The Scottish Ambulance Service’s specialist transport and retrieval service (ScotSTAR) is celebrating ten years of providing life-saving care to some of Scotland’s most vulnerable patients.
ScotSTAR is a multi-disciplinary team of paramedics, nurses, advanced practitioners, and doctors supported by pilots working together to provide specialist care to seriously ill babies, children and adults across Scotland using specialist helicopters and planes.
In 2022/23 ScotSTAR provided specialist care for 3158 seriously ill children and adults with the air ambulance crews attending 4527 incidents – an increase of 10% from the year before.
Mum Amie Taylor, of Ellon, Aberdeenshire, said ScotSTAR provided an invaluable service to her very sick son, Jackson, who was born four weeks prematurely in 2022.
Jackson was placed in a ventilator and had to be transported from Aberdeen to Edinburgh with the help of ScotSTAR staff, Dr Mark Worrall, Paediatric Consultant, and Ashley Daye, Paediatric Retrieval Nurse.
School teacher Amie said: “The retrieval team take the skills of the paediatric intensive care unit on the road and knowing that these specialists were incredibly skilled gave us so much peace knowing that Jackson was being well looked after. I just want to say a massive thank you for how they made me feel on the day. We felt incredibly well supported and cared for.”
“I am pleased to say he is a very happy and charismatic cheeky wee boy. He has been through more in his little life that some people encounter in a lifetime. He is strong, resilient and a fighter we are beyond proud of.”
Michael Dickson, Scottish Ambulance Service Chief Executive said: “ScotSTAR is an integral part of Scottish Ambulance Service and is critical to our ability to reach every part of Scotland.
“I’m delighted to be marking its 10th anniversary and I’d like to stay a big thank you to our staff who deliver this vital service for critically ill patients across Scotland, often in very challenging circumstances.
“They are all a credit to the Scottish Ambulance Service.”
Over 23,000 ambulance journeys have been avoided in the past five months thanks to the Scottish Ambulance Service’s Integrated Clinical Hub (ICH).
The ICH, launched in December 2022, is co-located with the SAS ambulance control centres in the west, north and east of Scotland and is made up of a multidisciplinary team of clinical advisors, advanced practitioners and GPs.
It provides assessments for all patients who are initially triaged as non-immediately life threatening and may benefit from a further virtual consultation and referral to other services in the community, rather than unnecessary trips to A&E.
Latest data shows that around 71,000 patients have been assessed by the ICH since August 2023.
Michael Dickson, Chief Executive of Scottish Ambulance Service said: “For those patients that require an ambulance, such as immediately life-threatening conditions, we will always dispatch the most appropriate resource.
“However, our data shows that nearly 50% of our patients don’t require transfer to A&E and can be better treated in other ways, such as in the home, in the community or through specialist services.
“The ICH plays a vital part in carrying out advanced assessment of these patients to identify their clinical needs to ensure they receive the best possible response for their condition.
“The hub is a vital tool in helping us free up vital capacity to attend our sickest patients whilst also reducing the demand at the A&E front door by utilising regional and national pathway alternatives.
“To help our staff we also would like to remind people that if you need urgent care, but it’s not life-threatening, you can call NHS 24 on 111, day or night, or your GP during opening hours.”
Lifesaving volunteers from Penicuik Community First Responders recently celebrated the group’s 18th anniversary.
Penicuik Community First Responders (CFRs) are a group of volunteers trained by the Scottish Ambulance Service to respond to a potential life-threatening emergency in the vital first few minutes before an ambulance crew arrives.
They cover the EH26 postcode and surrounding areas, and currently have six members who meet up monthly and have been involved in the group for several years.
Yvonne Mitchell, Co-ordinator for Penicuik CFRs said: “We are immensely proud to mark our 18th anniversary. This milestone is a testament to the dedication of our volunteers and the support from our community.
“We train as CFRs to help others who live in our area, whether it is being first on scene at a cardiac arrest, or providing a listening ear and holding someone’s hand while the ambulance crew is on route.
“We look forward to many more years of serving our community and making a positive impact on the lives of those in need.”
Michael Dickson, SAS Chief Executive, said: “Congratulations to the Penicuik community first responders on this fantastic achievement.
“Our Community First Responders play a vital role in their communities, starting treatment while an ambulance is on route as every second counts, particularly when a person suffers a cardiac arrest. We are thankful to each and every one of them.”
A mum stuck on the side of the road following Storm Gerrit flooding said she’ll always be grateful to the emergency responders who rushed her to hospital to give birth to her first child.
Louise Lyon, 31 of Pitlochry, was on the A9 near Ballinluig on December 28 around 11.20 am, and enroute to Perth Royal Infirmary to give birth, alongside partner Stephen Nicol.
