of their employees and I think there should now be a public inquiry run by the health service select committee in parliament.
“These people are providing a service to the public and they are in well-paid positions. There are a few people within the trust that’s key to what happened and I don’t think they can be allowed to have responsibility for the running of the trust until there’s a proper full inquiry into this.”
In a statement, Secamb said: “We do recognise that system issues can cause frustration for staff but these matters are subject to review.
“Fortunately critical issues with the system are rare and the impact on patients is minimal. However, the trust is keen to improve the CAD’s reliability and is working hard to address this.”
A spokesman for the Department of Health said: “We await the full report from the CQC, but it seems clear that poor leadership at the South East Coast Ambulance Service has put safety at risk, which is totally unacceptable – patients and staff deserve better.
“The chief executive and the chairman at the trust have recently been replaced and we expect to see immediate improvements made.”
“We await the full report from the CQC, but it seems clear that poor leadership at the South East Coast Ambulance Service has put safety at risk, which is totally unacceptable – patients and staff deserve better.
“The chief executive and the chairman at the trust have recently been replaced and we expect to see immediate improvements made.”
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