SECAmb NEWS ISSUE 1 www.SECAmb.nhs.uk OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY Read more on page 14 SECAmb NEWS FIRST EDITION - AUGUST 2012 OLYMPIC SPECIAL ✚ IN THE SPOTLIGHT WITH PAUL MANNING ✚ MAKE READY EDITORIAL CONTENTS CONTENTS EDITORIAL 14 CONTRIBUTORS Welcome to the first edition of the new staff magazine which will Editor: Liz Spiers be brought to you every other month. Assistant editor and writer: Clare Dyson It’s been a hectic few months bringing the magazine together, Administrator: Gerda Murdoch planning and deciding its content, look and feel. Reflections: Dave Wells We wanted to bring to you a magazine which not only provided Journal Scan editor: Dr Jane Pateman interesting articles but also provoked discussion and debate. 9 Liz Spires 16 Photographer: Peter Cripps This is why there will be regular features such as the journal scan Editorial Board: which will both support staff’s continual professional development and also encourage Cover image: CTL, Paul Everest and Nicola Brooks, Andy Collen, Barbara Tree, Matt debate on relevant topics within the emergency care field. Paramedic Practitioner, Jeannette Yeoell. England, Dave Wells, Warwick Avery, Craig Mortimer CONTENTS Photographer: Peter Cripps We will also bring to you peer reviewed articles written by our staff and, for the first time, SECAmb NEWS ISSUE 1 Readers’ Focus Group: be incorporating Reflections within the staff magazine which will be linked to a dedicated Mark Gregson, Sarah Wood, Phil Hamerton, Chris Blewett, Edward Jones, Karen Ramnauth, Roy section on the Staff Zone (www.secamb.nhs.uk/staff_zone/news/reflections.aspx) with NEWS & VIEWS REFLECTIONS FEATURES Nightingale, Jeffrey Overton, Nigel Sweet, Angela other Reflection articles for you to read. Rayner, Ellen Lawson, Hannah Rothstein, Mark With clinical audit such an important tool in ensuring that we are doing the very best by 3 Editorial 18 Case Study 12 Preparing for the Olympics Lamble, William Bellamy, Loraine Hurley, Jill MacKman our patients, every edition will feature information about up and coming audits as well as Awards Asthma Our Torch Carriers their findings. 4 News 19 Case Study Deployed to the Games We also hope to bring you informative, in-depth features about Trust business as well as Cat A Performance Non Conveyance Risk 16 Why HART? career features on individuals who work for the Trust. Changes to Cat A target 20 Case Study HART West Goes Live National Awards for Staff Girl’s Bravery Recognised Serving Best Interests 24 Test Your Knowledge But remember, this is your magazine, so if you have any suggestions about how we can of Patients Asthma make it even better, then I would be only too happy to hear from you. 6 In Focus 21 Case Study Letters, Board Highlights, Diary 25 Peer Review Have you got a great feature idea or have you been involved in an incident which other Hypothermic Risks Patient Assessment: 7 Reference staff could benefit from through a reflective article? And remember they don’t always 22 Case Study a reflective case study Journal Scan have to be about the bad jobs! Back Injury 26 Career Focus 8 Feature Analysis If you would like to get in touch, email me at [email protected]. 23 Case Study Paul Manning Interview Make Ready Review Diabetic Risks 27 How To Guide Enjoy! 9 Clinical Analysis Reflective Writing Clinical Audit 11 Feature Analysis Staff Survey CONTACTING SECAmb NEWS Telephone: 07554 438376 Email: [email protected] 2 SECAmb NEWS ✚ ISSUE 1 3 NEWS & ANALYSIS NEWS NEWS & ANALYSIS Of the calls received, 264,500 were Category A calls and 424,200 were Surprised at having received the award, Darren Trust Reaches More Life- Category C calls. said: “They thought I’d done a fair bit, but I just think of it as me really.You’ve got to push However, a significant number of calls are now being handled more yourself.” Threatened Patients appropriately, with 26,100 calls in 2011/12 receiving telephone advice, Meanwhile Dave Fletcher was one of only five The Trust has again performed well against national performance stand- compared to 9,200 the previous year. ambulance personnel to receive the Queen’s ards, reaching more life-threatened patients than ever before. Chief Executive, Paul Sutton, said: “We realise that response time Medal. This medal, along with his AACE award, performance is only one dimension of performance and needs to be SECAmb was the second best performing ambulance trust nationally, both reflect his pioneering work around Pro- seen against clinical outcomes but it remains key to patient experience. From left to right, Dave Fletcher and Darren Foskett reaching 77.6 per cent of Category A calls within 8 minutes during tocol C, the resuscitation technique based on Therefore, it is still one of our key performance measures and so is an 2011/12. Only North East Ambulance Service did better, reaching 77.9 