“They went to A&E for what?!” A series of comedy shorts from NHS North West highlighting incorrect use of A&E. All the examples are based on real-life cases!
“They went to A&E for what?!”
Category: NHS
London Ambulance Service and GoodSAM app team up
Getting to the heart of the matter: London Ambulance Service and GoodSAM app team up to provide additional voluntary help to cardiac arrest patients across the Capital
The London Ambulance Service (LAS) is embarking on an exciting new partnership with the internationally acclaimed GoodSAM app, in which clinically trained ambulance staff and members of the public with basic life support skills trained to an LAS standard, can now sign up as volunteers to respond to life-threatening emergency calls, including cardiac arrests.
The GoodSAM app uses GPS technology to alert trained first responders to nearby life-threatening emergencies.
The sooner effective Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is started, the better the chance of survival for the patient. If a defibrillator is readily available, patients are six times as likely to survive.
Volunteer responders with basic life support skills who are affiliated or trained to an LAS Standard should register on the GoodSAM app selecting London Ambulance Service as the verifying organisation. Those who are not LAS trained or affiliated should select GoodSAM as the verifying organisation.
Funded by the Centre for Social Action Innovation Fund, supported by Nesta and the Cabinet Office, this ground-breaking project will initially see the mobilisation of clinically trained London Ambulance Service volunteer responders – paramedics for example – who can respond to alerts via the GoodSAM App on their smartphone about life-threatening calls.
The volunteer responder will attend in addition to the normal emergency ambulance response, which is deployed to life-threatening calls.
When an emergency call is directed to the London Ambulance Service Emergency Operations Centre and it is classified to be of a life-threatening nature, details will automatically be sent through to the GoodSAM app, which will alert the nearest volunteer responder who has registered with the app.
If the responder is available and has already been approved through the governance process administered by London Ambulance Service for its own staff and members of the public with basic life support skills trained to an LAS standard, they can accept the alert via the GoodSAM app and make their way to the location of the incident.
If the volunteer responder is not in a position to accept the alert, it can be declined and will get diverted through to the next nearest responder.
The responder will also be advised of the location of the nearest defibrillator. When a public access defibrillator is used in cardiac arrest, the overall survival rate to discharge is 58.6 per cent.
Chris Hartley-Sharpe, Head of First Responders at London Ambulance Service said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the GoodSAM team. It’s a well-established fact that the sooner effective CPR is started, the better the chance of survival for the patient. Getting a defibrillator to someone in cardiac arrest further increases their chance of survival.
“By working with GoodSAM, we have introduced an integrated and seamless approach that will enable our volunteer responders to be alerted via the GoodSAM app to a patient in cardiac arrest nearby.
“For example, if our control room receives a 999 call about someone in cardiac arrest on Bond Street, an alert would go to the nearest volunteer responder via the GoodSAM app.
“They could accept the alert and make their way to the patient. It is important to stress the responder is an additional resource to the emergency ambulance response, which is deployed as normal to a patient in cardiac arrest.
“While we are actively encouraging our own clinically trained staff and LAS accredited members of the public to sign up as volunteer responders, we are also working with other emergency services to help promote the GoodSAM app to their staff. They too would need to demonstrate that they had the skills required to be a volunteer responder.”
Dr Mark Wilson, GoodSAM’s Medical Director, said: “If a patient has a cardiac arrest or a traumatic head injury, it is the first few minutes after the incident that determine the outcome – life, death, or long-term brain injury.
“But in this time frame, we could never have enough ambulances to be on scene and able to provide treatment within two minutes. That is why we need to alert people with the right life support training skills.
“We are delighted that the London Ambulance Service has partnered with us and would urge other organisations and medically trained individuals around the world to continue to do so as well.”
Despite pressures on the London Ambulance Service, the average response time to cardiac arrest patients is 7 minutes 38 seconds, well within the eight minute target time.
Problem parking can cost vital seconds
Problem parking can cost vital seconds
October 2015
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) is reminding motorists to park sensibly to avoid obstructing routes that could cause delays to emergency vehicles.
In an emergency situation seconds lost can cost lives and it is vital that our staff and responder volunteers can get to the scene of an incident as quickly as possible.
Following a recent incident at Durdle Door, Dorset, a vehicle causing an obstruction meant that crews had to abandon their vehicle and continue to a casualty on foot. Fortunately in this instance a first responder was already providing treatment to the patient.
SWASFT’s director of operations, Neil Le Chevalier, added: “Parking inappropriately can lead to delays in our crews getting to the scene of an incident. In an emergency situation, where seconds really can make a huge difference to the outcome for our patients, it is vital that we are able to get there as quickly as possible. I would urge the public when parking vehicles in narrow roads to have a look around and think about whether there would be enough space for an emergency vehicle to get through.”
Simple steps to prevent falls
SCAS says take simple steps to prevent falls
With autumn not too far away, South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) is encouraging everyone to take steps to avoid slips, trips and falls.
Everyone is at risk of falling, slipping or tripping over. These accidents can result in fractures and can lead to serious injury and even death.
However, there are simple measures people can take at home and in other settings to prevent falls.
