POTENTIAL life-saving maternity skills training has been administered thanks to a link-up between midwives and doctors at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and their colleagues at the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.

Midwife Caroline Lacy led on the training, supported by fellow midwives Beth Strong and Caroline Walker, obstetrician Dr Laura McKie, and obstetric registrar Dr Hannah Carden. It took place in the hangar at Henstridge Airfield.

An air ambulance is usually dispatched to the most critical incidents, where seriously ill or injured people need treatment at the scene from critical care doctors and practitioners with specialist skills, with a rapid transfer to hospital often crucial to their outcome.

Caroline Lacy, who’s clinical lead for Somerset’s maternity and neonatal services, explained how the training came about.

She said: “I was introduced to Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance’s training lead, Dave Martin, and we discussed the gap in provision of obstetric emergency training for ambulance and air ambulance services across Somerset.

“Although maternity emergencies outside of hospital are thankfully rare, the particular skills and knowledge needed to manage these emergencies has the potential to not only save lives, but also improve long term health outcomes.

“We agreed to run the training at the air ambulance’s airbase, facilitated by myself and our fabulous team of midwives and obstetricians Beth, Caroline W, Laura and Hannah, and the feedback from our air ambulance colleagues has been superb.

“It’s rare that our air ambulance colleagues need to care for someone who’s pregnant, but the training has given the crew the opportunity to really hone their skills on how to support both straightforward birth and obstetric emergencies, whether that be at home, a remote area, or side of the road.

“Spending the day with the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance was an absolute privilege, as they are such an accomplished and inspiring team, and I’m already looking forward to visiting them again.

“We’re very happy to continue supporting their teams to provide safe maternity care when it matters most.”

Matt Sawyer, an advanced clinical practitioner for critical care at Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, is one colleague who benefited from the training, and he thanked our maternity team for their “fabulous training.”

He said: “I want to say a huge thank you to the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust maternity team for the incredible obstetric emergencies training they gave us.

“We’ve had some fabulous training at the air ambulance over the years, and I think this was some of the most enjoyable, informative and highest quality education I’ve received.

“It’s a topic that many of us find incredibly daunting and challenging, but the maternity team made the training hugely accessible to everyone, regardless of our prior experience of obstetrics.

“The format of structured workshops with great visual aids was enjoyable and highly effective; and made building into the scenarios a great and safe way to consolidate the learning.

“The day has certainly boosted my confidence with obstetric presentations, especially knowing what’s normal and not.”