compressions only CPR, trialled by SECAmb. per cent within 8 minutes. outstanding achievement which outlines the excellent care patients in our region receive. With the introduction of NHS Pathways last year and Executive. Working alongside Consultant Cardiologist, The Trust also did well against the Cat A 19-minute standard, with 98.1 National Awards the recent announcement that we are the preferred bidder for the new Darren was recognised for his professional Professor Douglas Chamberlain – who per cent of patients requiring a transporting ambulance, receiving one NHS 111 service in our region, I’m confident that we have a sound foun- achievements which include re-writing the was instrumental in Protocol C – Dave has within 19 minutes. SECAmb was the third best performing Trust behind The year has seen two members of staff win dation to improve the service we provide even more in the future.” Bronze Commander course now used across helped support a dramatic increase in the only London and again, North East. prestigious national awards. the country. resuscitation survival rates across our region. Find out more: the performance of ambulance trusts for Darren Foskett and Dave Fletcher both The performance is testament to the hard work and commitment of Dave, who has now retired, said: “I’d like to 2011/12 and previous years is available to download at scooped awards for ‘outstanding service’ from He was also noted for his personal staff as the numbers of emergency calls continue to increase. Last year, pass on my thanks to everyone I’ve worked http://bit.ly/M9WkYT. the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives determination after being diagnosed with a the Trust received 688,700 calls compared to 653,900 the previous year. with at SECAmb and pay tribute to Professor (AACE), with Dave also receiving the Queen’s tumour on his left lung in December 2010. Chamberlain who has been a real inspiration Ambulance Service Medal. Undeterred by this potentially life-changing to me. The real award and privilege for me of For RED 1 calls, the clock start time remains the more 999 calls are being dealt with through It was the first time the AACE held national event, Darren returned to work just a few course is to read report after report of the lives Changes to same, but the target has increased from 75 per Hear and Treat. awards for outstanding service, with weeks after his operation to continue in his SECAmb staff have saved. One can ask of no cent to 80 per cent. In the letter to ambulance Head of Operational Planning, Rob Mason said: nominations received from each trust’s Chief team leader duties. more from any career!” Cat A Target chiefs, Director of Performance, Alan Hall, said: “These changes will help us focus on the most “This will ensure that patients who require serious life critical emergencies first, buying us The Department of Health recently wrote to emergency ambulance care will continue to a little time to determine the most appropriate ambulance chiefs in England calling on them to receive the most rapid response.” response for the remainder. provide trajectories for achieving 80 per cent of Make Ready has been shortlisted in the However for RED 2 calls, a new clock start “We are already seeing more patients being SECAmb joins Carbon RED 1 calls within 8 minutes from April 2013. Efficiency in Estates category and UHU in the time has been introduced to allow for a cared for over the phone or face-to-face with NEWS IN BRIEF Management Programme In June this year, the Department of Health more appropriate ambulance response to be Workforce Efficiency category. Paramedic Practitioners, and this is freeing up THE Trust is one of 24 public sector introduced changes in the way Category A calls considered based on the patient’s clinical need. Trust gets tweeting more time for crews to be available to respond Winners will be announced at an awards organisations taking action to reduce its should be handled. Category A calls were split You can now keep up-to-date with what’s For such calls, the clock will start when the to the most serious cases. It’s early days, but dinner on Tuesday, 25 September. carbon footprint and aiming to cut 25 per cent into two parts, RED 1 and RED 2, with the most happening in the Trust through Twitter. location and chief complaint or primary reason the changes seem to be having the desired off its energy bill over the next five years. critical patients being classed as RED 1. has been identified. effect.” Followers to our public account via 24/7 Paramedic Practitioner Taking part in the programme should result @SECAmbulance, are now enjoying Olympic Desk for all SECAmb EOCs Alongside these changes, the Department of The measures introduced in June this year are To find out more about the changes in large savings in terms of both money and updates to job vacancies tweets.