Names:
Donna Dumighan
Lisa Smith
Job Title:
Dispatcher
Base:
Stafford
Length of service:
Donna – 5 ½ years
Lisa Smith – 9 years
Role within WMAS:
Dispatchers work within the Emergency Operations Centre and it is their role is to send resources to help patients. This could be an ambulance, rapid response vehicle, motorcycle, community first responder, etc.
All incidents are prioritised based on the answers given by the caller during the 999 call. The information provided to the call assessors during this call will determine what response the dispatcher sends and the time in which that response should ideally arrive. In a remote location, this could be a helicopter or a community first responder. In a city with lots of people, a motorcycle might get there in the quickest time.
The role of a dispatcher is extremely dynamic and ambulance resources are continuously monitored, using state of the art computer mapping technology, to ensure the quickest response is always sent.
Christmas day plans:
Donna and Lisa will both be working a night shift on Christmas Eve meaning their shift will finish at 7am on Christmas day. Most of their Christmas morning will be spent asleep but they will be attempting to wake up in time for their Christmas dinner.
Choose Well – Self Care
A lot of illnesses can be treated in your home by using over the counter medicine and getting plenty of rest. Sadly too many people still dial 999 for conditions that would previously have been treated with self-care. For the vast majority of people all that you need to deal with a range of common illnesses such as colds and flu and minor injuries is a combination of a well-stocked medicine cupboard and plenty of rest. Examples of the ailments best treated by yourself include:
• Common cold and cough
• Flu
• Grazed knee
• Hangover
• Headache
• Sore throat
Check out NHS Choices http://www.nhs.uk for more information.