UNI STUDENT: I’M READY TO JOIN COVID-19 BATTLE
Brave Caitlin answers the call to help as a paramedic on NHS frontline
A paramedic student is joining frontline NHS staff in the fight against coronavirus.
Caitlin Kelly, 26, is currently a third-year BSc Paramedic Science student at Glasgow Caledonian University.
But she has put away her textbooks to join the thousands of people who have signed up to help the health service in its emergency response to Covid-19.
Working with the Scottish Ambulance Service, she will be based at the new NHS Louisa Jordan makeshift hospital at the Glasgow SEC site, which will eventually be able to hold around 1,000 Covid-19 patients.
Caitlin, from Johnstone, said her three-year course has prepared her well for any emergency and she is looking forward to working with the Scottish Ambulance Service during the coronavirus epidemic.
She said: “I am just so glad I can help and be involved in this emergency because it’s what I’ve worked towards for the last three years.
“I feel a little nervous, which is to be expected, but answering emergencies and never knowing what the next call is going to be is why I wanted to be a paramedic in the first place. It’s part of the job.
“I feel confident and wellprepared. We’ve trained for many different emergency scenarios and had time on the road with the ambulance service responding to 999 calls during my three-year course. The education and handson training really stands me in good stead.
“I’ve really enjoyed the course and it made me realise this is what I want wa to do. Being able to help out in a national emergency makes me feel very proud.
“A “All the support and training from my mentor at GCU has helped me gre greatly feel ready to help out during this time.”
M More than 2,500 additional staff are set to bolster the frontline in NH NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde thr throughout April as part of major co coordinated personnel strategy.
Over the past month an ongoing re recruitment drive for key frontline se services has seen large numbers signing up.
Nursing and Midwifery has taken on the bulk of additional staff – with more than 1,670 nurses and healthcare support workers joining up.
Additional service increases include 200 new employees for the Estates and Facilities Team, and a further 500 interviews took place over the weekend.
The 2,545 number is formed of a broad pool of talent that includes brand new starters, as well as retired staff returning to the frontline, final year medical students, and those returning to the service with previous healthcare experience.
Many workers wi l l join immediately, with the rest creating a bank of qualified professionals to be called on as and when required.
Additionally, large numbers of current health professionals within anaesthetics, theatres, surgery and medicine among others, have undertaken additional training to enable them to work alongside intensive care colleagues to treat increasing numbers of ill patients.
Anne MacPherson, director of human resources and organisational development for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “Covid-19 has led to the largest recruitment drive the health board has ever undertaken in such a short period of time, and has resulted in thousands more staff signing up to join in the efforts to combat the pandemic.
“There is a huge operation to process applications, undertake interviews and manage assignments of new staff, and the whole team has worked collaboratively and tirelessly to make this happen. I’d like to thank everyone involved in the process for their hard work so far.
“The new staff will provide invaluable support across the service, playing a crucial role in the care of patients, and ensuring we’re able to continue delivering high quality, safe and person- centred care.
“We are confident we have the processes in place to recruit further staff in coming weeks and months if required.”