However, with Louise in the late stages of labour, flooding forced the road to be closed.
An ambulance crew of Selene Rae, Paramedic, and William Young, Paramedic Team Leader, of Pitlochry, Alistair Daw Paramedic and David Bywater, Lead Consultant Paramedic, both working out of SCAA’s Helimed 76 alongside Pilot Captain Kimball Chillcott, also attended to assist with the road transfer of Louise to Perth Royal Infirmary.
Louise said: “As this was my first baby, my partner and I were both scared that we would not make it to the hospital in time.
“From the moment the ambulance arrived, Selene made me feel so at ease and cared for. My waters had broken and I felt embarrassed and scared but she was calm and made me feel comfortable and got me gas and air to help alleviate the pain.”
Louise and her partner were transported to Perth Royal Infirmary by road ambulance and she gave birth to Olivia at 1305.
She added: “A paramedic from the SCAA air ambulance team stayed in the ambulance with us to support should things develop quickly.
“During the ride to the hospital, they continuously checked me after each contraction and encouraged me to use the gas and air to ensure I didn’t give birth in the ambulance before it was time. They spoke to me the entire time to make me feel comfortable and tried to ease the fear I had.
“Upon arrival at the hospital, they stayed with me during my labour and helped me to welcome my little girl into the world. They made a first-time mum feel very safe and cared for. The care that they provided was above and beyond what I could ever have expected.”
To say thanks, Louise also delivered a card to the crew at Pitlochry to say thanks to all those involved.
She wrote: “Thank you so much for the care you gave me whilst I was in labour. Words can’t express how grateful I am to you. You truly went above and beyond to ensure Olivia was brought into the world safely.”
She said that without the responders, her partner would have had to become a midwife and deliver the baby at the side of the road.
She added:” I cannot put into words how scared I was and from the moment the paramedic stepped out of the ambulance my fear completely slipped away. The two paramedics supported both myself and my partner to ensure we remained calm after what had been a traumatic experience.”
A new initiative is underway to provide greater support to persistent callers to the 999 service in an effort to direct patients to the best health service provider for their needs.
The Scottish Ambulance Service’s new High Intensity Users team has been set up to try and improve care for patients with complex needs, whilst reducing demand on 999 services.
During a 12-week period, the team identified 137 patients who regularly call 999 for assistance whose needs to be better met by other parts of the health service. The team provided intervention and support to them, educated them on how to access best healthcare services for their needs and encouraged them to only call 999 in an emergency.
Prior to the team’s help and support in their care, these patients had collectively generated 4502 emergency calls. Following engagement and education, these patients generated 2017 emergency calls – a 55% reduction.
Neil Reid, Clinical Effectiveness Lead High Intensity Users, said the SAS process for identifying persistent callers was first to gather intelligence on the user’s call data and then make the patient and GP aware. This was followed by intervention, escalating support and then a case review.
He said: “Many of these callers have complex needs and call 999 regularly throughout the day for assistance. By engaging directly with them to better understand their needs and reasons for calling 999, we were able to educate them on some alternatives more suited to their needs.
“In some cases, we have found that we have been able to identify unmet social needs or mental health crisis earlier, patients are involved in decisions relating to their care and this has led to better outcomes.
“This work is vital as it improves care and support for patients across the country.”
@CHSScotland have launched an advice line with trained healthcare professionals to listen and help you process what you’ve experienced and provide advice, support and a friendly, listening ear.
Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland has partnered with the Scottish Ambulance Service and the Resuscitation Research Group at the University of Edinburgh (RRG) to launch a pilot service to support those who witness or provide CPR to someone who experiences cardiac arrest at home or in the community.
The Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OCHA) Aftercare project is funded by the Scottish Government and will provide access to support for anyone participating in CPR or witnessing CPR outwith a hospital setting.
It is estimated that between 3,000 and 6,000 Scots are involved in providing CPR after cardiac arrest to members of the public each year. This can be a traumatic experience, which can impact on their wellbeing and result in emotional and social challenges.
Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland has produced wallet-sized cards promoting the service for paramedics, police, and firefighters to give directly to members of the public at the scene of the incident. Each card includes the Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland Advice Line number, so people can immediately call an advisor to talk through what happened.
Speaking at the launch of the OHCA service, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland Chief Executive, Jane-Claire Judson, said: “Every year, thousands of Scots carry out CPR or witness CPR being performed on someone at home or in a public place. This can be a traumatic experience, and until now there has been little support available.
“We are delighted to be launching this pilot service in partnership with the Scottish Ambulance Service and funded by the Scottish Government. Emergency services staff giving out our advice line cards at the scene of the incident means people can get help immediately, or at whatever point afterwards they feel they need it.”
