Senior ambulance staff to get new epaulettes following Manchester Arena attack
- North west ambulance service introduces new epaulettes to make medics more identifiable
- Terror attack on Manchester Arena is the reason behind decision
Senior ambulance staff are being given a new uniform to help them be more easily identified after a terror attack such as the one at the Manchester Arena.
The move follows concerns aired by ambulance clinicians who are often the first people to attend major incidents.
Advanced medical staff will now be more easily identifiable as North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) introduce red epaulettes for senior clinicians. https://t.co/8dezpFLIFn @NWAmbulance pic.twitter.com/dnvzhhSDLB
— APD (@apdcomms) 21 January 2019
Peter Mulcahy, head of service and uniform group lead for NWAS, said: “We have listened to the ideas of frontline staff who responded to the Manchester Arena attack to implement this change across NWAS making it easier for lead clinicians to be identified.”
In a recent internal review of how ambulance staff deal with terrorist attacks, such as the Manchester Arena attack, staff suggested it would be helpful for advanced paramedics, consultant paramedics and doctors to wear a different colour epaulette to make it easier for ambulance crew to identify them at a glance.
This is considered a new step to improve ambulance service in major incidents as before senior clinicians had the same green epaulettes as paramedics, emergency medical technicians and senior paramedics.
“In a time critical situation with a large ambulance response, this will allow emergency service staff to quickly locate someone who will be able to offer advanced medical skills to benefit patients with more complex needs,” said Mr Mulcahy.