Shaunna Farley – Friday 27th November 2020 – 10:10am.
For most people, 2020 has not been the best of years, but as we approach the year end and you are looking for motivation for a better 2021, then hearing about what Kelleigh Ash has achieved in just 12 months since joining West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) will undoubtedly boost your morale.
After joining the service in May 2019 as a Patient Transport Service (PTS) apprentice, Kelleigh’s list of achievements has grown at a rapid rate. The first obstacle she overcame was passing her driving test which meant she could begin driving PTS ambulances to collect patients and take them to and from essential hospital appointments. With that experience behind her, Kelleigh’s progress continued as she joined the Trust’s High Dependency Unit (HDU).
The High Dependency Unit is part of the Patient Transport Service and mainly involves hospital transfers and the collection of patients who a GP has seen and has asked for them to be taken to hospital, either to the Emergency Department or a Medical Assessment Unit. These staff have additional training to the standard PTS crews which allows them to take observations and check that there are no significant changes to the patient whilst en-route. They carry out monitoring using the likes of blood pressures and pulse readings and their ambulance is equipped with a defibrillator and oxygen.
Just a few months into her apprenticeship, Kelleigh attended a motorbike accident that happened near the PTS Hub she was based at in Coventry. Upon seeing the RTC, Kelleigh and her crewmate, Amanda, leapt into action. Rather than panicking or being overawed by the situation, she put the skills she had learnt during her first eight weeks with the service to good use to help provide the best level of patient care possible. So much so, that her work that day resulted in Kelleigh receiving a Chief Officer’s Commendation from Trust Chief Executive, Anthony Marsh.
Not content with that, Kelleigh has continued to show a determination to progress and has completed her C1 driving licence theory test and is awaiting a date to complete the practical element. She has done this as she is about to embark on her Advanced Ambulance Practitioner Training in order to become a Trainee Technician with the service.
Kelleigh said: “I’m in disbelief at how much I’ve been able to achieve this year, although I take pride in the fact that I’ve worked so hard for this and I must say, none of this would have been possible without the support of my amazing PTS team. I’m really looking forward to progressing even further with my career in WMAS and I really hope I can inspire other people to chase their goals!”
Michelle Brotherton, Head of Patient Transport Service said “It’s great to hear about Kelleigh’s achievements and progression at the service since joining as one of our Patient Transport Service apprentices. I wish her the best in her further progression with the service and in becoming a Trainee Technician.”
There are lots of opportunities to join West Midlands Ambulance Service, if you would like to find out more about the roles available, visit https://wmas.nhs.uk/careers-staff-room/
Ends.