Steven Short, Programme Lead for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest for The Scottish Ambulance Service said: “Performing or witnessing potentially life-saving CPR can be a difficult experience to process. The launch of this innovative pilot service means that all individuals who are affected by out-of-hospital cardiac arrest can easily and quickly access support and, if needed, further aftercare.
“Ambulance service clinicians who respond to these cardiac arrests will have the wallet cards to give out on scene. The details on the cards will enable those who need it to access the advice line to talk through what has happened with an advisor and help them process the events.”
Dr Gareth Clegg, Principal Investigator, RRG, University of Edinburgh commented: “Attempting to help save the life of a loved one or neighbour by performing CPR or using a public access defibrillator is the right thing to do, but helping out can leave bystanders with questions, and sometimes a need to talk things through.
“This groundbreaking initiative signals a commitment to caring for those who have been willing to step up when someone in their community has suffered an OHCA.”
Lived Experience – Lynsey Duncan
Lynsey Duncan is the Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland Deputy Head of Clinical Services. A registered nurse, she lives in Buckie with her husband and two daughters.
In November 2021, Lynsey’s father-in-law John collapsed at home after a cardiac arrest. Lynsey battled for 20 minutes to save his life, performing CPR, before paramedics arrived. Sadly, their efforts were in vain and John, 70, passed away.
As a nurse, Lynsey had been involved in CPR before, but the aftermath of John’s death was different because she’d never had to administer the treatment to a member of her own family. The experience left her upset but she didn’t want to share her feelings with her grieving loved ones.
That’s why Lynsey fully supports the Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Aftercare project. Here she explains why.
“My father-in-law John was a farmer and he’d been diagnosed with farmer’s lung – that’s a respiratory disease caused by exposure to dust from hay, straw and grain. We’d seen a deterioration in his health over a few years, and he and my mother-in-law, Pat, moved from the farm into Buckie, near to where my husband Steven and I and our two girls live.
“We’d been on a family holiday with them two weeks’ earlier, and I noticed John was quite unwell and struggling to breathe. About a week later, he was given oxygen to have at home to help his breathing.
“On that day – it was November 5, 2021 – my girls had friends over for tea. I was busy making food and Steven had taken the dogs for a walk. He called me and told me to get to his mum and dad’s immediately. I knew something was seriously wrong, so I jumped in the car and headed over.
“Pat met me at the front door and told me John had fallen. He was in the bathroom. As soon as I saw him, I knew he hadn’t fallen. I knew he’d collapsed. Pat was on the phone to 999, telling them John had fallen, but I took the phone and explained he had arrested, and we needed help right away.
“I started to perform CPR. I’m a nurse. I’ve done this before. But it’s very different to be doing this to someone you know, someone you’re close to.
“He had been propped up against the toilet. I got him on to the floor and started chest compressions. I spent 20 minutes doing this. And throughout all of this, my mother-in-law was standing watching. It was an awful experience.
“We live in Buckie, which is fairly rural, so the first people to come were the wildcat responders. They are volunteers who are trained to provide early CPR and defibrillation. One of them took over from me as I was exhausted. Then the paramedics arrived and took control.
“My husband had arrived by then, too. I just ran to him and had a bit of a meltdown. I told him not to go through to the bathroom and kept saying to him ‘I tried, I tried’ because I knew John was gone.
“The paramedics worked on John for another 30 minutes, but it was too late. It was horrific for all of us, especially Pat. She kept saying ‘John wouldn’t want this’. She’d said that to me, but I’m a nurse – once I’d started the compressions, I couldn’t stop. And the paramedics were the same. They had to do everything possible.
“We then had to wait for the police to come because obviously this was a sudden death. And it was only when I was speaking to the police about what had happened that the enormity of it hit me.
“I kept going over it in my head, thinking ‘what just happened?’ I had bruises on my hands and cuts on my knees from the force of sitting on the bathroom floor doing CPR for so long. I even lost a toenail because I’d been leaning so heavily on my toes.
“But I couldn’t share any of this with my family because they were grieving. I didn’t want to tell them I was worried I hadn’t done enough. I felt guilty even though I had no reason to.
“That’s why I think this initiative is so important. I’m a trained medical professional, but when a nurse friend called me the next day, I broke down when I told her what had happened. What I really needed was to talk to someone who wasn’t emotionally attached who could reassure me I’d done what I could. And that is hopefully what the Advice Line will be able to do for anyone involved in an out of hospital cardiac arrest.
“I’ll never underestimate what my mother-in-law went through. She wasn’t only witnessing the death of her husband but her daughter-in-law trying to save him. I can only imagine the emotions she was feeling. If the emergency services had been able to give us both a card that said the Advice Line was there for support, I think she might have made that call. That might have been further down the line for Pat, but for me, it would have been immediately.
