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Saving the
THE PRACTICE CASE STUDY

LIFE SAVERS

We look at the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust’s Working Safely
programme to find out how it’s protecting its life savers.

WORDS MATT LAMY

ith more than three million
people to look after, spread
over 8000 square miles of
Whugely varied and, at times,

very difficult terrain, the Welsh Ambulance
Services NHS Trust (WAST) faces some of
the most taxing challenges of any emergency
service in the UK.

But potentially just as difficult are the
challenges facing the OSH professionals who

must look after the WAST staff and volunteers
who respond to such emergencies.
‘One thing that we have to be really careful
of in our service is balancing the risk appetite,
because we have staff who, for the most

laudable of reasons, may put themselves at
risk to help a patient in a timely manner.
So balancing section 2 and section 3 of the
Health and Safety at Work Act is a constant
consideration for us,’ explains Nicola White,
WAST head of health and safety.
To address such issues, Nicola and her
team – along with input from trade union
partners, operational staff and organisational

leaders – put together a three- to fi ve-year
improvement plan called the Working Safely
programme. IOSH magazine spoke to Nicola
to find out how the scheme works, and the

effect it is having.

52 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 | IOSHMAGAZINE.COM

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