Tuesday, September 18, 2007

** Northern Ireland medic assaulted

** Australian stroke patients hail friends and family before EMS

NORTHERN IRELAND NEWS

** A Ballycastle area paramedic suffered injuries to his windpipe, chest and abdomen Sunday, after being set upon by a patient he was treating. The BBC (September 17) said the incident, which occurred in the Causeway region, resulted in the practitioner being taken off shift. Service spokesman Brian McNeill said local EMS cover was down for some eight hours as a result. Three other medics have also been assaulted in the last month. The attacker in Sunday’s incident was arrested shortly after by police.

AUSTRALIA NEWS

** Australian stroke victims are more likely to phone friends or family for help rather than an ambulance, a new study shows. The Age (September 16) said the information was discerned from a survey done by the National Stroke Research Institute. According to the newspaper, the look-see examined 198 stroke patients treated by EMS over a six month period. Along with noting 51 per cent of patients hailed non-professionals before medical help, the research also found 56 per cent of friends or relatives did not call for an ambulance until they had arrived at the ailing person’s home. In addition, 57 per cent of stroke patients failed to readily recognize the nature of their ailment.