Thread by @luke_tester

Delighted to be at the inaugural @stjohnambulance Ambulance Clinicians’ Conference. Great agenda - can’t wait!
#SJAambulancecliniciansconference
#mySJAday

Introduction from @ChiefVolunteer:
“Today is about what we need to do, and what we need to do it.”
“The best way to influence is presence. Be present and get involved today.”
#mySJAday

Steve Wheaton, Assistant Chief Ambulance Officer at @OFFICIALWMAS: The NHS is facing numerous challenges, including increased demand, hospital delays, Brexit, Carter Report, EOC connectivity, financial pressures, private providers, Project A and upcoming winter.

Cont...
The NHS and @AACE_org are very supportive and grateful for @stjohnambulance stepping up as the National Ambulance Auxiliary.
SJA are the only organisation that could do it to the high standards required.

Steve Wheaton: “@stjohnambulance is key for recruitment to the NHS”.

Couldn’t agree more!

Craig Harman, Ambulance & Community Response Director: “The NHS long term plan has SJA written all over it.”

Huge opportunities and scope to better serve our communities, and lots of expansion planned.

Excitingly, SJA are investing in JRCALC+ for our people from next year.

Accredited training, ambulance apprenticeship courses feeding into uni paramedic degrees, CPD, new fleet design, scope of practice extensions (iGels + catastrophic haemorrhage control being introduced)... lots of development!

.@danbevis, Head of Ambulance Operations, is working on unified standards and training, including breaking down barriers between our commercial crews and volunteers - crewing together, shared CPD, unified ambulance roles, upskilling crews (BMs, iGels etc) to equal standards.

.@AdamWilliamsSJA, Head of Community Operations - lots of new and expanding schemes:
• Homeless service
• Falls service
• Nighttime economy
• Community champions
• 1st responding
• +++

Needs to increase community engagement, including with difficult to reach communities.

A ‘toolbox’ of community offerings is being developed, for local communities to roll out what is needed for them.

Sounds great!

Operational Support Team: standardisation of equipment, ordering, ambulances, kit + vehicle layout is all coming but needs input of #SJApeople.

National kit lists should be published by Christmas (FA, AFA, CRU, MRT, ambulance, advanced care [HCP/ALS]).

.@stjohnambulance has 800 vehicles, with fleet renewal plans:
• Box body ambulance
• Alternative fuel technologies
• 4x4 enabled
• Significant investment - £4m/year for 10 years
• Ambulances to have 8 year life cycle, everything else 10 year
• 2 make ready hubs opening 2020

End of the intros, time for coffee and then CPD sessions!

Three CPD sessions on offer to our ambulance clinicians:
- Chest pain with @mirry920
- Mental health
- Fleet and logistics

I genuinely hopped with excitement looking around our new fleet and equipment options. A fantastic display showing the range of items being considered, with feedback being gathered from those who will be using them most. Great work @SJA_Logistics!

We’ve looked at new kit bags, and discussed proposals - including standardisations of bag, content and layout - with @SJA_EquipMan, SJA’s National Equipment Manager.

Set bags for FA/AFA, ambulance, and advanced care (HCP/ALS).

New treatment centre models being trialled and demonstrated - green, inflatable units which can be connected ad infinitum, setting up highly visible, robust, wipe/hose-clean clinical areas, which will come pre-packaged with all clinical equipment for rapid deployment.

We were also shown a monitor being considered for use in treatment centres - very lightweight, very portable, 10% of the cost of a LifePak/Zoll and with all the same monitoring components (just can’t defibrillate/pace).
Bringing hospital medicine to pre-hospital resus areas 🏨 ⛺️

One of the most exciting projects on show was looking at options for our new fleet.
Tender has just closed so it’ll be really exciting to see what the next few weeks hold!

New vehicles will be box-style, and alternative fuels are being looked into.

This model looks great!

These Stryker stretchers are AMAZING to see.

The automatic loading/unloading mechanism will hugely reduce the risk of crew back injury when loading patients - as beautifully demonstrated by our Head of Clinical Operations!

They charge whilst loaded and have a spare battery👌

The day ended with a FAQ with our own Westlife tribute...

@danielGassoc (AACE representative), @CraigAHarman (Ambulance & Community Response Director), @stjacoo (SJA COO), @JoeShawSJA (Head of Logistics), @SJA_EquipMan (National Equipment Manager) & hosted by @AWapling (Com:Vol)

Lots of questions, lots of info... some key points:

• 60 driver training courses next year

• Annual assessment being replaced by portfolio approach

• National SJA CPD programme which is relevant, up-to-date, consistent and delivered by national experts

...
Cont.

• All ambulance crews moving to L3 award, plus SJA top up to complete autonomous scope of practice

• Fully electric vehicles would be ideal but technology is not there yet for ambulances; are considering hybrid + hydrogen

...
Cont.

• All fleet is shared, not ringfenced (except specialist)

• CRU bikes will fall under the fleet strategy in 2020 with rolling replacement

• New vehicles will be rotated around every 12 weeks during deep clean to ensure even mileage (events, amb ops, bariatric etc)

...
Cont.

• Ambulance Steering Board meets tomorrow and will discuss live-streaming future meetings

• Full + comprehensive rank review next summer/autumn

• 27,000 hours of NHS support pledged over winter (ambulance shifts, CRU, nighttime economy) - all SJA people can contribute.

Closing address by @stjacoo included a shoutout to @stjohnambulance’s very own parody Twitter account!

It was a genuinely brilliant day with excellent conversations and lots of networking.

Plans and ambitions have been laid out, and @stjohnambulance is placed to continue and expand as a sector leader, pushing standards and enabling our #SJApeople to deliver world-class care!

The event is going to become annual, and hopefully even more SJA people can get involved then 👌

#SJAACC19

Massive congratulations to @TomWright_UK, who received a Chief Commissioner’s Commendation from @ChiefVolunteer for his huge amount of work as @stjohnambulance National Control Services Manager.

Sounds richly deserved Tom, and your successor has huge shoes to fill!

Also a huge congrats to the wonderful @callumsmith129 and @JoshTolson6, who each received a Director’s Commendation from @CraigAHarman for their life-saving interventions when first on scene at a vehicle-ramming attack in July!
#legends