Ambulance finds new purpose for students

PARAMEDICS have turned a written-off ambulance into an innovative training pod for students.

The South Central Ambulance Service education team had the body of the vehicle repaired to repurpose it as a training simulator for students to learn in.

It weighs 4.5 tonnes before the addition of kit and includes all the essentials, as well as a working tail lift and even a power line to flick on the blue lights and sirens to add to the experience.

Darren Best, senior education manager, said: ‘What we really love about the introduction of this simulation pod is that its authenticity will give students a much more enhanced and lifelike insight into the workings of the vehicle and its kit.

‘While there are many simulators around, many of these are purpose-built as opposed to developed from real vehicles and are therefore limited in their ability to provide a real-life training environment.

‘We are extremely pleased with the outcome.’

COUNTY health officials have have called on people to take advantage of their free flu jab.

Efforts to increase uptake of the vaccine have been ramped up after GPs warned its importance ‘could get lost’ amid the national effort to fight Covid-19.

The NHS is aiming to vaccinate about 4.5million people in the South East in 2021, up from 2.6m last winter.

Children in school Year 7 and household contacts of people on the NHS Shielded Patient List are eligible for free jab for the first time.

Over-65s, under-65s with long-term health conditions, pregnant women, primary school children and children aged two and three can also receive it.

Dr Tom Bertram, a Titchfield GP and the clinical director of a primary care network in the Fareham area, said: ‘It’s not too late for people to get their jab and we would like to encourage everyone to take up the offer before the end of February.’

Patients eligible for a free flu jab should contact their GP or pharmacist.