Ambulance appeal:- "Please make sure your kids know what to do in an emergency"

FOLLOWING a series of children as young as 5 saving the life of their loved ones, North West Ambulance Service are asking parents, guardians, relatives of children to make sure they know to call:- 999 if they are with somebody who becomes seriously ill or injured.

The service has released a series of real junior live saver stories praising children who have called:- 999. It is part of a wider initiative in which the trust has created an educational resource, the Ambulance Academy, to help guide children, young people and Teachers on how to use its services. Of the stories told, 1 is that of 6 year old Breyer Warke, from Liverpool, who saved Mum, Linda's life by calling her grandad after she collapsed.

In May this year, Linda and Breyer were having their lunch together. As Linda finished having hers, she got up and collapsed onto the floor.

Breyer, who was 5 at the time thought her Mum was okay at 1st and just pretending. She quickly realised something wasn't right after she started gently hitting her Mum in the face to try and wake her up and she wasn't responsive.

Breyer calmy sprang into action knowing her Mum is diabetic and called her grandad to tell him what had happened, who immediately called:- 999. Linda's blood sugar was dangerously low, and she was minutes away from a hypoglycaemic coma.

Linda says:- "My husband, Breyer's father passed away when Breyer was 18 months old. A year later my Mum passed away and it took me a long time to get back on my feet. Being single Mum with diabetes and living alone with Breyer, I wanted to make sure that my daughter was prepared and knew what to do if I became poorly."

Linda taught Breyer how to call:- 999, to memorise their address and how to call her grandad if she was to ever collapse or become unresponsive. The Ambulance Crew arrived and treated Linda at home with a glucose drip which reversed her blood sugar. She was okay and didn't need to go to Hospital thanks to Breyer's brave actions.

Linda continues:- "I was blown away by my daughter's bravery, she was only 5 at the time and remembered what to do in what is a stressful situation. I am so proud of her."

Breyer went on to win a Character of the Year Award at the World Class Schools Quality Mark Awards in London for her actions that day.

Talking about Breyer's bravery, Ged Blezard, Director of Operations, said:- "Teaching our children and future generations the right reason to call:- 999 could save your life; we have had callers as young as 4 call us because their parent is unconscious. Breyer acted calmy in what must have been a very frightening situation. By calling her grandad immediately, who then called:- 999, she was able to make sure we were able to get help to her Mum as quickly as possible. We are asking parents and guardians to make sure they take 5 minutes to sit down with their children and explain when to call:- 999, especially if the adult is not awake. It is important that children know their address and postcode so that if they need to call:- 999 we can get an Ambulance to them as quickly as possible."

Make sure your children know:-

► How to call:- 999.

► Their home address.

► How to open the front door in an emergency.

To access all the information your child needs about calling:- 999 visit:- NWAS.NHS.UK/Ambulance-Academy.
 

Milestone hit with over 30 million NHS App sign ups and almost 450K new organ donation decisions

THE NHS App has now recorded more than 30 million sign ups, and almost 450,000 new organ donation decisions have been registered via the app that now has more than 30 million sign ups. People are being encouraged to use the NHS App as an easy way to register their decision following on from the success over Organ Donation Week, that ran from:- 26 September to 2 October 2002. Currently more than 6,500 patients are actively waiting for a transplant across the UK.

Organ donation preferences have been managed over 3.7m times through the NHS App. These include:-

► Over 832,000 updates to existing organ donation decisions.

► 448,000 organ donation decisions registered for the 1st time, (183,000 of these since September 2021)

► Over 19.3 million repeat prescriptions ordered via the app in the 2021 (September 2021 to August 2022)

► 1.4 million GP appointments booked via the app in the 2021 (September 2021 to August 2022)

The NHS App now has more than 30 million sign ups and its use could also have a life saving impact, with hundreds of thousands of new donors registering their decision for the 1st time via the app in the last year.

The total number of organ donation decisions registered for the 1st time through the NHS App has increased by 69% in a year – with a rise from 265,000 last September to 448,000 in August 2022.

Since September 2021, 183,000 new organ donation decisions have been registered via the NHS App. Overall, organ donation preferences have been managed 3.7 million times through the app.

Registering a preference on organ donation helps NHS specialist nurses to quickly understand people's wishes, which can ultimately save lives.

Susie Day, NHS Digital Director of Delivery, NHS App said:- "Millions of people are continuing to use the NHS App to take control of their healthcare directly from their phone or the NHS website, with over 30 million sign ups now recorded. It's great to see rising numbers of people using the app to register and manage their organ donation decisions and we encourage everyone, if they haven't already done so, to record this important decision through the app or online."

NHS Director for Transformation Dr Tim Ferris said:- "We are transforming the NHS App into a front door for the NHS, so the millions of people currently using it can set their organ donation preferences, but also do much more to manage their health and access services."

Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant said:- "Every day across the UK there are thousands of patients and their families, waiting for that all important life saving call. Yet, this is often only possible as a result of another family receiving some of the hardest news they might ever have to hear. With the increase in the number of people waiting for transplants, it's more important than ever to register your organ donation decision and make it known to your family and friends. We urge all family members of all ages to take a moment this Organ Donation Week to register and share your decision."

To find out more and register your decision, visit:- NHS.UK/NHS-App or the NHS Organ Donor Register at:- OrganDonation.NHS.UK.