Saturday 19th May 2012 - 9.30pm - Steve Parry.

A motorcyclist has died in a road traffic collision near Burton earlier this evening.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to Button Bridge, Burton at around 5.20pm. Two Midlands Air Ambulances from Cosford and Tatenhill, an ambulance, Incident Support Officer and a paramedic in a rapid response vehicle attended the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “Crews responded to a collision between a car and motorcycle.

“Despite the efforts of medics at the incident, nothing could be done to save the man and he was confirmed dead at the scene.”

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Saturday 19th May 2012 - 7.35am - Steve Parry.

Two people have been taken to hospital following a road traffic collision in upper Hulme, Leek, overnight. .

 West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to the A53 Buxton Road at approximately 1.45am.

Three ambulances, an incident support officer, paramedic in a rapid response vehicle and a BASICS doctor were sent to the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “On arrival at the scene crews found a two car collision.

“Ambulance crews treated one male in his twenties for serious leg injuries. A second male, thought to be in his twenties, received minor chest and abdominal injuries.   

“The patients were conveyed to University Hospital North Staffordshire for further assessment and treatment.”

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Saturday 19th May 2012 - 7.30am - Steve Parry.

Three people have been treated by ambulance crews following a fire in Stoke this morning.  

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to premises in High Street, Rookery at around 3.45am.

An ambulance, an incident support officer, paramedic in a rapid response vehicle and BASICS doctor attended the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “Three people were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

“Ambulance crews were first on the scene at the fire. A male and female in their twenties managed to escape the premises. They were treated at the scene by ambulance crews.

“A female in her fifties was led to safety by ambulance crews and treated for smoke inhalation. The patient was conveyed to the University Hospital North Staffordshire for further assessment and treatment.”

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Saturday 19th May 2012 - 7am - Steve Parry.

Two teenagers have been rescued from a rock face near a Malvern quarry last night (FRIDAY).  

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to a location near North End Quarry, Malvern, just before 10pm.   

An ambulance, an incident support officer and the Trust’s Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) joined Fire services and the local Rope Rescue teams at the scene.  

A West Midlands Ambulance Service Spokesman said: “Ambulance crews were called to the quarry location after reports that two people were in difficulty on a rock face.    

“It appears that the two teenagers got into difficulty approximately 180 metres up the rock face.

“The two males, aged 13 and 18 years, where eventually brought down to safety by the emergency services. They were treated for hypothermia before being taken by ambulance to Redditch Hospital for further assessment and treatment.”    

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Friday 18^th May 2012 – 4.45pm – Claire Thomas.

A teenage boy has been rescued and taken to hospital after reportedly falling 100 metres down a steep hill in Shropshire this afternoon.

The incident happened on the Wrekin in Telford at 12.45pm (Friday). A rapid response vehicle, a paramedic area support officer, an ambulance and paramedics from the Trust’s Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) were sent to the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “The responder paramedic arrived at the top of the hill to find the 13 year old boy approximately 100 metres below on the steep hillside. The responder requested assistance from HART and the fire service given the difficult location of the boy.

“The boy sustained a bump to his head and a suspected fractured ankle. Crews gave the boy pain relief to stabilise his condition before carefully immobilising his leg with a splint. The boy was then placed into a basket stretcher and pulled up to the top of the hill using a rope system by the fire service, with help and support from HART and ambulance staff.

“Once at the top, HART utilised its all-terrain vehicle ‘Polaris’ to transport the boy back down the hill to the awaiting ambulance. The boy was then taken to Princess Royal Hospital for further treatment.”

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Notes to Editors: The Polaris is a 6 wheeled drive vehicle that is capable of transporting staff, equipment and more importantly patients’ safety and securely over uneven ground.

Please credit West Midlands Ambulance Service if you use the photograph.

Friday 18^th May 2012 – 4.20am – Claire Thomas.

Four people have been taken to hospital, one by air ambulance, following a road traffic collision in Erdington this afternoon.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to reports of a two car crash on the Tyburn Road at 2.15pm (Thursday). Three ambulances, a rapid response vehicle, a paramedic area support officer and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Cosford with an emergency doctor on board were sent to the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Crews arrived to find two cars which had been involved in a crash. Three people were injured.

