Belvoir First Aid runs HSE approved training courses on behalf of the local communities in the Vale. All training is free to BFA members, and a small charge is made to cover costs to members of the public. Please contact us for details.

Forthcoming 2009/10 Courses:

Emergency First Aid at Work   Sunday, 06 June 2010   ·        

First Aid at Work  
     Monday, 14 June 2010  
     Tuesday, 15 June 2010 – Subject To Confirmation 
     Tuesday, 22 June 2010
     Tuesday, 29 June 2010
     Tuesday, 06 July 2010
     Wednesday, 07 July 2010   ·        

Medical Gases   Saturday, 24 July 2010   ·        

AED   Sunday, 25 July 2010   ·        

Health & Safety   To Be Announced   ·        

Manual Handling   To Be Announced

Belvoir First Aid is at the forefront of development of the new Community Care Practitioner certification. This new certification will enable local people to be trained to a very high level and to be able to support emergency care in the local community. The CCP certification is intended partiularly for rural communities so that a higher level of emergency care can be provided.

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Belvoir First Aid – Governance statement          

Last updated 6th April 2009

Belvoir First Aid was established in 2005 as a Charity to support medical services at local events in the Vale of Belvoir and surrounding area, and also to provide first aid and associated training services to local communities.    In January 2007 it received its registration from the Charities Commission No. 1122209.   Event medical cover  includes immediate pre-hospital emergency care and we strive to make sure that as many of our staff seeks to attain higher levels of medical training to handle emergency situations.   Many of our volunteers are themselves already medically trained.

We strive to offer a professional service through the use of volunteers and in this respect, we have a Governance framework that is very strict and relevant to the service we offer. 

 
Community responder’s statement

Belvoir First Aid is not a Community Responder (CFR) Scheme, nor is it part of any local statutory ambulance service.    It is a fully independent Charity.   We work closely with a range of community groups and, on occasions, with the ambulance service to provide medical cover in the area in which we operate.    Our staff and volunteers are highly trained at levels far in excess of that required to be a CFR Scheme.    In addition, several of our members also offer their services to local CFR schemes.

 

Staff

All our staff are volunteers and are unpaid, although we do offer to reimburse expenses where appropriate.    We ensure the staff are fully insured with medical Indemnity Insurance and we ensure they receive enhanced training to support their role as Event First Aid and medical support staff.     All staff are CRB certified.

 
Training

All training is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Health and Safety Executive by competent HSE certified or approved instructors. Full training records are kept and are available for inspection.   Training includes Emergency First Aid at Work, First Aid at Work, First Person on Scene, Emergency Medical Technician (B), Emergency Medical Technician (A), Paediatric Emergency First Aid, POVA, POCA, Manual Handling, Patient Handling, Oxygen Therapy, Medical Gases (O2 and N2002), Automated External Defibrillation, Basic Life Support, Paediatric Basic Life Support, Administration, Emergency Driving (Blue light), 4x4 Off Road Driving, Health and Safety legislation.   All staff are regularly assessed via ‘on the job’ reviews and refresher sessions are also carried out into core competencies on a regular basis. Copies of all certifications are securely maintained by the Charity.

 
Risk management

All events covered are subject to a completed Risk Assessment as part of the formal booking procedure.    If no Risk Assessment exists, BFA will offer guidance to the event organiser to ensure both parties are aware of the circumstances which could arise at an event.    In addition, the Risk Assessment is vital for defining the type and likely nature of injuries likely to occur at an event as well as ensuring our own staff have maximum protection from injury to themselves.    The Charity also adheres to the HSE Event Guide booklet which advises the type and quantity of cover that may be required for such an event.

 

All staff are asked to attend Health and Safety briefings as part of their induction programme as well as on-going seminars.   In addition, all staff are asked to take steps to ensure they are protected from Hepatitis B and local GP surgeries have been supportive in this.     All staff are supplied with a High Visibility jacket for ease of identification as well as to protect from infection.     Personal Protection Equipment is also provided in the form of safety-glasses,  sterile gloves, alcohol-gel hand wash, and face shields aprons and face barrier masks in each medical kit.       PPE is reviewed annually by the clinical governance sub-committee of the Charity.


Ambulance

The Charity operates with a 4x4 Isuzu Trooper ambulance customised for event work, which is fully insured, registered and inspected by, the DVLA as an ambulance.    This vehicle  is fitted with a range of ambulance equipment including an AED, airways (OPA, LMA, NPA), neck collars, Scoop stretcher, wheeled stretcher, spine board, first aid supplies, splints, diagnostic tools (BP, SpO2) and medical gases and appropriate drugs.    The ambulance has four-directional blue flashing lights with siren and markings indicating its use as an event ambulance (not front line).    Only those certified in emergency driving are allowed to drive this vehicle, and at all times the vehicle must have at least one Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) present.   

Additional equipment can be carried on request so long as the appropriately trained person is present.


