CSMEN October Update
Though the clocks have turned back an hour, October has seen the network partners celebrate fantastic forward momentum with the completion of projects, new reach and a new addition to the team. Additionally, in lieu of tricks, we offer a multitude of professional development opportunities, which will no doubt be a treat.
Firstly, we are delighted to announce Eilidh, our Medical Simulation administrator has welcomed a beautiful baby boy! While he keeps her hands full, we have the pleasure of having Megan Hunter join the team in providing support for Post Graduate Medical Simulation training courses.
Mobile Skills Unit Update
Western Isles: Spotlight on Barra Multi-Agency Major Incident Exercise
This year’s Mobile Skills Unit (MSU) visit to the Western Isles began with a two-week deployment to the breathtaking Isle of Barra. The first week focused on delivering essential clinical training—Basic Life Support (BLS), Immediate Life Support (ILS), and Paediatric Immediate Life Support (PILS)—facilitated by experienced trainers from Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway.
The second week was dedicated to a multi-agency major incident simulation, the result of 12 months of planning. Led by the local GP and supported by the Emergency Medical Retrieval Service (EMRS) Liaison Team, the National Simulation Clinical Lead, and the Trauma Lead for the Western Isles, the exercise aimed to strengthen collaborative emergency response capabilities.
In preparation, EMRS delivered trauma training on the MSU, covering key elements such as the METHANE major incident triage tool, trauma triage protocols, trauma management strategies, and scenario-based exercises.
A total of 19 participants—including GPs, nurses, Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) personnel, police officers, and fire service crew—took part in the simulated major incident: a minibus collision involving a family of cyclists. Simulated casualties included:
- Minibus driver in cardiac arrest
- Four walking wounded passengers
- One adult cyclist with multiple injuries, including a severe scalp laceration
- One child with a closed femoral shaft fracture
Police officers secured the scene, while fire crews extricated two casualties trapped beneath the minibus. The SAS and medical teams, comprising GPs and nurses, triaged and treated casualties at the local village hall. The scenario culminated in contact with the Critical Care Desk and the activation of EMRS helicopter retrieval for critically injured patients.
Following the exercise, all participating teams engaged in a comprehensive debrief and discussion. The primary objective of the major incident exercise was to support the development of a comprehensive major incident response plan for NHS services in Vatersay and Barra.
Benbecula
Training at OUAB Hospital included a full day of psychiatry simulations, featuring emergency sedation teaching delivered by Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Neera Gajree and Dr Kenneth Ruddock. EZIO (intraosseous access) training was provided by a Clinical Manager/Critical Care Paramedic. In addition, local trainers facilitated introductory BLS sessions, as well as scenario-based learning and anaphylaxis workshops.
Stornoway
The Western Isles Hospital hosted four days of training, which included student simulation scenarios and a large-scale multi-agency response exercise. This exercise involved 40 participants from a range of emergency services, including medical staff, the SAS, Coastguard, Fire Service, Police, RNLI, and the Mountain Rescue Team.
In addition, the North of Scotland (NoS) Trauma Team delivered two days of outreach training, with a total of 24 medics and 3 nurses participating.
BASICS Scotland Update
Karen McAlpine, Senior Educator and Joanna Greenock, Practice Educator demonstrating unplanned precipitate birth pre-hospital
This year’s BASICS Scotland Conference featured a packed programme of engaging presentations, practical workshops, and networking opportunities, all designed to share knowledge and best practice with multidisciplinary clinicians in pre-hospital emergency care.
With 122 attendees and 14 workshops, 1,344 hours of education were provided to pre-hospital clinicians who travelled from all over Scotland to attend. Topics ranged from Mental Health Emergencies, Paediatric Diabetic Keto Acidosis and Fatal Accident Inquiries to Strengthening the Rural Workforce, VF Insanity and How and When to Act on Child Protection Concerns. SMMDP (Scottish Multiprofessional Maternity Development Programme) also delivered a workshop on Medical Emergencies in Pregnancy which was well-received.
The Instructors Day was attended by 42 members of the BASICS Scotland faculty. Director of Education, Dr Jerry Morse, took instructors through the theory behind the recent GIC changes, how the education team has developed PPHECC to fit this and what changes are about to happen with PHECC to bring it in line. Emphasis was given to mentoring and the Learning Conversation and space given to this within the course programmes. The educators demonstrated the value of embedded faculty writing scenarios which has increased in recent course development. The day ended with some equipment updates and faculty was able to have some hands on practice with iSimulate and the connected Atlas mannequins.
Please refer to the BASICS Scotland website for all course dates.
SCSCHF Update
SCSCHF has had an incredibly productive season, seeing existing courses flourish, progression in the development of new ones and successes in sharing the importance of simulation in education as a whole.
Dr Julie Mardon (SCSCHF Centre Director) had a productive conversation with Neil Gray (Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care) about the benefits of using transformative simulation and her simulation work across NHS Forth Valley.
Ongoing national courses
We are now into Cohort 7 of Internal Medicine Training with comments such as “the course is amazing” from the participants, who come from all over Scotland. The 3 days are busy, with a great buzz around the whole centre. The courses for Anaesthetics, Emergency Department mastery, Trauma and Orthopaedic and Obstetrics continue, again supporting residents from across Scotland. Shift (ICU transfer course) is up and running again, including ICU nurses as participants and faculty, the next one is in December.
September was the third year of delivering the NHS Blood and Transplant ICU Deceased Donation Course which is open to ICU residents across the UK. This year it was back up to full capacity with 24 participants. It was a busy day with great feedback from faculty and participants.
New developments
The new Medical Emergencies in Pregnancy course developed in conjunction with the Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh had its pilot run in September. Andrew Galbraith, our current simulation fellow, was pivotal in developing the scenarios and running the day itself.
Local
The Sim Safety Club, which runs every month, has themed conversations taking place; themes have included: incivility, medicines error, falls and culture. The sessions are expertly facilitated and all are welcome to attend.
The IMG work is ongoing in NHS Forth Valley supporting new IMG colleagues, ending the series of induction sessions with food from each participant’s home country.
Student nurses now have a 1 week placement in the centre, gaining access to the wide range of courses which are on offer. We are also supporting medical students who are completing a 4 or 5 week student selected component. The team continues to work with schools and colleges across NHS Forth Valley to develop their own simulation spaces, to deliver in-house simulation sessions with their students as well as developing links with one of the educators from one of our local health and social care partnerships.
Please refer to the SCSCHF website for all course dates.
DIHS Update
Please refer to DIHS website for all course dates.
Conferences
You can find a link to conferences relevant to clinical skills and simulation here.
Network
New antimicrobial resistance framework launched
NES is announcing the launch of a new national framework: Containing and Controlling Antimicrobial Resistance: A Knowledge and Skills Framework for Health and Social Care in Scotland. This is now available on Turas Learn in the new Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship Zone.