Your Health Matters
‘Your Health Matters Talks’ feature our expert healthcare professionals explaining the work that they do for SCAS.
They are your opportunity to learn about the issues that matter to you and your community.
Regular advances in healthcare are making our services better all the time. We thought that you might want to know how we are improving, and how you can treat yourself better.
Our ‘Your Health Matters Talks’ have become so popular amongst our staff and patients that we want to share them with you. You can also see them all online via our YouTube channel.
Join us and learn the latest about SCAS!
Older ‘Your Health Matters’ archive
Urgent or Emergency Care – Which do you need?
Do you know when to call an Ambulance? What about 111? When should you seek online or primary care. This short video will explain the difference between ‘Urgent or Emergency Care’.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.
Heart Health
Mark Ainsworth-Smith, Consultant Pre-Hospital Care Practitioner, joined Dr. Sam Dawkins, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Oxford University Hospitals, gave a talk on heart health at our first face-to-face public talk for a few years, in collaboration with Oxford University Hospitals on Tuesday 18 October. This talk is part of a series of talks called Your Health Matters. The talk was well attended with members from SCAS and OUH present as well as members of the public. Thanks to South Central Ambulance Charity and CFRs for giving CPR and defib demonstrations on site.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.
SCAS Support for Veterans
Watch our team talk about the opportunities and support for veterans within SCAS.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.
Chipping Norton First Aid Unit
Join Christine Ames, SCAS Specialist Practitioner Paramedic as she talks about the services offered at the Chipping Norton First Aid Unit.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Mark Perryman, Public Governor for Hampshire, talks to John Black, Medical Director at SCAS, about Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.
Sepsis
Ken Roberts, Public Governor, Buckinghamshire, talks to Mark Ainsworth-Smith, Consultant Pre-Hospital Care Practitioner, SCAS, about what to do if someone has sepsis and who is most at risk.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.
Stroke Care
Sabrina Chetcuti, an appointed partner Governor in Berkshire for SCAS, talks to Dave Sherwood, Head of Clinical Excellence, SCAS, about how to recognise the main symptoms of stroke and what to do if you suspect someone is having a stroke.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.
Digital Communications
Claire Dobbs, SCAS Governor, asks Andrew Humphries, Web Developer and Social Media Manager, how the Communications Team at SCAS have managed to keep in touch with public and staff during the pandemic.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.
How SCAS is fighting COVID-19
John Black, Medical Director at South Central Ambulance Service, talks about how SCAS has tackled the virus and our medical approach during the pandemic.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.
Understanding dementia at SCAS
Bob Duggan, Lead Governor, SCAS, talks about the impact of dementia and introduces Chloe Lofthouse-Jones, Education Manager, SCAS. Chloe explains how our ongoing program of dementia training is helping staff to work with people in the community.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.
How SCAS is fighting the flu
Mark Ainsworth-Smith, Pre Hospital Care Consultant, talks about how important the flu vaccine is in protecting South Central Ambulance staff this winter. He also explains how the NHS prepares for the unpredictability of flu each year to protect NHS staff and those at risk. Loretta Light, Public Governor, Oxfordshire, introduces the short film and encourages our members and the public to have the flu vaccine.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.
Teamwork makes the dream work
As the response from the NHS to the coronavirus pandemic continues, Mark Begley, Head of Operations, Milton Keynes and Aylesbury Vale, answers your questions in a short film on how SCAS has responded to Covid-19 and how you can help the emergency services.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.
Improving health and wellbeing in patient care
Terry Simpson, Mental Health Lead, SCAS and Dr Hasanen Al-Taiar, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust talk about initiatives to support health and wellbeing in patient care. The film is introduced by Mark Davis, Public Governor, Berkshire. Due to the pandemic we have not been able to hold this public talk which was scheduled in autumn but we do hope that the film will be helpful and informative.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.
Coping with COVID-19 – Patient Transport Service
Find out more about our Patient Transport Services and Logistics (PTS) from our staff. Ian Thompson, PTS Business Manager, gives a comprehensive overview of the service. Jessica Bowbrick, Locality Manager, shares how PTS is responding to the pandemic . Stacey Stirrup, Area Manager, talks about the Care Quality Commission (CQC) report and what that means to PTS and SCAS.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.
Looking after staff during COVID-19
Lisa Pickard, Health and Wellbeing Lead, talks about how SCAS is supporting staff’s mental and physical wellbeing during COVID-19 and what benefits are available to staff.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.
Your mental health matters
Terry Simpson is here to answer your questions on how to support your mental health and wellbeing at home. Terry is our Mental Health Lead here at SCAS. He has been a mental health nurse for 23 years and has worked in a number of crisis and transformation teams.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.
Major Trauma Centres
Patients with serious injuries are no longer taken to the nearest hospital, they are taken to dedicated Major Trauma Centres. Mark Ainsworth-Smith, MBE, Consultant Pre-Hospital Care Practitioner, South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) will talk on the management of patients who have been seriously injured in the pre-hospital setting.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.
Restart a heart
Helen Pocock, Senior Research Paramedic, talked about how initiatives such as the national Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Outcomes (OHCAO) project and international Restart a Heart Day can inform and improve our care for patients.
Please email getinvolved@scas.nhs.uk if you have any questions.