Asthma is the most common lung pathology in the UK. Managing exacerbations of the disease is something paramedics and emergency teams should be well versed in. In this months episode we review the pathophysiology, look at the different severities of exacerbation that may present to ambulance crews, discuss what types of patient are suitable for discharge as well as looking at the treatments we can offer from the mild asthma attack to the life threatening.

Its a topic that's been in the news a lot recently. This year is seeing a particularly high number of Strep A infections in the UK, this naturally translates to a higher number of complications and cases of invasive group A strep. Thats why this month we're taking a deep dive into all of it, we'll cover how to recognise strep throat and scarlet fever, as well as what we need to do if we suspect our patients have it. Find the write up, further reading and other episodes at www.generalbroadcast.org.uk

This month we discuss how to get the best out of remote clinical support or "top cover" calls. There are a number of human factors issues that can be at play for paramedics making emergency and urgent care clinical support phone calls, and as we discuss, optimising the situation so that advisors can provide the best advice, starts with those who are asking.

find the article and other episodes at www.generalbroadcast.org.uk

This month we're looking at headaches, this is a condition with a wide range of causes, from the seemingly benign migraines and tension headache to more sinister causes such as the infamous " thunder clap headache"

Find the article and other episodes at www.generalbroadcast.org.uk

This month we're taking a look at Epistaxis. It's a common presentation with a varied degree of severity.

You might not think there's much to learn about managing a nose bleed, but that's where you'd be wrong. There's a number of things we need to consider when assessing these patients and several treatment options to consider.

Find the article and our other podcasts at www.generalbroadcast.org.uk

This month we're back from our break and we're tackling a topic that is known to make even the most experienced practitioners a bit flustered...Tracheostomy emergencies. The number of Tracheostomies and Larnygectomies in the UK is increasing and so is our chance of being called to a Tracheostomy emergency. These can be high-stress situations, that require time-critical intervention, thats why this month we're speaking to an expert and founder of the National Tracheostomy Safety Project Dr Brendan Mcgrath.

Find further learning at www.generalbroadcast.org.uk

Pre-Hospital Emergency Anaesthesia, or PHEA for short, is the term used to describe a rapid sequence induction, or anaesthetic, in the pre-hospital emergency environment.

its important that the team performing it, are familiar with the procedure. Of course, the PHEA team does not just stop at the critical care providers who carry the drugs… Every paramedic, technician and care assistant on the job is integral to the smooth running and quick delivery of the PHEA.

That’s why this month we’re taking a look at this rarely encountered procedure, to help you the next time you encounter it. We’re going to look at why its done, touch on some of the drugs that are used but most importantly, we’re going to discuss the practical steps involved and how you can prepare your patient and your scene for delivery of an anaesthetic.

Find the article and other podcasts at: www.generalbroadcast.org.uk

Frailty is a term we commonly encounter in urgent and emergency care, but can you actually define it? Have you been taught to use frailty scores, and do you know what they're for?

This month we've partnered with the fantastic MDTea podcast to look at the subject.

As always, find the article at www.generalbroadcast.org.uk

and check out the other fantastic resources from the MDTea at: http://thehearingaidpodcasts.org.uk/mdtea-podcast/

Silver trauma is the term that is most commonly used to describe trauma in older patients. It is often used to refer to major trauma in this patient group and rates of major trauma in the over 65s are rising.

This month we're looking at the physiological changes that occur with ageing and trying to understand how these impact our older patients who suffer trauma.

Check out the article and previous episodes at www.generalbroadcast.org.uk

This is the second episode in a two-part series on COPD.

In this episode, we look at the differential diagnosis to consider to a simple exacerbation, the ambulance management as well as recent changes to national paramedic guidelines, and the management options.

Find the article and our other podcasts on www.generalbroadcast.org.uk/