LIVES and University Upcoming Partnership Will Increase Crucial Lifesaving Skills

LIVES (Lincoln Integrated Voluntary Emergency Service) has teamed up with the University of Lincoln, UK, to support and build on the existing knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals.

A new programme has been developed, which is the first of its type in the East Midlands and hopes to attract professionals from across the country. The programme aims to help close skills gaps and encourage professionals to continue further careers in the region.

The School of Health and Social Care at the University of Lincoln will deliver a new ‘Postgraduate Certificate in Prehospital Critical Care’ programme in partnership with LIVES. The programme is for healthcare professionals with key skills and experience, wanting to enhance their practical knowledge when dealing with critically unwell patients away from hospital settings.

LIVES is a voluntary service and has proudly been providing lifesaving emergency response in Lincolnshire for over 50 years. The team deliver critical care across the county, with a team of healthcare professional volunteers qualified to deliver this level of intervention.
LIVES continues to support the community with the launch of a ‘Critical Care Car’ based along Lincolnshire East Coast, by providing mobilised specialised critical care quickly. On board the Critical Care Car is high-level expertise and the equipment and interventions needed to be able to act fast and save lives.

Prehospital Critical Care is an area of practice which deals with people who have immediately life-or-limb-threatening conditions such as those suffering major trauma, for example, people having fallen from height or involved in road traffic collisions, or those with acute medical conditions, such as serious allergic reactions or those in cardiac arrest.

John McKenzie, Programme Lead and Senior Lecturer in Paramedic Science said: “The partnership with LIVES is exciting as they have been growing as a care provider for several years. I am immensely proud to help provide LIVES with an academic angle to their provision, as I have worked alongside and within LIVES for many years in my clinical practice.

“As a university, particularly one with a thriving paramedic course, it is important we contribute well-trained clinicians to the local health economy, in the interest of staff retention and advancement, but mainly that of patients and public.”

The PGCert Prehospital Critical Care course will be delivered by experienced academics at the University and experts from LIVES, where students will complete the course with a wealth of knowledge around critical care, providing the perfect opportunity to become clinicians ready to embark on specialised, practical training.

LIVES CEO, Nikki Cooke said: “We are really excited to be working in partnership with the University of Lincoln. This is a fantastic opportunity to bring together our skills and knowledge of Critical Care and the skills and knowledge of the University in delivering this as a recognised qualification.

“Critical Care is crucial in supporting the very sickest of patients, and by providing this course we are delivering a qualification that meets the needs of healthcare professionals working in rural environments such as Lincolnshire.”

To find out more about the course, visit Pre Hospital Critical Care | PG Cert | University of Lincoln.

ENDS