EMRTS supports training of Gwent Police medics
Wednesday 31 May 2017
The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS Cymru) has used its expertise in pre-hospital care to support the training of Gwent Police medics.
The training, which took place at Gwent Police headquarters in Cwmbran, involved seven police medics and two police trainers.
The aim was to give the police medics the opportunity to refresh their medical skills. This included airway management, CPR and automated external defibrillators (AED), and trauma training. It also gave them an insight into working with EMRTS Cymru and how they can prepare a casualty before the EMRTS medics arrive at the scene.
Gwent Police Support Unit (PSU) medics book on duty as police medics/police officers, so can be tasked to medical incidents by the force control room. Each medic carries a red bag that allows them to give primary care in most cases. By June 2017, they will also carry an extensive basic first aid kit along with an IPAD defibrillator, haemostatics, airway adjuncts, burns kits, splints, tourniquets, and compression bandages.
EMRTS’ involvement was coordinated by Critical Care Practitioner (CCP) Tracy Phipps, who leads the Service’s police liaison activities. She was joined by fellow CCP Chris Connor and Pre-hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) trainee, Dr Camilla Waugh. All are medics at EMRTS Cymru, the Welsh Flying Medics service who work in partnership with the Wales Air Ambulance Charity.
Tracy Phipps said: “We received a request from Gwent Police for input as they have attended several incidents where we have or are likely to attend.
“The training went extremely well and the officers were enthusiastic, competent and receptive. I felt comfortable that, should we be involved in an incident where these police medics were on scene, they would be a great help to us both in the initial management of the casualty and during our involvement on scene.
“One of the aims of EMRTS is to increase clinical skills and knowledge across Wales. Not only do we complete this within NHS Wales but we are keen to support other emergency services who may find themselves involved in a medical incident.”
Alun Rockliffe, from Operational Training at Gwent Police, said: “The training day was a resounding success and the teams worked really well together. The scenarios used during the exercise provided opportunities to further develop and improve the necessary skills required when attending incidents. Gwent Police PSU medics look forward to more training with EMRTS in the near future.”