Saturday 2nd January 2016- The Telegraph: Scottish ambulances attend 60 drink-related calls a day

‘Ambulances in Scotland have to attend more than 60 incidents every day where a patient is so drunk that it has to be formally recorded by medics, according to official figures.

Paramedics had to treat around 12,000 people in the six months to the end of September who were so intoxicated it was noted on Scottish Ambulance Service systems.

More than 90,000 incidents have been recorded since 2012/13 where alcohol is not the primary reason for the call-out but has been named as an “additional factor”, for example where a drunk has cut their head after a fall.

Scotland’s largest health board, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, had the highest number of alcohol-related 999 call-outs in the last six months at 3,849, followed by NHS Lothian with 1,935 and NHS Lanarkshire with 1,470.

The figures, unearthed by the Scottish Conservatives, followed a staff survey last month which showed anecdotally paramedics thought alcohol played at least some part in half of weekend call-outs

The Scottish Ambulance Service report also found that drink was also involved in 42 per cent of incidents on weekday evenings and one in six during the daytime.’

See:

Scottish ambulances attend 60 drink-related calls a day

Wednesday 30th December 2015- BBC News: London air ambulance trials hand-held brain scanner

‘London’s air ambulance is trialling a hand-held scanner which can detect potentially life-threatening brain injuries.

The device, called an “infrascanner”, can spot clots on the surface of the brain, which – if left untreated – can lead to disability or death.’

See:

London air ambulance trials hand-held brain scanner

Friday 14th August 2015- The Telegraph: Paramedics to be trained as GPs

‘New proposals may see paramedics given four months training to become GPs’.

‘Controversial proposals will see already overstretched paramedics given four months training to become GPs.

Under the plans the paramedics will see patients out-of-hours, prescribe drugs and carry out appointment, the Daily Mail has reported.

Up to 800 paramedics will be able to qualify for the new role of an independent prescriber.

The proposals have been announced by NHS England.

It comes amid a shortage of GPs and the paramedics would be stationed in local surgeries.

The courses, which will be run at universities, could start next year.’

See:

Paramedics to be trained as GPs