Again in 2016, Mr Gibbs suffered from sepsis. Struck by this life-threatening illness, he acquired the assistance of our companies from ambulance crew Robert Morgan, Ross French and Dewi Jones. His restoration was a journey in itself, spending lengthy durations of time in hospital. Nevertheless, ever because the incident, Mr Gibbs at all times needed to be reunited with the crew that got here to his help.
In November 2018, Mr Gibbs approached our Welsh Ambulance Service’s info stand at a carers’ rights occasion in Maes Manor Lodge, Blackwood, and shared his story of survival from sepsis. He praised our workers for the standard of the care he had acquired which started with our name handler and carried by way of to the crew who arrived on his doorstep. He talked about that he wish to meet all concerned, and thank them in particular person. This was the start of a for much longer sequence of constructive outcomes.
Mr Gibbs and his spouse Sharn have been reunited with the crew in December 2018, two years after the incident. Mr Gibbs lastly had the chance to say ‘thanks’.
In the course of the get-together, Mr Gibbs received to discover and perceive the work that we do, and particularly how concerned we’re with elevating consciousness round sure diseases throughout Wales. He notably engaged with our Affected person Expertise and Neighborhood Involvement (PECI) staff who organise occasions and educate the general public about how the Welsh Ambulance Service responds and prioritises calls, and in addition discover signs of sure situations which could be life-threatening equivalent to meningitis and sepsis.
Within the weeks and months after this preliminary assembly, and as a direct results of Mr Gibbs talking with different organisations, the PECI staff and specifically Isobel Jones, Affected person Expertise and Neighborhood Involvement Co-ordinator, acquired a number of invites to neighborhood, psychological well being and carers teams to provide talks about our companies. By these hyperlinks, the PECI staff was additionally contacted by Geraldine Powel, Carer Coordinator for Caerphilly Council, who invited her to go to 4 carers teams within the Caerphilly, Risca and Blackwood areas, and was invited to participate in Carers Week occasions in Newbridge.
Most lately, a year-long Carers Engagement Programme all through 2019-2020 has been developed and covers the entire of Wales. Work has been finished in partnership with Geraldine Powell and the primary occasion was held in Merthyr Tydfil on 18 July, which Mr and Mrs Gibbs attended. The latter, who’re carers for one another, at the moment are collaborating in our affected person expertise enchancment programme.
Nobody may have ever imagined what number of constructive steps may have come from the preliminary meet-up again in December 2018. Nevertheless, this story helps us spotlight how extremely helpful it’s for us to obtain suggestions from our sufferers. Our companies are, and at all times will probably be, patient-focused. We want all the most effective to Mr Gibbs and his spouse.
