SAVOY VENTURES DRIVES SECTOR-LEADING PATIENT TRANSFER EFFICIENCIES.

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

September 16, 2011.

SAVOY VENTURES DRIVES SECTOR-LEADING PATIENT TRANSFER EFFICIENCIES.

Greenhithe-based Patient Transport Service provider Savoy Ventures Limited has extended its week-day ambulance technician controller resource.

Savoy conducts two levels of transfer – one for patients requiring car or minibus transfer, the other for patients requiring a higher level of care and the support of ambulance technicians which can include emergency “blue light” transfers.

Savoy is handling an increasing number of ambulance technician-conducted patient transfers between South London NHS Healthcare Trust hospitals which has meant it is enhancing controller resource during the busiest periods - 7am and 10pm – as part of its wider 24/7 control and dispatch operation.

But while the efficiencies will be enhanced, they are actually already amongst the highest standard in the region because of the calibre of controllers and dispatchers already in place.

“The key point is that the Savoy staff who dispatch and control ambulance technician crews and vehicles – which can be used for specialist and blue light transfers - are current ambulance technicians,” said Caroline Adams, one of Savoy’s senior controllers.

“This means that we speak the same language as the ambulance crews and hospital staff so can quickly determine the precise type of ambulance and crew required for each patient transport journey, and, traffic- or incident-permitting, get it right first time every time.”

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 240,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

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Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com

SAVOY VENTURES AMBULANCE STAFF TO GET FIRST-IN-REGION EMERGENCY CARE TRAINING

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

September 2, 2011.

SAVOY VENTURES AMBULANCE STAFF TO GET FIRST-IN-REGION EMERGENCY CARE TRAINING.

Staff at Greenhithe-based Patient Transport Service provider Savoy Ventures Limited are to undergo training which will qualify them to a standard unique in the region.

Care assistants and drivers providing patient transport for people being transferred to and from South London Healthcare Trust hospitals are to undergo an Emergency Care Assistance course operated by the renowned Chesterfield College, a leader in sector training.

“What this means to patients being transferred by Savoy staff is that, for instance, drivers who have First Aid certificates will undergo training and development which will qualify them to work as frontline ambulance crew alongside paramedics – we have already signed up 48 staff to the course,” said Jonathan Smith, Savoy Training Manager.

“We believe Savoy staff will be the first in the region to undergo such training, which will also raise their qualifications to an equal footing to that of NHS staff.”

The training involves 400 hours of online components, lectures and field internship, and also involves students third-manning in ambulances with paramedics and ambulance technicians, with successful students gaining an L2 Intermediate Level Apprenticeship in Health (Emergency Care Assistance).

As well as providing strong and highly qualified resource for patient transport services, Emergency Care Assistants (ECAs) are qualified to get involved in responding to emergency calls to provide care to patients, driving ambulances, assisting paramedics, using medical and life support equipment.

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 240,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

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Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com

TECHNICIAN TRANSFER JOURNEYS INCREASE AGAIN

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

April 26, 2011.

TECHNICIAN TRANSFER JOURNEYS INCREASE AGAIN.

Video.

Patient transport service provider Savoy Ventures has seen a further 33% increase in the number of technician transfers carried out for South London Healthcare Trust.

Technician transfers involve movement of patients who are extremely unwell, who may be attached to life-saving or life-maintaining equipment, and who require highly-qualified ambulance technicians to ensure their wellbeing, or, on occasion, to carry out resuscitation.

“We saw a 33% increase in technician transfers in March 2011 compared to February 2011, we’ve increased staffing levels, and introduced new vehicles. This is all down to the professionalism of the crews,” said Jonathan Smith, Paramedic and Training Manager with Greenhithe-based Savoy Ventures Limited. Video.

“Technician transfers are critical and highly-specialised procedures which can involve the safe transport of people between specialist hospitals or hospital departments – this can include Special Care Baby Unit transfers through to the movement of unconscious, high-dependency adult patients, and are categorised as emergency or blue-light transfers.

“The ambulances are fully equipped with life-saving aids, and the ambulance technicians have all undergone crucial upgraded training to ensure patients are in the best possible hands.”

Savoy carried out 60 technician transfers in December 2010, 84 in January 2011, 153 in February 2011 and 205 in March 2011. On average, Savoy carries out up to 900 patient transfers each day.

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 240,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

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Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com

GREENHITHE PARAMEDIC AND TRAINER – FROM AIRBORNE EMERGENCIES IN ARIZONA, TO GETTING THE BEST OUT OF AMBULANCE CREWS IN SOUTH LONDON

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

April 19, 2011.

GREENHITHE PARAMEDIC AND TRAINER – FROM AIRBORNE EMERGENCIES IN ARIZONA, TO GETTING THE BEST OUT OF AMBULANCE CREWS IN SOUTH LONDON. 

