Issue No 5 Scottish Charity SC031165

The Sandpiper Trust provides doctors and nurses in remote and rural parts of Scotland, who have been specially

trained in accident and emergency skills through BASICS ( The British Association for Immediate Care Scotland),

with appropriate medical equipment known as the Sandpiper Bag. The kits costing over £1000 each include over

50 essential general medical and paediatric items. The Sandpiper Bag enables lifesaving pre-hospital procedures

to be carried out during that critical period known as the Golden Hour when in the more remote and rural parts of

Scotland an ambulance may be several hours away. The Sandpiper Bags with their uniform layout and contents

have now become recognised as an international standard of immediate care.

The Newsletter of The Sandpiper Trust - A Scottish Charity

Contacts for the Sandpiper Trust : Web site : www.sandpipertrust.org

Aly or Penny Dickson : The Broich, Doune, Perthshire FK16 6HJ : Tel: 01786 841 866 or E-Mail: sandpiper@lanrick.co.uk

Claire Maitland : Dowalty, Crathes, Banchory, Kincardineshire AB 31 5JJ : Tel: 01330 844 606 or E-Mail: sandpiper@dowalty.co.uk

Presentation of the 700th Sandpiper Bag by H M The Queen at Balmoral

The Sandpiper Trust was honoured by Her Majesty the Queen agreeing to present the 700th

Sandpiper Bag to a Ballater doctor, in the presence of members of the Sandpiper Trust: (L to R)

Dr Colville Laird (The Trust’s medical adviser), Robin Maitland, Dr Ewen McLeod, H M The

Queen, Alistair Dickson, Claire Maitland and Penny Dickson.

( photograph courtesy of The Press and Journal)

A million thanks !

A chance meeting with Chris Tiso, at the 2005 St Andrew’s

University Fashion Show, was the catalyst for a change in the

design of the Sandpiper Bag. This initial encounter was some-

what unconventional if not uncomfortable. To be told by Chris

that he thought the design of the Sandpiper Bag was dreadful

and that he would not carry it across a field let alone up a moun-

tain made any response, other than a profound apology and an

excuse that we were obviously complete novices in this field,

very difficult. An extended silence was followed by a short

‚but‛ followed by the words “ I would like to help design and

donate a new and better bag for the Trust.”

Clarity of thought from Brian Carlin and BASICS - Scotland ,

who had a vision of what was required, coupled with the acute

attention to detail from Scott Shaw and other Tiso brains, who

were all expert in interpreting what was needed, resulted in the masterpiece we now have. The Sandpiper Bag,

Mark 2, will support the incredible work from BASICS - Scotland and their training programmes and sets a greatly

improved standard of excellence in the treatment of emergency care and on an international level. The fact that

Scotland has proudly pioneered and advanced this development is of enormous credit to everyone involved and to

whom the Trust are eternally grateful. We understand that other bodies, including the US army, have already ex-

pressed their enthusiasm and interest in the design which is unlike any product that has previously been made for

such purposes and is greatly admired by the experts. Chris, and his wife Suzie, remain staunch supporters of the

work of the Trust and we are most grateful for all their encouragement and assistance.

Sandpiper Bag Mark 2 is constructed from the latest fabric which is weather proof and more rugged than its

predecessor. The bag is lighter, more portable and a more effective and efficient design. The bag incorporates a

thermal pocket for fluids, a secure pouch for disposable items, a detachable oxygen section and a clearer stan-

dardised layout— in fact a real masterpiece!

The New Sandpiper Bag : Mark 2

The support that The Sandpiper Trust has received over the past few years has been overwhelming and we have made

many friends along the way. We are indebted to the support we have received from our Patron, Gavin Hastings, and

from our medical advisors, Dr. Colville Laird and Dr. Ewen Mcleod, together with their colleagues at BASICS-Scotland.

Also, from the many individuals, businesses, groups and schools the length and breadth of Scotland and south of the

border who have taken the time and effort to raise funds on our behalf.

There are those who find it hard to believe that we have achieved so much and yet we still remain a small family charity

with no overheads and no wage packets. Every £1 that comes to us goes straight towards the purchase of the next Sand-

piper Bag or vehicle locator and this equipment is allocated twice yearly to doctors and nurses who have undergone a

BASICS training course and then applied for equipment.

We hear of incidents when a Sandpiper doctor might have made a difference in a life and death situation. An example of

this came from Her Majesty, The Queen, who, when presenting the 700th Sandpiper Bag, told us of an accident she had

witnessed out the window of Buckingham Palace when a police officer had been knocked off his motorbike by a van and

was stabilized by a passing doctor prior to the arrival of an ambulance.

It is the feedback from doctors and nurses who have made a difference to someone’s life as a result of having Sandpiper

equipment that inspires us to continue our fundraising.

Each and every one of us is entitled to the same level of emergency care whether living in a city or in the remote and ru-

ral areas where so many of our supporters live. Due to this remoteness there can be a delay in accessing emergency treat-

ment. The emergency training provided by BASICS Scotland, together with fully equipped Sandpiper Bags and vehicle

locators which, when linked through to Ambulance despatch Centres can alert GPs to nearby medical emergencies, have

made a difference to pre-hospital emergency care. With the continuing support we receive we will further improve rural

emergency care and as a result more lives will be saved.

Thank you.

“When the Sandpiper Cookbook was launched I was delighted to buy one and support the valu-

able work of the Trust. A flick through the pages persuaded me that it was not only an excellent purchase

but that it would make a nice gift for others. I gave copies to family and friends and the gifts were appreci-

ated. At this point I had little idea that the small yellow book would be more than just another cookbook

for me. Over the following months we tried many of the recipes and also enjoyed seeing who had con-

tributed recipies. There are so many good and appealing dishes that it will be some time before all have

been tried and tasted! The health and safety information pages also caught my attention and I read them

with interest.

