26 December 2008

ISSUE 132
South Western Ambulance Service

bulletin
NHS Trust

Patient focus
INSIDE
2 Training roadshows
New GP-led health centre for
Plymouth will offer more choice
and convenience
Giving patients and public their In what will be the last bulletin service is the frontline of patient
voice of 2008 it is apt to report care, the spotlight has fallen onto
Workshop opening hours that, due to a great effort from ourselves.
Policy of the week all staff, we were once again
3 Cleaner Care - the chain
of infection - pathogenic
the best performing ambulance This has resulted in myself and
microorganisms service in England over the past other managers carrying out
Health promotion week. many interviews on radio and
television and I am happy that
To be able to hit all our key we were all able to say, with
performance indicators in the confidence, that, despite the
face of a 17 per cent increase in increased pressure on the
calls and when our colleagues in service, we have continued to
the health community are also provide the usual high quality
under such severe pressure is patient care that the public across
testimony to your hard work. our four counties has become
Delivering Patient Focused
accustomed to.
Performance 15 - 21 Dec
Over the past week or so the
Cat A8 %
Cornwall 75.74
media has shown a great deal So, once again, thank you for
Devon 80.23 of interest in the pressures all your work in 2008, now let’s
Dorset 75.69 currently facing the NHS and, look forward to an even better
Somerset 74.19 understandably, as the ambulance 2009.
Total 77.06
Cat A19 %
Cornwall 94.87
Devon
Dorset   
96.83
97.40
Get your ID badges
Somerset 95.04
During station meetings I have immediate effect.
Total 96.13
been advised that some staff don’t
Cat B19 %
have an ID badge. Please contact the recruitment
Cornwall 92.94
department as soon as possible to
Devon 95.76
If you have not received an arrange ID for yourself.
Dorset 97.21
ID badge it is your responsibility
Somerset 95.06
Total 95.46
to ensure you do so with Staff should wear ID at all times.

We respond quickly and safely to save lives, reduce anxiety, pain and suffering
 bulletin | Issue 132
2

New GP-led Training roadshows

health centre for I am pleased to announce that
details have been finalised for
Plymouth will offer two more training roadshows
to explain the new paramedic
more choice and course from Health Professionals
Council (HPC) and institute of
convenience Healthcare Development
(IHCD).
Patients in Plymouth will soon Date
have greater access to GP services 7 January 2009
with the opening of a new GP led
These will feature the selection
criteria, including pre-test
requirements, and other
areas relating to educational
development within the Trust.
Details of times and venues are
listed below.
Venue Time
Cornwall - Lakeview Country Club, 15:00 – 17:00 hours
Atlantic Reach, Newquay

health centre. 14 January 2009 Room 6, Yeovil Academy Level 4, 15:00 – 17:00 hours
Yeovil District Hospital

NHS Plymouth has signed an

agreement which will see
Devon Health run the new centre,
which will open in April 2009
from 8am to 8pm, seven days a
week.
The health centre will be based
at Mount Gould primary care
centre and shares the site with
the existing NHS Plymouth GP
surgery.
Policy of the week
With another frosty snap
expected over the festive period
I have decided to make the slip,
trips and falls policy our policy of
the week.
Giving patients and public their voice
This week the Trust has begun
recruiting members of the public
who want a say in the future
development of ambulance
services.
We have launched a campaign
across the South West to recruit
volunteers from all sections
of society to our patient
representative panel.
Candidates should ideally have
a significant interest in healthcare
and want to help ensure that
patients, their carers and
members of the public can express
their experiences of
healthcare.
Panel members will sit on Trust
committees and contribute a
patient/carer perspective to a
variety of issues relating to health
in their community.
We are committed to working
with local people to make sure
services meet the needs of the
population. The panel will play
a huge role in this and should
help us to develop the services
we will provide in the
future.

The policy outlines duties for Vehicle workshop opening hours

people in control of workplaces
to assess risks including slips, trips
and falls.
It is highlighted on the front
page of the intranet and I would
recommend all staff to make
themselves aware of the contents.
Can I draw your attention
to Factsheet 190 available, via
the link on the back page of
this bulletin, which will gives
staff workshop opening
hours over the festive
period.
Can I also take the opportunity
to offer my thanks to all those of
you in the workshops who do so
much to keep our vehicles on the
road and allow us to keep giving
patients the best possible care at
this very challenging time of year.
bulletin | Issue 132
3
CONTACTS
Cleaner Care - the chain of infection - Promis (Dorset Only)

pathogenic microorganisms 01202 851312

Staff Confidential Help Line
Dorset: 0800 281012
Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Isles
Microorganisms are organisms ❚❚ Infectious reservoir of Scilly: 0800 282193
which are too small to be seen ❚❚ Portal of exit from the reservoir Child Protection / Vulnerable Adult
with the naked eye. ❚❚ Mode of transmission Dorset & Somerset:
❚❚ Portal of entry into the host Bill Clowery 07968 478049
Devon & Cornwall:
Many microbes normally live ❚❚ Susceptible host Chris Rogers 07779 083168
inside or on the surface of other
INFECTIOUS AGENT Smokestop Contacts
organisms and are generally Please refer to no smoking policy
harmless. Language Line
SUSCEPTIBLE HOST RESERVOIR
Interpreter 0845 310 9900
Microorganisms capable of CHAIN OF INFECTION Translations 0800 917 6564

causing infection and disease are NHS Fraud Hotline

0800 028 4060
known as pathogenic. PORTAL OF ENTRY PORTAL OF EXIT

Foundation Trust FAQs Helpline

MODE OF TRANSMISSION
01392 261663
The transmission of a pathogen
Communication Feedback
requires the following six vital Each link must be present for 01392 261509 or 07977 570077
links, known as the chain of the infection to be spread, and publicrelations@swast.nhs.uk
infection: breaking any of the links can Trust HQ & Divisional HQ West
❚❚ Infectious agent prevent the infection. (Exeter)
01392 261500
Divisional HQ East

Health promotion booklets (St Leonards)

01202 851640

In line with the Trust’s February 3. STOP PRESS!

commitment to health The publications are: The latest factsheets, clinical
promotion a series of booklets ❚❚ British Heart Foundation Recipe notices and vacancy bulletin are
available to view on the SWAST
is being despatched to stations Book – Healthy Meals – Healthy
intranet
this week in conjunction with Heart (click to view)
national salt awareness week, ❚❚ Little Book of Salt Title No:
which runs from January 28 to ❚❚ Guide to Food Labeling Factsheet 190

Procedure and feedback for bulletin articles

The deadline for bulletin articles to be received is 1700hrs each Wednesday. Distribution will
take place on Friday afternoons.
All staff are required to visit the intranet site to view the latest bulletin as hard copies are
not sent out to assist in reduction of paper use. To receive an electronic copy of the bulletin,
please send an email with your payroll number and state the county where you work to Please note, all job
publicrelations@swast.nhs.uk. vacancies are advertised on
Disclaimer - Striving for 100 per cent accuracy with the content of this bulletin is my goal. the NHS Jobs website
However, I accept that there are times when errors might occur when producing high level and regular
communications against competing and conflicting priorities. This statement reminds all readers
to continually feedback to publicrelations@swast.nhs.uk any mistakes or inaccuracies to enable a
www.jobs.nhs.uk
continuously improving publication shaped by your comments. Thank you.

We respond quickly and safely to save lives, reduce anxiety, pain and suffering