Month: October 2021

Claire Brown – Monday 25^th October 2021 – 8.45am.

One man has died, and another is in a serious condition in hospital following a house fire in Wolverhampton in the early hours of today.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called by the fire service at 2.02am this morning (Monday) to reports of a house fire on Bushbury Lane, Oxley. Three paramedic officers, three ambulances, Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) paramedics and a MERIT Trauma doctor and critical care paramedic attended the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Ambulance crews arrived to find fire colleagues rescuing two occupants, two men, from the property. The two men were in a critical condition and ambulance crews immediately commenced advanced treatment on scene. One man was conveyed on blue lights to New Cross Hospital in a serious condition for further emergency care. Sadly, despite the best efforts of ambulance staff and fire colleagues, nothing could be done to save the second man and he was confirmed dead on scene.”

ENDS  

Shaunna Farley – Friday 22nd October – 10.00am.

Bosses at West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) are urging defibrillator owners to register their devices on a new national database called The Circuit so that more lives can be saved.

Each year in the West Midlands, there are around 3,700 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, yet just 7% of those patients will survive. However, if the patient gets immediate CPR and early defibrillation the chance of survival can more than double! Every minute that passes without CPR or the use of a defibrillator reduces the chances of survival by up to 10%.

Sadly, the UK’s low survival rate is in part because public access defibrillators are used in less than one in 10 out of hospital cardiac arrests. 

This is often because 999 call assessors aren’t always aware that a defibrillator is available nearby, because the ambulance service hasn’t been told about it. If they don’t know it is there, they can’t direct someone at the scene to retrieve it while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

To help save more lives, WMAS is urging people who own and maintain defibrillators in places such as offices, communities, shopping centres and leisure centres, as well as in public places – to register them on a database called The Circuit: The national defibrillator network which is run by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) with the backing of NHS England.

The Circuit was introduced in the West Midlands last year and allows the Service to see defibrillators that are registered.

It is therefore vital that as many defibrillators as possible are registered on the database for it to work effectively. 

It is estimated that there are thousands of defibrillators across the West Midlands which are still to be registered on The Circuit. To make sure opportunities to save lives aren’t being missed, WMAS and the BHF are calling on everyone who has a defibrillator to make sure it is registered on The Circuit

The Circuit could help to save thousands of lives – but it is vital that as many defibrillators as possible are registered on the database for it to work effectively.  It is estimated that there are tens of thousands of defibrillators which are still to be registered on the new system in the UK. To make sure opportunities to save lives aren’t being missed, the organisations are aiming to see 70,000 additional defibrillators unknown to The Circuit registered by the end of the year. 

Anthony Marsh, Chief Executive of West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS), said: “We know from other countries like Denmark that where there are more defibrillators available, more lives can be saved.  We also know that there are potentially thousands of defibrillators in the West Midlands that we simply don’t know about.  

“By registering your defibrillator on The Circuit, we will be able to direct members of the public to them when there is a cardiac arrest nearby.  By registering your defib, you will become part of a lifesaving team.”

It’s free to register your defibrillator onto The Circuit, and you only have to do it once. You can also register multiple defibrillators if you are the guardian to more than one.

Visit TheCircuit.UK for more information or to register your defibrillator.  

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation, said: “Every second counts when someone has a cardiac arrest and, alongside CPR, prompt use of a defibrillator is critical in giving them the best chance of survival. To put it simply, knowing where the nearest defibrillator is could be the difference between life and death.

“The Circuit is pioneering technology which will help emergency services direct bystanders more quickly to a defibrillator when someone collapses with a cardiac arrest. But for The Circuit to save lives, it is vital that the tens of thousands of unregistered defibrillators across the UK are put on the system.

“If you, or somebody you know is a defibrillator guardian, then we urge you to register your device on The Circuit. You could help save a life.”

Ends.

For more information and to arrange interviews, contact pressoffice@wmas.nhs.uk  

Jamie Arrowsmith – Thursday 21^st October 2021 – 2.15pm.

West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) is teaming up with the The Prince’s Trust to host an online careers event for anyone aged 16-30 who is unemployed or currently working or studying less than 14 hours per week.

The event, which will take place online at 4pm on Thursday 4^th November, is aimed at giving an introduction into careers available within the ambulance service.

As well as hearing about different options and career routes at West Midlands Ambulance Service, the session will also allow participants to learn more about The Prince’s Trust and the support it can offer, such as help with writing CVs, interview techniques and how to fill in an application form.

WMAS Recruitment Manager, Louise Jones, said: “This is a really good opportunity for people who are looking for employment to come and find out more about various roles we can offer and exactly what those jobs entail.

“We are really keen to tailor the event to those who wish to take part, so anyone who registers a place will be sent a form asking exactly what it is they want to get out of the event.

“It is important for us to make sure we are answering the questions potential employees want answering, allowing us to help young unemployed people within our community.”

Kay Bradley, Health and Social Care Youth Development Lead, added: “This is a great opportunity to see what roles West Midlands Ambulance Service has to offer.

“Additional to that, The Prince’s Trust will be there to support you on your journey, from application to interview and for six months post programme support, regardless of your interview outcome.

“One of our past participants of the programme told me ‘I greatly appreciate the assistance of The Prince’s Trust in the application stage, I have no doubt that your help made my application stand out from the rest.’

“We are really pleased to be working in partnership with WMAS and look forward to attending this event.”