“Pat and my husband and my sister-in-law are fully supportive of me telling John’s story like this. They had no idea how this had affected me until they watched the video I made. They want to make sure everyone is supported when they need it after an incident like this.”
Anyone wishing to contact the CHSS Advice Line can do so on 0808 801 0899 or at adviceline@chss.org.uk
Ambulance staff had an extremely busy night across Scotland on Hogmanay as they dealt with 2,006 calls to Ambulance Control Centres between 7pm on New Year’s Eve and 7am on January 1st.
Hogmanay is traditionally one of the busiest nights of the year for the Service and during this year’s New Year’s Eve, there was an increase of 2.2 percent compared the same period in 2022.
The most intense period was between 1:30am – 2:45am where staff handled 328 calls – around a call every 15 seconds.
Julie Carter, On-call Executive Director with the Scottish Ambulance Service, said: “The overall level of demand for our service over the festive period has exceeded previous years and Hogmanay was one of our busiest nights of the year.
“Yet again, our staff in our Control Centres, on the frontline and support staff showed what an incredible group of dedicated professionals they are. They are a true credit to the SAS.
“This winter we continue to face significant challenges as a result of the time of year and continuing long hospital turnaround times at some hospitals which are stopping our staff from getting back out on the road to help other patients in need.
“To help our staff, we’d like to remind people to please only call 999 in a life-threatening emergency.
“If you need urgent care, but it’s not life-threatening, you can call NHS 24 on 111, day or night, or your GP during opening hours.”
More than 300 Scottish Ambulance Service staff have been physically or verbally abused in the past year according to latest statistics.
The figures show that 328 staff have suffered abuse, attacks with weapons and death threats this year, with ambulance staff having to deal with incidents of abuse almost every day.
Of these 328 incidents – an increase of 51 over the previous year – 21 staff were threatened with either a knife or bottle, while 140 were either punched, kicked or spat on.
There have also been 124 incidents this year of verbal abuse towards staff.
Michael Dickson, Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “We strongly condemn violence against our staff. They have the right to carry out their work helping patients and saving lives without fear of assault or abuse.
“Our staff are having to deal with incidents nearly every single day and that is totally unacceptable. No form of abuse will be tolerated and we will continue to work with Police Scotland to take action against perpetrators.”
The majority of the assaults or abuse was in the West region with 176 this year. There have been 123 incidents of physical or verbal abuse in the East, while in the North there have been 27 this year.
Around 18,000 ambulance journeys have been avoided in the past four months thanks to the Scottish Ambulance Service’s new Integrated Clinical Hub (ICH).
The ICH, launched only one year ago, is co-located with the SAS ambulance control centres in the west, north and east of Scotland and is made up of a multidisciplinary team of clinical advisors, advanced practitioners and GPs.
It provides assessments for all patients who are initially triaged as non-immediately life threatening and may benefit from a further virtual consultation and referral to other services in the community, rather than unnecessary trips to A&E.
Latest data shows that 64,000 patients have been assessed by the ICH since August 2023.
Michael Dickson, Chief Executive of Scottish Ambulance Service said: “For those patients that require an ambulance, such as immediately life-threatening conditions, we will always dispatch the most appropriate resource.
“However, our data shows that nearly 50% of our patients don’t require transfer to A&E and can be better treated in other ways, such as in the home, in the community or through specialist services.
“The ICH plays a vital part in carrying out advanced assessment of these patients to identify their clinical needs to ensure they receive the best possible response for their condition.
“As we head into a challenging winter period, the hub is a vital tool in helping us free up vital capacity to attend our sickest patients whilst also reducing the demand at the A&E front door by utilising regional and national pathway alternatives.
“To help our staff over the coming weeks, we also would like to remind people that if you need urgent care, but it’s not life-threatening, you can call NHS 24 on 111, day or night, or your GP during opening hours.”
Health Secretary Michael Matheson said: “The Scottish Ambulance Service is the heartbeat of our NHS. It has a unique role in engaging with all parts of the health and social care system across the whole of Scotland, 24 hours a day. That is why the Scottish Government has provided £50 million to support the ambulance service with recruitment this year.
“This investment has helped add 18 clinicians to the new Integrated Clinical Hub (ICH) and I am encouraged by the strides the hub has taken over its inaugural year in managing capacity.
“We are no doubt facing a challenging winter ahead but I’m reassured by the service’s proactive preparations and it is initiatives such as the ICH that are helping to ensure patients receive appropriate care at home or in the community, alleviating pressures on our already busy A&Es.
“I know many Scottish Ambulance Service staff will be missing out on precious time with friends and family to make sure patients receive the care and treatment they need over winter, and I’d like to thank them for their tremendous work and dedication.”
