ALSG Virtual Conference 2022

Insights

September may seem quite a way off but in reality, it’s only three months. For the first time, ALSG is holding a virtual conference which given many of us are trying to catch up post pandemic (fingers crossed) as well as working, to then attend a conference this year seemed a lot to be asking.

ALSG is excited, as not only is it the first conference we’ve hosted online but the programme is shaping up extremely well. The conference theme is ‘How to be an even better ALSG instructor’ and we’ve got some fantastic speakers delivering some really great content specifically designed to support our instructors and centres.

Whilst there are a few sessions yet to be finalised, the programme so far will examine issues such as looking after yourself and your team, the effects of sleep deprivation on performance, as well as clinical matters such as changes in the UK to the major incident triage process and insights into pain and sedation management in children.

There are many, many more sessions planned so don’t miss out. Plus, group bookings receive a discount. To book, click here to jump across to our conference page.

The conference promises to be interactive and ‘hands-on’ with virtual breakout rooms and online chat facilities so you can be sure to get the maximum from the conference and become an even better ALSG instructor.

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PRESS RELEASE - For immediate use: 16.6.2022

In-depth trauma training videos made available for Ukrainian hospitals

Ukrainian hospitals are being given free exclusive access to online training specifically aimed at children with trauma or life-threatening injuries in order to help save lives.

Advanced Life Support Group (ALSG) based in Salford has been offering emergency training for over 30 years.

Elements of its world-renowned paediatric course, Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS) which is endorsed by the Royal College of Paediatric & Child Health (RCPCH), are being made available to Ukrainian emergency staff after being contacted by Swiss Medi Kids, based in Zurich.

Swiss Medi Kids who were running APLS, specifically filmed a Trauma situation which sits alongside the other videos which have been made available.

The online facility will provide knowledge and skills necessary for recognition and effective treatment and stabilisation of children with life threatening emergencies, using a structured, sequential approach.

There are more than 12 videos giving in-depth examples of techniques and procedures, and a simple password specific to Ukrainian hospitals has been made available to give full access to the resources.

Stephanie Smith, Chair of APLS commented on the training being made available:

"As part of our mission to save lives by providing training, ALSG is providing paediatric life support educational resources for healthcare providers faced with treating the youngest victims of the continuing war in Ukraine."

ALSG’s CEO, Sinead Kay said: “We have the resources which we felt was important to share with Ukrainian clinicians who are facing daily emergencies and in stressful situations. We hope the training videos will assist them as much as possible.”

For further information, email: ibulloch@alsg.org

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COVID-19 - To see all COVID-19 statements, guidance and resources, click here.

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Annual Report and Accounts - Our Annual Report and Accounts are available below:

• 2020
• 2021
• 2022

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APLS now remotely enhanced

Training for many clinicians has changed or stopped due to the pandemic however, Advanced Life Support Group (ALSG) has been working to ensure health care professionals dealing with children’s emergency care can access training by evolving the RCPCH endorsed APLS course to be delivered more online.

The newly adapted remotely enhanced APLS course now includes an online training day which delivers remote lectures, skills demos and real life case-based discussions which are then presented and evaluated in online break-out rooms.

The APLS course is three days. Day one consists of a series of online modules, which have always been part of the programme as they prepare a candidate ahead of their training. In addition to this, candidates are asked to watch a series of videos which are demonstrated in real time along with commentary, the skills they will practise on the face-to-face course.

After which there is a full day online with lectures, polls and break-out sessions, followed by a third and final day which is face-to-face, but in small groups to allow for social distancing and gives candidates more practice time in a safe environment.

Previously, APLS had two days face-to-face but by moving a day online, it has greatly reduced the need for physical contact, as well as making the course more accessible to candidates as it removes the need to attend one day in person whilst keeping education at the heart of the course.

Sue Wieteska, CEO of ALSG said: “This has been something we’ve been devising for some time and which has proven to be prudent and the feedback from the faculty and candidates has been extremely positive. The development has involved many clinicians of whom there are too many to thank individually but their contribution has been enormous.

With the course, it’s easier to get together online and host it in a virtual environment as well as of course, much safer in the current climate. We have many training centres both in the UK and across the rest of the globe and the new remotely enhanced APLS course will be simpler and safer to deliver.

The RCPCH had already endorsed the traditional APLS course and it’s heartening that the College has endorsed this new format which assures candidates that high quality training is being delivered.”

Stephanie Smith, Emergency Paediatric Consultant and Chair of the APLS working group who has led the development of the course said: “Education lies at the heart of this course, as clinicians must continue to progress their learning as well as their skills and the launch of APLS in this new format is an excellent step forward and one which will continue past the current pandemic.”

For further information, please contact Lise Bulloch on ibulloch@alsg.org

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Nursing and triage residential tool launched

Nursing and Triage Residential Tool minimising distress for residents and improving care An innovative Nursing and Triage Residential Tool (NaRT) which was initially run as a pilot in 2017 in two residential homes, has now been successfully rolled out to more than 263 homes across England and Northern Ireland.

The tool was devised and predicated on the Manchester Triage System which this year celebrates more than 25 years and has been streamlined so non-clinical staff are able to follow a clear process which guides care workers as to the correct action to take.

This has led to a significant reduction in 999 calls, as well as ambulances attending nursing homes, minimising the distress to the resident of having an unnecessary admission to hospital.

Such is the success of NaRT, North West Ambulance Service (NWAS), which undertook the pilot in tandem with ALSG, revealed that NWAS receives just over 1million calls per year, of which c.10% of the calls are from care homes and of those, approximately 30% are discharged at the scene. This equates to around 30,000 patients per year, where ambulance resources attended residential homes unnecessarily.

One-fifth of Accident and Emergency patients are from the over 65 years and over, and care home residents in this age category, were seven times the admissions rate compared to England as a whole and of these, 40% of admissions from care homes were for conditions which potentially could be managed outside of a hospital setting or avoided completely.

Commenting on the NaRT system, Stephanie Allmark, Northwest Ambulance Services said: “Minor injuries and illnesses can be effectively managed, assessing and referring residents to a more appropriate pathway of care without the intervention of 999.

“Without the use of the NaRT tool, 999 remains the first port of call for care homes however, staff know their own residents extremely well and NaRT gives them the confidence to follow an easy to use structured process, with clear steps as to whether an ambulance will be required. No diagnoses is needed, just a simple checklist has to be completed.

“Of course we recognise that in order for NaRT to be introduced into a care home, it needs collaboration from all agencies, from the ambulance service, to urgent and primary care services, as well as the nursing and residential homes but the statistics are proving this is an effective tool.”

Full training of NaRT is given and is now operational in 263 nursing and residential homes across England and Northern Ireland. https://carehomes.necsu.nhs.uk/ (Capacity Tracker) Handy Infographic – press control and the mouse simultaneously Applying NaRT ENDS For further information contact: Lise Bulloch ibulloch@alsg.org ibulloch@alsg.org

[1] North West Ambulance Services - https://www.nwas.nhs.uk/

[1] Accident and Emergency Statistics: Demand, Performance and Pressure. BRIEFING PAPER Number 6964, 21 February 2017. http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06964/SN06964.pdf