The session will take place on Microsoft Teams and last for approximately 90 minutes. It will feature presentations from both WMAS and The Prince’s Trust whilst there will also be the chance to ask questions of representatives from both organisations.

To register for the event, please email recruitment@wmas.nhs.uk.

ENDS

Jordan Eggington – Monday 18^th October 2021 – 8.40am.

Two women have been conveyed to hospital after being involved in a road traffic collision in Stratford-Upon-Avon.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called at 7:27pm last night (Sunday) to reports a car had left the road and hit a wall, before coming into collision with two pedestrians on Bridge Foot in the town. Two ambulances, a paramedic officer, the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance and Midlands Air Ambulance critical care cars attended the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Crews arrived at the scene to find two women, both pedestrians, with potentially serious injuries from the incident.

“They were treated for their injuries at the scene before being conveyed to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire for further treatment.

“A third patient, a man who witnessed the crash, was assessed and discharged on scene.”

ENDS

Claire Brown – Friday 15^th October 2021 – 9.30am.

A pedestrian is in a serious condition in hospital following a collision with a car in Burton-On-Trent in the early hours of today.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to Station Street, Burton-On-Trent at 3.17am this morning (Friday). An ambulance, paramedic officer, a MERIT trauma doctor and critical care paramedic attended the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Crews arrived on scene to find a pedestrian, a man, being given excellent first aid by police colleagues. The man had sustained serious injuries. Crews took over treatment to administer advanced trauma care to stabilise his condition before he was conveyed on blue lights to Royal Stoke University Hospital for further emergency care.”

Jordan Eggington – Thursday 14^th October – 8:40am.

A pedestrian has been conveyed to the Major Trauma Centre at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham after being involved in a road traffic collision in Worcester yesterday afternoon.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called at 4:11pm on Wednesday to reports of an RTC involving a car and pedestrian at the junction of Copenhagen Street and Deansway in the city. One ambulance, a paramedic officer and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Strensham attended the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Crews arrived to find the pedestrian, a woman, with serious injuries from the collision.

“She was given advanced trauma care on scene and was conveyed by land ambulance to Birmingham’s QE on blue lights and sirens, with treatment continuing enroute.”

ENDS

Shaunna Farley – Tuesday 12^th October – 09.00am.

One man has sadly died and another has sustained serious injuries after a road traffic collision involving a car and a motorbike last night.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called at 6.12pm to Exhall Green, Coventry to reports of a car and a motorbike that had collided. Two ambulances, two paramedic officers and the Critical Care Car from the Air Ambulance Service with a BASICS doctor and a paramedic onboard attended the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “On arrival, we discovered two patients, both men.

“The first, the motorcyclist, had sustained life-threatening injuries and unfortunately, despite the best efforts of ambulance staff at the scene, it became clear that nothing more could be done to save him and he was confirmed deceased at the scene.

“The second man, a passenger on the motorbike, had sustained serious injuries, he received advanced trauma care on scene and was conveyed to University Hospital Coventry for further treatment, with a BASICS doctor travelling throughout the journey to continue treatment.

“The driver of the car was not injured and did not require treatment.”

Ends.

Shaunna Farley – Wednesday 6th October – 10.15am. 

A butcher has been presented with a Public Commendation from West Midlands
Ambulance Service after he administered CPR to a member of the public who
suffered a cardiac arrest.

Gordon Tranter, Assistant Manager at Alan Warwick Butchers, performed CPR
when a member of the public collapsed outside of the butchers on the 17^th
June.

Gordon recognised that the woman had suffered a cardiac arrest and was able
to call 999 and begin administering CPR, something that he had no previous
training or experience in doing.

When a cardiac arrest happens, every moment counts in the fight to save a
life. Every minute a person in cardiac arrest goes without CPR or
defibrillation, their survival chances reduce by 7-10% and in 2020, the Resus
Council reported that only one third of people in the UK would be confident
performing CPR on a stranger.

On Thursday, Gordon was presented with a Public Commendation Award for his
lifesaving actions. Gordon was presented the award by Andy Jeynes, Community
Response Manager, alongside Councillor Adam Davies from Dudley Council.

Andy said: “It was a great opportunity to meet Gordon, he represents a
number of people who have saved a life by performing Basic Life Support. It’s a
life skill similar to riding a bike, once you can do it you will never forget.

“It would be fantastic if more people were confident like Gordon to give it
and go as absolutely anything you do is better than nothing at all.

“The benefits of improving bystander CPR is evidenced around the world where
the highest bystander CPR rates are linked to the highest survival rates from
sudden cardiac arrest.

“At the moment, over 68,000 people suffer a sudden cardiac arrests in the UK
every year.

“If this happens in front of a bystander who starts CPR immediately
before the arrival of the ambulance, the patient’s chances of survival
doubles.”

Adam said: “Like so many people, I was genuinely inspired by what
Gordon did. The way he acted so instinctively and saved a life, I assumed he’d
had CPR training – so when he told me he’d only ever seen CPR given on TV I was
even more inspired. That’s why I reached out to Andy Jeynes from West Midlands
Ambulance Service to make sure this selfless act of bravery got the recognition
that it deserves.

“My bigger hope is that Gordon’s example will also encourage others to
step up when duty calls. That’s why I’ve also created the Best of Brierley Hill
Award to further raise awareness of these kind of acts of bravery here in the
Brierley Hill ward, and to recognise brilliant local people such as Gordon who
step up and act with no expectation of thanks or reward.”

Ends.