“A 28 year old woman sustained an abdominal injury and was treated by crews before being taken by land ambulance to Heartlands Hospital. A child from the same car was also assessed but fortunately suffered no injuries however the child did go to hospital with the woman.

“A woman, believed to be in her 60s, suffered a suspected ankle injury and a head injury. Her condition was stabilised and her injuries treated by crews and the doctor before she was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham for further assessment and treatment. The doctor travelled with the woman to hospital.

“A man, believed to be in his 70s, was treated on scene for a chest injury. Crews took the man by land ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.”

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Friday 18th May - 8.30am - Steve Parry.

A senior nursing officer has been appointed as a Non-executive Director of West Midlands Ambulance Service by the Appointments Commission.

Jacynth Gillespie will serve a four-year term as a Non-executive Director on the West Midlands Ambulance Service Trust Board from 1^st May 2012 to 2016.

Jacynth who lives in Birmingham, has over 25 years of NHS experience having started her career as a nurse, midwife and health visitor.  She progressed to become an executive director of clinical leadership within Solihull Primary Care Trust and acting Director of Nursing at the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority. In July 2011, Jacynth was appointed by WMAS to be their first clinical associate Non-executive Director.   

Speaking about her appointment, Jacynth Gillespie said: "West Midlands Ambulance Service has become the top performing ambulance Trust since it was formed in July 2006, and I am delighted to become involved in the continuing development of patient care."

Serving a population of 5.3 million, West Midlands Ambulance Service covers Staffordshire, Birmingham and the Black Country, Shropshire, Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, assisting people with life threatening and serious medical emergencies and providing urgent and planned healthcare and transport services.

The non-executive will be part of the Trust Board for four years with remuneration of £6,005 per annum.  The appointment have been made in accordance with the OCPA Code of Practice.

All non-executive appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees political activity (if any declared) to be made public. The non-executive director has not declared any political activity in the last five years and has no other ministerial appointments.

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Thursday 17th May 2012 - 8.30pm - Steve Parry.

Four people have been taken to hospital following a road traffic collision in Birmingham this evening.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to the A38 Aston Expressway, near the Matalan Island at approximately 6pm.

Four ambulances and a paramedic in a rapid response vehicle were sent to the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “Ambulance crews were sent to a road traffic collision on the Aston Expressway following reports of a three-car collision.   

“Four patients, including three travelling in one car were treated at the scene by ambulance crews and conveyed to hospital.

“A male in his twenties received wrist and ankle injuries. He was conveyed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. A male in his forties, was treated for chest and abdominal pain and taken to the City Hospital. A fourteen year old male was immobilised with the use of a neck collar and spinal board before being conveyed to Birmingham Children’s Hospital.”

“A male in his fifties travelling in a separate car was conveyed to City hospital with chest injuries.”

The incident blocked the Aston Expressway and the M6 northbound was also heavily congested.  

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Thursday 17^th May – 4.30pm – John Hawker.

The go ahead has now been given for a new Ambulance Service Community Ambulance Station in Kenilworth which will see advanced paramedics responding from their twenty-four hours a day to the local community.

The Community Response Post will be based within Jubilee House, and will see advanced ‘Community Paramedics’ with enhanced skills in a Rapid Response Vehicle being stationed in the town.  Five Community Paramedics will be based there on a rotational basis dedicated to the town and its immediate surrounding area, in addition to the previous level of ambulance cover in Kenilworth.

The go ahead comes after a successful nine month trial of the system where a rapid response vehicle was based in the town and now the official handover of the dedicated station has taken place.  Current Kenilworth Mayor Dave Shilton met WMAS Area Manager, Martyn Scott, to officially hand over the keys so the internal alterations can take place and make it operational as soon as possible. 

Councillor Shilton said: “We are very proud and delighted that West Midlands Ambulance Service has decided to locate a Community Ambulance Station at Jubilee House in Kenilworth.  It will be a huge benefit to all residents in Kenilworth and the surrounding area and we hope to see them up and running as soon as the alterations to the room have taken place and it is made fit for purpose.”

