Can anyone help with this please?
During the summer we ran a number of 'advanced First Aid courses for outdoor
leaders, hill walkers etc. and considerable time was spent explaining use of
prescribed epi~pens in anaphalaxis. Two or three days after one such course an
outdoor activity centre leader experienced one of his group in severe
anaphalactic shock after a sting. This being the first such event for the
patient, she did not have any remedial medication. The patient subsequently
went into respiratory arrest. Because of the terrain and remoteness of the
situation, rescue took over an hour. Subsequent investigation has shown that
this is not an isolated incident, and we now have about 12 centres in wales
asking for training in dealing with such emergencies and asking if they can be
trained and issued with epi~pens.
Our issuing pharmacy would have no problem issuing adrenaline as long as the
protocols taught were watertight and approved by a doctor, but our own medical
advisor has a Health Service position and feels that her bosses would frown on
her underwriting training outside the normal First Aid / Ambulance field. We
have the Occupational Health departments of two Health Authorities looking in
to how such teaching could be arranged, but after several months we have had
no formal answer. Any ideas on this matter please? I can be emailed direct if
req'd or tel 01686 650802.
Thanks
Keith Foster
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