South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) hosted a successful online public talk on Tuesday 20 October, helping people better understand how to access urgent and emergency care services and what they can do to help save a life.
The session, Right Care, First Time, for Our Patients: What to Do in an Emergency, brought together speakers from SCAS, the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to share practical advice and information.
Attendees learned more about when to call 999 or NHS 111, what happens when someone contacts the ambulance service, and the importance of early CPR and using a defibrillator in the event of a cardiac arrest.
SCAS’s Jack Ansell led the talk with key messages about accessing urgent and emergency care, followed by a live CPR and defibrillator demonstration by Liam Saagi from AACE, who showed participants how to perform CPR and use a defibrillator, providing practical, potentially lifesaving advice. Ed Lovelle talked about The Circuit and access to defibriilators.
Chaired by SCAS Public Governor David Drew, the session also gave attendees the opportunity to ask questions and hear directly from experts.
David Drew, Public Governor for Hampshire, said:
“Events like this are so important in helping us educate and empower our communities. By sharing practical knowledge and helping people understand when and how to access our services, we can give residents greater confidence to act in an emergency. Knowing what to do, particularly when someone experiences a cardiac arrest, really can make the difference between life and death.”
The talk received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with attendees praising the speakers and the practical information shared.
One attendee commented:
“It was extremely interesting, I learnt a great deal. A special mention for Liam whose presentation was so informative and concise it was fascinating to watch.”
Others described the session as “very worthwhile”, “extremely useful” and “absolutely brilliant”.
Another participant said:
“That was very worthwhile and, for me, put several events in proper context.”
The event forms part of SCAS’s ongoing commitment to engaging with local communities, improving understanding of ambulance services and empowering people with the knowledge and confidence to respond in an emergency.
A huge thank you to David Drew, Jack Ansell, Liam Saagi, Alan Weir, Edward and everyone involved in making the session a success.