LIFESAVING CHARITY HOSTS A SUCCESSFUL BASICS SOUTH WEST STUDY DAY

Photo: left to right Dr Tom Owens, Dr Ian Higginson, Dr Clare Bosanko, Dr Tim Nutbeam, Dr Andy Smith, Mrs Glenda Cooper, Dr Lauren Weekes, Dr Simon Scott-Hayward, Dr Marc Epps & Dr Fred Declerk

BASICS Devon held their annual complimentary BASICS South West Study Day on Saturday 2nd March at Exeter Racecourse, Kennford, Exeter.

It was aimed at any interested emergency personnel to train with colleagues from other local emergency services, to help enhance their skills, but also to build on working relationships, as many major incidents across Devon are attended to together, to help save local lives and reduce mortality rates in Devon.

It was a rare opportunity for all tiers of professionals to get together to further their development. It allowed them to be trained in up to date and current practices, pulling in national specialists into the South West with expertise in pre-hospital emergency medical care, vital for our region.

Dr Simon Scott-Hayward said “It was fantastic to see a real mix of Doctors, Nurses, Paramedics and Students at the day, multidisciplinary working is absolutely key to delivering the best patient care, and the Study Day underpinned the importance of this.”

The day included practical workshops such as swift water rescue and the use of throw lines from Dartmoor Search and Rescue Ashburton, major incident casualty treatment from the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and paediatric scenarios from by Dr James Tooley (SWIFT Medics) and Mrs Glenda Cooper (BASICS Devon).

The event was well attended by approximately 25 of our BASICS Volunteer Doctors from across the South West, along with 80 delegates made up of Paramedics, Student paramedics, Nurses and other medical trainees and professionals. There was representation and support from South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, the Hazardous Area Response Team, Air Ambulances, Dartmoor Search and Rescue and SWIFT Medics.

BASICS Devon volunteers want to say a huge thank you to all those that attended the day, their volunteers, their speakers, to the staff at Exeter Racecourse for the hospitality and to the sponsorship support from Nuffield Health, Persys Medical and the exhibitors that help to make the event possible.

Hosting this study day has hopefully helped to educate other medical professionals and students across the South West Hospitals and medical practices. All tiers of emergency carers have had this amazing opportunity to meet and develop together to invest back into the people in their own local communities.