Avoiding falls at home by:
· Removing clutter, trailing wires and frayed carpet;
· Use non-slip mats and rugs;
· Not walking on slippery floors in socks or tights;
· Wearing well-fitting shoes with good grip;
· Organising your home so that climbing, stretching and bending are kept to a minimum.
By adopting some of these helpful tips into a daily routine, people can also integrate regular strength and balance exercises to minimize the chance of falling over.
Keeping active with activities including Tai Chi, gardening and dancing are great ways to boost your core strength and counteract muscle deterioration.
Mark Browning, Technician, SCAS, explained: “Falls are the most common cause of accidental death or serious injury amongst older people. They affect about one third of all people over 65 and in very elderly people (over 85) this figure is nearly 40%. They cause injury, restrict activity, destroy confidence, increase isolation and reduce independence. As age advances, the incidence of falls increases, with women more likely to sustain a fracture than men.
“An ageing population means that the rate of falls and fractures are increasing. With light activity, walking, gentle exercise, healthy nutrition etc this will help reduce the risk if injury from falling. All falls should be reported to your GP.”
Other avenues of available care to help falls prevention include asking your GP to review your medicines annually if you’re on long term medication, ensuring you have regular sight tests and requesting a home hazard assessment from your local authority.
Who will treat you – Scottish Ambulance
Who will treat you
As soon as we have enough information and we believe you need immediate medical treatment, we will send help.
There are a number of ways in which we respond, depending on the circumstances:
Emergency Ambulance
Frontline emergency ambulances with a crew of two, one of which will be a paramedic, respond to the majority of emergency calls. Ambulance Technicians and Paramedics are trained to deal with life threatening illnesses and injuries. We carry a full range of medical equipment on our ambulances, including electrocardiogram (ECG) machines to monitor a patient’s heart and defibrillators which can restart the heart if a patient goes into cardiac arrest.
Paramedic Response Unit (PRU)
Paramedic Response Units are normally crewed by a paramedic working on their own. They will go to patients by car or motorcycle and carry all of the life saving equipment needed in a medical emergency. In life threatening situations, they can provide a vital, fast response and they will be backed up by an emergency ambulance that can take you to hospital.
Special Operations Team (SORT)
Specialised Paramedics, Technicians and Logistics Staff trained to gain access and administer care for patients in hazardous or difficult environments and at the scene of major incidents. SORT also deploy to provide paramedical support for other agencies involved in potentially hazardous environments.
Community Paramedics
These are paramedics who have undertaken extra clinical training. They are able to thoroughly investigate a patient’s condition and situation and then make a qualified decision about the best way to progress their treatment. They often work with minor injuries units and out of hours doctor services and can refer patients to the most appropriate care if a visit to hospital is not required.
Air Ambulance
We operate two emergency helicopters and two fixed wing planes. They are often asked to assist at incidents where there may problems with inaccessible terrain or where a very fast evacuation to hospital is preferable to a journey by road ambulance.
Community First Responders
These are members of the community who have been trained to provide first aid and other medical skills while the ambulance is on its way to you. They are able to deliver treatments that are time critical, such as using a shock box in cardiac cases.
BASICS Responders (British Association of Immediate Care)
BASICS Responders are Doctor’s, Nurses and Paramedics who have received additional Pre-Hospital Emergency Training through BASICS Scotland. Each of the Responders are provided with a Sandpiper Medical/Trauma Response bag and access to a Defibrillator. Many Responders have also been issued with an Ambulance Service Airwave Radio and a Vehicle Locater System to allow contact and best resourcing via their Emergency Medical Dispatch Centre.
Paramedic Clinical Advisor
If the incident is not life threatening, you may be passed by telephone to one of our Paramedic Clinical Advisors, or to NHS 24, who will give you assistance or point you in the right direction for help.
Whatever your reason for calling us, the Emergency Medical Call Taker who answers your call will ensure that you receive the most appropriate response and liaise with other services and professionals where necessary.
London to get a second air ambulance helicopter
London to get second air ambulance
Image copyright Matthew Bell
A second air ambulance for London has been purchased, the charity that runs the service has said.
The aircraft should arrive from Qatar this week and be in use by early next year after modifications, a spokeswoman for London’s Air Ambulance said.
About £3m was raised for the purchase and conversion costs.
It means when one helicopter is being maintained, London will still be served by a traffic-beating aircraft.
The second emergency medical helicopter – a used MD902 Explorer – was paid for by donations to the Your London, Your Helicopter campaign which aims to raise a target of £6m to keep it flying for five years.
The helicopters will alternate taking an advanced trauma team to critically injured people.
The spokeswoman said last year there was an accumulated total of 55 days when the charity’s helicopter could not be used because of maintenance work.
London Air Ambulance boss Graham Hodgkin said it was a “truly exciting development for London and the biggest step-change” in the service resilience in the charity’s history.
Image copyright London’s Air AmbulanceLondon’s Air Ambulance facts
- Founded in 1989, it has treated more than 30,000 critically injured people
- It serves the 10 million people who live, work and holiday within the M25
- It operates in partnership with Barts Health NHS Trust and London Ambulance Service
- In 2014, it treated 1,806 patients: 33% from road traffic incidents, 27% from falls and 24% from penetrating trauma including stabbings and shootings
Choose Well within the NHS
A very nicely put together video explaining how to choose the right sector of urgent care within the NHS
