As a nurse the same thing applies, stay well away. The report states the paramedics were using their own kit, naughty.
The RAFAC IIRC said that they were to just act as first-aiders whatever their qualifications, that really does throw the practitioner to the wolves in the event of an incident.
They don’t understand that you can’t act down to a level under the HCPC/NMC/GMC regulations for practice, you must practice at the level you are trained for with whatever equipment available.
During the red heat wave, we had a camp cancelled as the station commander had deemed the heat to be too risky to personnel and closed the station down. Yet RIAT went on.
A good leader prepared to do what is right, not what is easy.
Promote that person to CRAFAC, oh maybe not!
Oh, yes it does:
The activity should only restart when the Activity Cdr is satisfied that …the cause of the incident is not likely to affect other participants.
Really do have to wonder who makes these decisions and the scrutiny in place for them to make policy live.
Even after a report specifically mentioning the use of skills by paramedics they still just say that AFA is acceptable.
Personally, I’d say it isnt for an event on RIATs Scale.
Wonder if theres Any info on the First Aid and Welfare team they had for the 2000 cadets at the Muster? The only photo I seen had a team of 6/7 at best
There needs to be oversight, policy setting, inspection for compliance by RAF medical services who should call the shots in this, not CRAFAC and HQAC. They should have the final say. Yes it’s costly, but someone will have to pay, but may end up far less costly than a Coroners Case and the resultant fall out.
Which is why as you say, any HCPs needs to stay far away from this minefield. It’s difficult with adults but dealing with children is far more difficult. Any HCP who ‘downgraded’ their skill level at an RAFAC event is just lining up trouble in the event of an HCP investigation, I don’t think it’s defendable?
Nope, Would hate to see CFAV loose there Job/Registration over something that happened at a RAFAC Event.
Unfortunately, I dont see a anything changing any time soon
I doubt HQAC even have access, you have to pay for it afterall so unless a volunteer involved in RIAT just happens to be involved in event management outside why would they have access. (RIAT would be outside the Scope of both the Green & Purple guides anyway, even if they are a good place to start.)
Different DDH = different assessment of risk.
Also, I’d be intrigued to know who “The National Air Safety Investigation Team - RAF Cranwell” actually are? Google seems to show nothing. If you google “National Air Safety Investigation Team” the only reference you get is this FOI and a job post.
Would be nice to get a contact email for someone in this team…
Also, just noticed the foot note:
Total number of First Aid cases treated by AC staff: 326
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) for non Heat Illnesses: 19
Number of cases sent to hospital: 7
Heat illnesses (non-serious) declared to DAIB: 73
Those numbers seem very high. I know it’s a big event, but that those numbers are still a lot higher than I would expect. In the last 10 years I can only think of about 3 cases total where a cadet or CFAV ended up in hospital.
I have many years experience at RIAT and can confirm that the first aid “tent” (bunker) is not stocked by personal kit - much of it is supplied by RAFCT or by the RAF directly.
(beds, dividers, hazard waste bins, boxes and cases of “first aid box” kit all included.
This is not to say that medical kit on site is not personal, i am sure those uber keen First Aiders carry a significant personal rucksac of personal sourced kit but this is not the “norm” or expected.
edit to add: having read the FOI report, the oxygen bottle I doubt was brought on a request and likely to be something that FA had in their personal kit they choose to make available to the FA team.
As far as I am aware, given the facilities on site (ie at Fariford, not on camp) AFA is all that is required and indeed expected at the RIAT Camp.
exactly this
However i know many of the first aiders are more than AFA outside of the RAFAC, some professional FAs, other teach RA courses as their “9-5”, at least one i know of (namely Wg Cdr OC RIAT) is a professional paramedic.
And yes I have seen members of the FA team carry what looks like a paramedic/first responder style “grab bag” attending first aid calls at RIAT.
Are these persons put into the FA role to act as the dedicate AFA qualified team? Yes
Do these persons step outside of that remit, into their own experience/knowledge/qualification outside of AFA/the RAFAC role - absolutely
should they? that is for someone else to decide and determine. if some has the skills, knowledge, qualifications and kit to deal with an injury on site is it “right” to deal with it there and then (rather than raise it to the Fairford medical team) or is it “easy” to do it that way??
so where the temperatures.
I seem to recall reading something that said the numbers were proportional to the temperature increase.
I am not disagreeing with the numbers being high, but i think they were acknowledged as proportional given the circumstances (although as we well know - those circumstances could/should have seen a canx order)
Yes.
And they should be appropriately insured to do that, so that they feel supported in doing so. (This could be personally provided, of course - members of the college of paramedics, for example, have insurance that covers voluntary events as well as paid work outside of their main job up to an earning of £5k per year. But they should still be supported in this, not be technically stepping outside of the “rules”)
The alternative may be to face their regulator, and that is a hassle no-one wants.
As a non medical person, I do wonder how much of a difference there is between:
and
The question is not so much should they step out side that remit but should they be expected to.
It should always be an individuals personal decision whether to do full paramedic training on only stick to the AFA. They are the ones risking their jobs & no where the lines are professionally.
However from a planning & expectation point of view these qualifications should be ignored & treated as a bonus.
You also get into the sticky situation of if the individual is volunteer or working & could their employer bill RIAT if the individual steps outside of the volunteering role & into their paid role.
no - a Paramedic/Nurse/Doctor is not so by employment, but by registration. They maintain that status (and relevant legal status - eg prescribing/drug exemptions) in all walks of life, irrespective and independent of their main employer.
They probably could, however, if they used equipment provided by their employer. I don’t know for sure though - would probably depend on what basis that equipment was provided and who the employer is.
Another thought - the local ambulance service - SWAST? SCAS? - probably have some form of staff responder scheme similar to CFRs but allowing staff to practice at their own scope of practice. In that situation, I think a quick phone call to get a CAD log should be enough to get insurance cover through their work, and allow them to use work-provided equipment? I don’t know, would probably depend on each trust’s policies.
Training, yes. However, some professions (notably, doctors - source here) have a professional duty to provide aid within their scope of practise at all times - they don’t have a choice, it is part of the duties upon them when they register.
I would imagine the HCPC and NMC would take a similar view if asked, although I don’t think they have openly stated it in the same way.