Weekly Media Report - 14th - 21st February

Weekly Media Report – Tuesday 14^th February to Tuesday 21^st February 2023 

Trade  

More trusts vote to strike
The Health Service Journal (HSJ) reported on the union Unison announcing another four ambulance services voting to take strike action. Following a re-ballot of 10 NHS employers in England, staff at EEAST, East Midlands, South Central and West Midlands ambulance trusts voted to take industrial action.  

National  

Rising number of patients die amid waits of up to 16 hours for ambulances
Using data provided from Freedom of Information requests, the Metro published a story on the number of patients who had called 999 and were deceased by the time the ambulance arrived. EEAST were one of five ambulance services to respond to the enquiry and the data showed there were 23 cases where life was pronounced ‘extinct on arrival’ in 2022, an increase of 11 on the previous year. EEAST was given a right to reply and provided a statement. 

Prince William Surprises Teens With Viral Video Chat: 'Doing Any Work?'
A video of a Facetime conversation that Prince William had during a visit to Ipswich Ambulance Station went viral on social media and was picked up by a number of media outlets. Prince William was with Kerry Gaskin, Business and Project Support Manager, when they made a Facetime call to Kerry’s son and schoolfriends, one of whom recorded the conversation and posted it on TikTok. The interaction was covered by among others Newsweek, Mail Online, the Sun and ITV News. Kerry was also interviewed for light-hearted pieces on ITV News and Times Radio.  

More than 10,000 extra ambulance workers vote to strike in another huge escalation
The Mirror reported on the union Unison’s announcement of strike action at four ambulance services, including EEAST.  

Regional 

NHS strikes: More East of England ambulance staff to walk out
There was further coverage of Unison’s announcement in regional and local media, including from BBC News Online, Cambridge Independent, Essex Live, Colchester Gazette, East Anglian Daily Times, Essex Echo and Clacton and Frinton Gazette.  

Hertfordshire NHS trust says virtual wards prevent admissions
BBC Look East and BBC News Online covered the partnership working in Hertfordshire to “provide hospital level care in patients’ own homes” with virtual wards.  

Local  

East and North Herts: Action over Lister and New QEII waiting times
Dr Michael Chilvers, medical director of East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, is quoted in the Stevenage Comet about the demand for emergency healthcare and what the Trust is doing to keep waiting times to a minimum.  

Runner reunited with police officers and paramedics who saved his life
The Bishop’s Stortford Independent reported on a story on a patient meet-up with the police officers and EEAST staff who saved his life after he suffered a cardiac arrest when he was out for a run.    

Published 21st February 2023