ISSUE 13 sirennewsletter for the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust foreign adventures page 2 leap for harry page 4 chain of survival page 8 insight page 9 alan murray says.... which stood covered in dust which The Trust is going through a difficult season, with activity up siren had not been used for years but by almost 16% on last year. We expect seasonal activity growth which could be repaired and used for around Christmas and the New Year, but this is both earlier the service in the town of Mbale itself. and much higher than forecast. Falls, breathing difficulties spirit of adventure and chest pains have all risen in incidence and most of our Another bonus followed when staff at a health clinic agreed that an additional patients do seem to be sick. This problem is affecting ambulance which they had available ambulance services throughout the UK. contents could be put to wider use. The staffing situation in South East and Central & West regions has also contributed to the local pressures. If you have seen the The two colleagues also discussed Pages 2 and 3: notice the Trust has issued, you will know that we have a joint how a scheme similar to the First management and staff side plan to remedy this. This plan also Foreign tales | Alan Murray Responder scheme in this country in addresses the issue of covering shifts and providing additional Pages 4 and 5: which volunteers are trained to assist resources in the short term. casualties, could be set up in the local Having spoken to many of you, I am well aware of the Leap for Harry communities. In that respect, too, the pressures you are facing – managers and staff, mobile and Page 6: response was very positive and so a control. I want to reassure you that we will be taking joint action training programme is expected to with NHS partners to seek ways of managing the activity growth Meet the board | Making a follow. safely and appropriately and dealing with its other effects, difference “The way PONT works is to create including congestion in A&E departments. Page 7: sustainable improvements and not to I would like to thank all of you for the hard work you have Praise for Police try to introduce a quick-fix, and that is been doing to cope with these difficulties. I appreciate what Page 8: why we want to ensure that there are control, EMS, HDS and PCS staff have done to keep services enough trainers in place,” said Julian, running and would ask you to continue working with us over the Air Ambulance | Chain of survival who has been in the ambulance next few weeks until we can put new staffing in place. Pages 9 and 10: service since 1989. I would also draw particular attention to the role of operations Insight “We really didn’t expect to make such managers, who have worked hard over the past several months progress and it was very satisfying to manage major problems such as extended turnaround times to be able to get so much done,” said at A&E departments. I appreciate that we will be placing heavy Julian. reliance on you to keep things moving over the next few weeks, Since returning he has been supporting the filling of key shifts and providing operational encouraging other colleagues to support to staff on the front line. the comms Out of Africa: Andrew Pipien, left, and Julian Newton support the work and several have I’m glad to say that my second issue is more upbeat. By the team expressed an interest in visiting time this message goes out, the transition to Vantage Point Uganda. Everyone who visits pays House, our new clinical contact centre in South East Wales, will A deprived region of Uganda may soon It was set up to link Pontypridd with ambulance service. Communications have its own ambulance service thanks to Mbale, providing professionals and their own costs. be complete. As I write, Gwent Out-of-Hours and NHS Direct During the visit he and Andrew, 43, a Manager Sue two ambulancemen from South Wales. organisations to improve standards of Andrew said he was keen to go after south east have settled in and Mamhilad Control has just Appleton. technician, were introduced to health migrated without serious problems. The staff are very impressed Julian Newton and Andrew Pipien, both health, education and other services. visiting Uganda on a backpacking 01745 532948 and council officials with whom links had by the quality of their new workplace and the level of support from Pontypridd, returned from a 10-day To date over 100 visits have been made, holiday about 14 years ago. 07887 800989 already been forged. they were given in the move. Vantage Point House is the most visit to the Mbale region amazed at the and the latest party included engineers as “I’d never done anything like it before and “Of all the countries I visited in Africa visible sign of our commitment to manage unscheduled and well as Julian and Andrew. Deputy progress they had been able to make in it was pretty daunting. All we expected I was struck by the friendliness of the emergency care more appropriately in future. It will allow us Communications launching the scheme. Julian, 41, who is a paramedic supervisor to do on our first visit was to explore people of Uganda so I told Julian I to lift the constraints that result in too many people getting an Manager Richard The two friends travelled with other with the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS the possibilities but we achieved much would go with him,” he said. Timothy. inappropriate emergency ambulance response and a journey Trust, was asked to go by his friend, local more than that and the whole thing went 01495 765404 representatives of the Partnerships One of his projects now is to raise to A&E and start providing an individualised response to each 07515 191347 Overseas Networking Trust (PONT) GP Dr Geoff Lloyd, with a view to seeing fantastically well,” said Julian. about £7,000 to purchase a third caller building on the significant progress we have already made scheme. what could be done to establish a basic They were shown an old ambulance ambulance for the region. on these issues. If 999 patient journeys had increased last year Communications in line with 999 calls instead of reducing in number, we would Officer Adam have transported 17,000 more people to A&E. Improvements in Johnson NHS Direct triage reduced hospital visits further by an estimated 01745 532996 land of the lord of the rings 10,000. 07824 499379 A North Gwynedd Paramedic has turned his crews so it’s a highly responsible role. Vantage Point House is unique in the UK in having EMS and career upside down on an educational break “Kiwis are very active so the weekend can PCS controls, NHS Direct and GP Out-of-Hours all in the one with the New Zealand St John Ambulance. see you being called to various motor sport contact centre. It lays the foundations for a single point of Colin Ashton, of Bangor, said: “I’d always events or surf lifesaving competitions.” access for South East Wales and it truly is something to celebrate. wanted to spend some time in New Zealand The Bangor ambulance man is currently I’d like to thank the people who made this major development and thought what better way to experience based in a town called Whakatane in the Bay possible, including the ICT and Programme Management a culture than to live and work there. departments, the South East Regional Team and all the many of Plenty, on the North Island, a location that Now I have just applied for a career break managers and staff from across Wales (and in particular the If you have any comments or ideas about the feels home-from-home to Colin. magazine or suggestions about how it can extension until July 2009. existing controls) who played their part in the project. He said: “Kiwis have a similar sense of improve than please contact a member of the “New Zealand is very much like North editorial team.This is your magazine and if you Wales but on a larger scale and has a similar humour and culture to us so it’s kind of like are reading it and thinking that it doesn’t address Losing a colleague is always painful and my thoughts outdoor lifestyle without the Welsh weather North Wales here except I live by one of the issues that you feel are important, then it is down nicest beaches in New Zealand; the sand is go out to Lucy and Nia Ronchetti, who have lost a much to you to contact your regional representative so it felt like home.” literally in my garden.” loved husband and daddy. Lucy and, when she’s old and tell them about it. Any stories or ideas are Colin first joined the Welsh Ambulance enough, Nia, will always treasure the great kindness and also welcomed so please contribute and make He added: “Here I often use my full skill Service in December 2004 and qualified love they received from all Nick’s colleagues. The regard this your magazine. set and seeing a child recover from life- as an Ambulance Technician within a year. which they had for him was both touching and inspiring. Shortly afterwards he began his Paramedic threatening asthma or a severe head injury This should be a much needed reminder to all of us Course and became a paramedic after 18 because of my intervention is reward that we have the great good fortune to work with some months of training.