Clinical governance

All clinical governance is by adherence to JR-Calc as used by the ambulance service in England.    Any deviation from this must be approved by the medical director and/or the clinical review committee. Drugs are only administered in certain circumstances and when appropriate to the situation being treated and only by a person who is medically competent to administer drugs. Any such drugs used, will have been authorised for use by the Medical Director, and currently include: Oxygen, Entonox, Aspirin 300mg, GTN, Adrenalin 1:1000 (Epipen), Salbutamol (as low dose Ventolin inhaler), Atrovent, Glucogel, Glucagon, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen.    Low dose Benzocaine spray (Waspeze) is allowed for on the basis of it being used solely for the treatment of Wasp stings.


Treatment of trauma is by EMT certified staff and medical staff only.    These personnel have been trained in fracture management as well as C-spine injuries. They are also fully trained in the use of spine boards and scoop stretchers.

In addition, all staff are fully trained in the use of AED equipment, as well as BVM and CPR techniques.   The CPR techniques used are those directed by the UK Resuscitation Council (and ERC) and are not deviated from, even though local ambulance services my advocate different techniques for the CFR.   Whilst this causes confusion in those that are also CFR volunteers, BFA will not deviate from accepted protocols.

Where an event exceeds the immediate first aid management situation all staff are instructed to dial 999/ 112 and call upon professional care to assist without delay.

Medical treatment records are kept and made available to the local ambulance service on patient handover.

 

Operational Governance


In 2009, the Charity has 7 Trustee placements.    The body of Trustees are responsible for operational governance as well as overall strategy of the Charity.  Subservient to them is an Operational Executive which manage the day to day activities of the Charity, under the strategic guidance of the Trustees.     The Charity is also supported by an informal team of policy advisors, whose role it is to provide ad-hoc guidance as to operational and strategic issues, namely Health and Safety and clinical issues.    The Charity also has affiliations with other first aid organisations and also with national medical bodies and is an active member of the Association of First Aiders, a nationally recognised HSE approved governance organisation.   All members of the charity are members of the AoFA.


The Trustee positions are:


Chairman                              A Lay person

Medical Director                     An operational GMC registered doctor

Secretary                             A Pharmacist

Legal advisor                         A lawyer

Pastoral advisor                     A priest or leading member of the church

Nursing advisor                      An active nurse prescriber

Pre-hospital advisor                A Paramedic / Trauma trained medic.

 

The executive positions are:

 

Chairman/ Fundraising

Secretary/ Membership

Clinical Advisors (x2)

Child and Vulnerable Person Advisor

Marketing Advisor

Equipment

Events manager

Training                                                           Ad-hoc - As required

 
The Charity is fortunate in having as its patron Simon Weston, OBE.


Executive meetings are held monthly on the first Tuesday of each month, and Trustee meetings as required, with a formal meeting to approve the annual business plan.


Staff communications are via e-mail and postal services.

 

Fundraising

The Charity is totally funded by public donation. Events are covered for free but the expenses incurred are expected to be covered by the event organiser. In addition a donation is usually made commensurate with the type of service offered. Large Festival Horse Events 
 

Fundraising can also be undertaken directly through provision of fund raising event (quiz shows, raffles, collecting tins) and also through corporate and public sponsorship (Parish Council grants, etc).

Business planning and Community Fellowship

Each year the Charity formulates and publishes its Business and Operational Plan for the coming year.    This seeks to advise members and the public as to its aims and objectives for the coming year including community projects it expects to become involved in.   These community projects include First Aid for local brownie and scout groups;   visits to schools to identify and explain first aid procedures;  local reviews covering First Aid and defibrillator status in local village halls, churches, and community centres.   The aim of the Charity is to involve the general public in the service it offers and to expand its experience into adjacent villages.      When a response or action is needed, the Charity with either act alone or in conjunction with other organisations to bring about a better first aid provision for the community. 

 
Liaison with the local ambulance service

Liaison pathways have been agreed with the local ambulance Trust for the briefing of event medical cover.    Similar liaisons have been agreed with the Air Ambulance Services for handover protocols. 

We continue to seek additional ways to work more closely with the state ambulance service to aid the local communities, as well as with private event medical and ambulance services to support event and medical work in our local communities.

The Charity is building a relationship with the Ambulance Services Network, and the Institute of Pre-Hospital Care.

 
Media

The Charity has a good relationship with the local media and often takes part in local media events. Formal press releases are circulated for approval by the members of the Executive, and copies are sent as a courtesy to the local ambulance service for their records. Information of a strategic nature is approved of by the media sub-committee of the Trustees comprising the Chairman, Secretary, legal advisor and if appropriate, a clinical lead. All press releases are sent to the media by the Chairman or Secretary. 


Adverse or mischievous attacks on the Charity in the media or through other routes will be dealt with swiftly and properly.

 
Summary

Belvoir First Aid is a community based Charity which has, at its core, the welfare and wellbeing of the residents of our local communities.    We aim to increase the level of first aid/pre-hospital awareness to all and provide training and event medical cover locally.   We consider the role of the Charity is to work closely with other organisations to bring about our key objectives.