Video – career.

Video – Indian reservations and shootings in Atlanta.

When Greenhithe-based Paramedic and Training Manager Jonathan Smith says he’s seen more than most, he’s not exaggerating.

Jonathan, (age), stepped into the training role at patient transport service provider Savoy Ventures Limited after returning from the USA where he spent more than 20 years as an emergency medical technician and paramedic.

His career took him to Atlanta – one of the most dangerous cities in the world – where he dealt with up to four gunshot injuries on each shift, but also to the Native American Indian reservations, more often than not arriving by helicopter or light aircraft to tackle and treat victims of accident, illness or assault.

Jonathan now helps train and develop Savoy’s growing team of ambulance technicians.

But his induction to the profession was very different. After becoming a technician in 1990, he moved on to paramedic status in 1992, and in 1996 joined the airborne medical ranks, then in 2003 gained his critical care flight paramedic certification – his number is 61 in the whole world.

“I started flying in Georgia, mainly around Atlanta, then went over to the Native American Indian reservations in Arizona, flying with the likes of the Navajo and Apaches – an amazing experience, because we first-responded in helicopters,” said Jonathan.

“Because of the distances out there, ground transport meant an ambulance could be out of its region for 12 or 16 hours, so even on helicopters we’d have our patients with us for an hour and a half. One of our helicopters working the reservations could make 125 flights a month.”

Jonathan explains more about his work in the USA in videos here:

Video – career.

Video – Indian reservations and shootings in Atlanta.

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 240,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

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Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com

PATIENT TRANSPORT PROVIDER SAVOY MORE THAN DOUBLES TECHNICIAN TRANSFER JOURNEY LEVEL.

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

March 16, 2011.

PATIENT TRANSPORT PROVIDER SAVOY MORE THAN DOUBLES TECHNICIAN TRANSFER JOURNEY LEVEL.

Video: Increase in technical transfers.

Video: What do technician transfers entail?

Patient transport service provider Savoy Ventures has more than doubled the number of technician transfers carried out for South London Healthcare Trust since December 2010.

Technician transfers involve movement of patients who are extremely unwell, who may be attached to life-saving or life-maintaining equipment, and who require highly-qualified ambulance technicians to ensure their wellbeing, or, on occasion, to carry out resuscitation.

“Technician transfers are critical and highly-specialised procedures which can involve the safe transport of people between specialist hospitals or hospital departments – this can include Special Care Baby Unit transfers through to the movement of unconscious, high-dependency adult patients, and are categorised as emergency or blue-light transfers,” said Jonathan Smith, Paramedic and Training Manager with Greenhithe-based Savoy Ventures Limited.

“The ambulances are fully equipped with life-saving aids, and the ambulance technicians – 20 of whom we have added to our team since December – have all undergone crucial upgraded training to ensure patients are in the best possible hands.”

Savoy carried out 60 technician transfers in December 2010, 84 in January 2011 and 153 in February 2011. On average, Savoy carries out up to 900 patient transfers each day.

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 240,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com

MICHAEL GOES FROM DOLE TO LIFESAVER IN WEEKS.

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

November 11, 2010.

MICHAEL GOES FROM DOLE TO LIFESAVER IN WEEKS.

Video: link to Michael Collins interview.

Recession casualty Michael Collins was plucked from the dole queue after nearly nine months out of work - and within weeks was becoming a life-saver. 

Michael, 45, from Greenhithe, was made redundant after six years working in retail at Bluewater shopping centre in January 2009, but nearly two years on has made a massive career step and is now a fully-fledged ambulance technician working with several south London hospitals.

Michael is employed by Savoy Ventures Limited, which provides NHS patient transport and transfer services between south London hospitals. Savoy operates specialist patient transport vehicles, as well as a large fleet of emergency-support-standard ambulances crewed by ambulance technicians. 

“Never in a million years did I believe I’d be on the dole one day and training to become a life-saver the next,” said Michael.

“My skills straight from school were on the mechanical and engineering front, but I moved into retail, and six years in the recession really bit – and I was out of a job. 

“That was January 2009, and I applied for 20 or so jobs without success before I stumbled across an ad in the local Job Centre for patient transport drivers. 

“From there it was a whirlwind of progress. I got the job driving patients between their homes and various hospitals in south London, but I felt I was cut out for far more responsibility. So within a few weeks I was accepted for the ambulance technician training course, then the blue light driving course, and then I’m suddenly in  charge of an ambulance, and, far more significantly, responsible for the wellbeing and safety of children and premature babies transferring between hospitals under blue light conditions. 

“Savoy may be a private company which provides patients transport services to a number of hospitals, but the training, equipment and support are easily on par and possibly exceed the standards provided by many UK ambulance services engaged in similar NHS support roles."

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 200,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com