Training highlights: enhancing medical knowledge and clinical care

Since Spring, our training team has continued to deliver a significant amount of work to enhance medical knowledge and ensure that we are providing the best possible clinical care to our patients. Here are some of the team’s training highlights from the past few months…

Training focus: major incidents and inter-agency collaboration

In March, training focused on major incidents. Together with our colleagues from the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), we planned a multi-agency major incident training day. This involved representatives from the ambulance service, police, HART, military, operational and tactical commanders, as well as volunteers from various backgrounds. Inter-agency training is vital, as it allows teams to apply Joint Emergency Service Interoperability Programme (JESIP) principles. This is particularly important when considering the learnings and recommendations from the Manchester Arena Inquiry and ultimately ensures that each team can work effectively to save as many lives as possible.

Mock exercise: high-fidelity simulation

In the morning, we shared learnings from previous major incidents and gained an understanding of each of our roles and capabilities. We then took part in a high-fidelity mock exercise in a quarry, with explosives, smoke, and multiple casualties. The police and military neutralised the threat, HART rapidly triaged and extricated patients to an area of safety, where the ambulance service and our critical care team were able to continue triaging and treating patients.

Training with RNLI: lifeboat college, Poole

During April, our training day was jointly held with the RNLI at their Lifeboat College in Poole. The morning involved a series of brilliant lectures, and in the afternoon, we undertook two simulations. One involved the care of a drowned casualty, and the other a child injured aboard a boat. Both displayed really close working between ourselves and the RNLI team and led to some really productive debrief discussions.

Paediatrics training and simulation

May saw us focus on paediatrics. The day commenced with another journal club, which stimulated discussion around the cardiovascular effects of an isolated head injury. As a service, we continue to witness this pathophysiology, so deep dives into challenging topics like this help us to evolve the care we deliver.

We were then joined by Dr. Kim Sykes, a Consultant Paediatric Intensivist, who delivered an excellent presentation on neonatal critical illness, while sharing her experiences and expertise with the team. Finally, we rotated into four paediatric simulation exercises covering the topics of: pre-hospital emergency anaesthetic, optimising and troubleshooting the airway and ventilation, packaging for inter-hospital transfer using the baby pod, and performing an emergency tracheostomy.

Aviation training and helicopter operations

In June, it was all about aviation. The day began with a quiz, highlighting subjects that our pilots need to think about when they are on a HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) mission. The rest of the morning was used to discuss the principles and constraints when operating a helicopter in the HEMS environment, CAA regulations, and how that influences HEMS operations (i.e. where we can land and how much that changes at night), and efficient use of the aircraft communications systems.

The team then went through a historic real-life aviation incident to aid learnings, before concluding the day with a practical session on teamwork and effective communication. This involved packaging and carrying a simulated patient over an assault course in the hangar, with distractions such as darkness, noise, and numerous hurdles against the clock.

Acknowledgements and team collaboration

We are extremely grateful to everyone who has played a part in our training programme so far this year. The collaboration between DSAA and our emergency service colleagues is absolutely making a difference when people across the region become ill or injured, in whatever setting they find themselves in.