Martyn Scott, Area Manager for West Midlands Ambulance Service, said:  “By having more bases from which to respond to medical emergencies, we can get to patients in need far more quickly. The five paramedics that are to be based there will receive additional training, making them Advanced Paramedics, with additional skills in assessment, such as urine-testing and treatment procedures, such as wound care.

“Dedicated to Kenilworth and the immediate surrounding area and covering the town round-the-clock, the Community Paramedics are able to bring more A&E skills to the patient, instead of having to take patients to A&E.

“The old image of the ambulance service many years ago was that all they did was take patients to hospital; that ambulances and its staff didn’t do much treating, just transporting. I am delighted that this has changed and the aim now is to ultimately reduce the number of people we take to A&E with paramedics treating things like minor wounds and cuts at home without having to take the patient to hospital.

“We firmly believe that the public’s expectation of an ambulance taking every patient to an A&E should be a thing of the past. There are often more appropriate ways to treat a patient and these are better for patient and the NHS as a whole.”

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Note to Editors:

Pictures are all free to use by the media – Pictured is WMAS Area Manager Martyn Scott, with Kenilworth Mayor Dave Shilton, and Gayle Spencer, Business Enterprise Manager for Warwick District Council.

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Thursday 17^th May – 3.00pm – John Hawker.

CFR SCHEMES NEW WHEELS ROLL INTO ACTION

Volunteer lifesavers in Coventry and Warwickshire now have more mobility than ever thanks to taking delivery of several CFR (Community First Responder) scheme response cars.

Nine response cars are now fully operational in the area and are used by CFRs to get to 999 calls as soon as possible.  CFR’s are everyday members of the public who have been trained by West Midlands Ambulance Service in lifesaving techniques including the use of a defibrillator (a device which may restart the heart of someone who has suffered a cardiac arrest) and respond to emergencies in their local communities.

The CFRs may be sent by the ambulance service’s control room to medical emergencies while an ambulance resource is en-route. But, rather than travelling in their own cars, the volunteers who provide 24/7 cover, are now able to attend medical emergencies in a fully liveried car.  CFR Schemes that have cars at the moment are Studley (two cars), Henley in Arden, Gaydon, Oxhill, Ettington, Shipston on Stour, Rugby and Long Compton.

There are 19 CFR Schemes running in the Coventry and Warwickshire Area, with each one striving to have a scheme car available to use by its volunteers to help them get to emergencies as soon as possible.  In total 230 CFR’s respond to 999 calls in their communities in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Ian Inglesant, West Midlands Ambulance Service’s Community Response Manager for Coventry and Warwickshire said: said: “Getting these cars is a great boost for the Community First Responders schemes. It will help improve their ability to respond to patients who call 999.  As all the schemes are funded from donations and charity events, buying a car requires a lot of fundraising and hard work, but they can prove vital in saving people’s lives.”  Ian continued:”If you are interested in making a donation to any of the CFR Schemes or could provide a vehicle or perhaps free servicing or consumables (tyres etc) then I am sure the CFR schemes would love to hear from you.”

Community First Responders are everyday members of the public who have been trained by West Midlands Ambulance Service to a nationally recognised level and provide lifesaving treatment to people in their local communities. They provide vital aid quickly to those living in remote rural locations, prior to the arrival of full-time ambulance personnel.

West Midlands Ambulance Service has provided equipment for the cars, including the responder medical kit and a digital Airwave radio, which is found in all West Midlands Ambulance Service vehicles. The radio will allow CFRs to have direct communication with the ambulance service’s Emergency Operations Centre (control room) and other ambulance crews. The radio will also track the location of the car it is in, so when a 999 call is received within its local area, a CFR can be sent quickly to the scene.

If you are interested in becoming a Community First Responder in Coventry or Warwickshire, call Ian Inglesant, West Midlands Ambulance Service’s Community Response Manager on 07795 027 284, or call the CFR admin office on 01743 273677 or cfradmin@wmas.nhs.uk

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Note to Editors.

Photographs of the CFR Scheme Cars are attached with many of the CFR Volunteers.  The photograph was taken at Walton Hall & Hotel – Puma Hotels Collection.  We thank them for allowing us to use the venue for the pictures.  If you require any further information or an interview please contact Ian Inglesant on 07795 027 284.

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