On a sunny spring day in 2009 I took a 'funny turn' whilst out gardening. Fortunately the symp-

toms (blurred vision, affected speech and inability to read) did not last very long. Because I had read the

Sandpiper Cookbook, I was fully aware of what was happening to me and was able to take correct and appropriate action. I was

having a suspected TIA (Transient Isostemic Attack - or mini stroke). Tests and preventative treatment followed. Without this

invaluable information in the cookbook I may have just put it down to a 'dizzy spell' and not sought ex-

pert medical advice. For me, the cookbook really

proved to contain more than just good food tips”.

A satisfied S P supporter

Almost 4000 copies of the Cookbook have now

been sold raising over £20,000 for the Trust : a

few copies costing only £14.99 including post-

age are still available from penny@lanrick.co.uk or the web site www.sandpipertrust.org. H M

The Queen was presented with a copy.

SOS - WORDS OF WISDOM - Get your copy today!

A collection of Words of Courage, Wisdom and Spirit has been compiled by Claire Maitland. The book

entitled The Swallow, The Owl and The Sandpiper contains uplifting and thought-provoking prose and po-

etry contributed from Sandpiper supporters, including words of encouragement sent to the Trust by Her Maj-

esty, The Queen, and with an introduction to the book by Sandpiper Patron and Scottish Rugby legend,

Gavin Hastings. A good stocking filler!

Books are available through the Trust web site: www.sandpipertrust.org. from 1st Oc-

tober 2009 and at selected W H Smith’s outlets in Scotland .

£12 plus postage - £ 4.99 for one or two books

Emergency medical training for soldiers in Afghanistan

The Royal Marines in Arbroath receive training in emergency care from BASICS - Scotland before leaving for Afghanistan

Satisfied customers

Where they have gone

SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED THE SANDPIPER TRUST IN SO MANY WAYS ………….

Our grateful thanks are once again extended to everyone who has made a donation to the Trust— despite these difficult times support for the Trust

continues to grow from so many walks of life : Perth Ladies Motor Cycle Club, The Auchterarder Inner Wheel, Glenalmond College, Fettes School,

Lathallan School, Loretto School, Strathallan School, Strathendrick Inner Wheel, The Silvie Tennis Tournament, St Modoc’s Church, Nick Nairn’s

TV Cookery Show, Scottish Communities Foundation, Mima Reid’s Munro Bagging, Landcatch Raffle, Jak Kennedy’s ―Carlops to Cameroon‖,

The West Highland Way, Saints and Sinners, Lions of Aberdeen Steam Rally, Durham University, Lanrick Clay Pigeon shoot, Shapes Valuation day,

West Perthshire Pony Club, Scotland’s Garden schemes in Doune and Forgandenny, Lossiemouth Bridge Club, Woodside fashion Show, Camp-

bell’s Pharmacy Christmas Cake sales, Hope’s 80th birthday party, Woodend Sale, Medical practices throughout Scotland, Charitable Trusts and

Foundations and numerous individual donations.

Cheryl Sivewright owner of Woodlane

Crafts and Chez Moi has raised over

£4000 for the Trust from fashion shows

held in Doune. Cheryl is seen here pre-

senting a bag to local Aberfoyle doctor.

Just Giving Web Site

Donations to the Sandpiper Trust may now be made through the Just Giving web site—all donations will be

acknowledged personally as usual provided address or e-mail details are given. Cheques and CAF donations are

still always welcome. Please give generously to this wonderful and valuable cause. Please visit the site and see

how people can use Just Giving to make a donation in a simple and effective way.

I was travelling along the M90 to Edinburgh airport when all the cars in front began to brake very quickly. As I took evasive action I noticed a commotion on the junction exit. This is when I saw a blue mini-bus on its side. The bus had braked on a diesel spillage, skidded into the barrier and flipped over. I stopped my car in the fend off position to pro-tect the scene, put on my protective jacket and grabbed my Sandpiper Bag. I noticed that there were some people still in the bus and some climbing out through the side windows. The bus was transporting a girls’ hockey team to a tournament in Edinburgh. Obviously all the pupils were very upset, but the majority were uninjured due to the fact that they

were wearing seatbelts. The two casualties remaining inside the bus had suffered frac-tured limbs. One of them who had been lying across the seat listening to her I-pod com-plained of head pain. I used the Sandpiper kit to deliver oxygen and apply a neck collar to her. I stayed with these casualties until the ambulance arrived which took approximately 20 minutes. I still made my flight as it was delayed by 1 hour – Good old British Airways!

Paramedic, Auchterarder, Perthshire

The Maitland children are becoming experts at pro-

moting the cause by delivering yet another Sandpi-

per Bag, this time to Dr Gwen Thomson at the Tor-

phins surgery where the medical kit will always be at

the ready to attend an accident or emergency.

The Sandpiper Trust is supporting The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service by encouraging everyone in Scot-land, from aged 17 upwards, to come forward and give blood at least once a year. Anna Maitland, recently gave blood for the first time at Kippie, Lodge Aberdeen. “I was so scared that I thought I was going to pass out before I got as far as giving blood, but everyone was so friendly and it didn’t hurt at all. What kept me going was the thought that by giving up a small amount of my own blood I might be helping to save the life of someone else. I

would definitely encourage everyone to give blood.” Call 0845 90 90 999, or visit www.scotblood.co.uk

to learn more about becoming a blood donor.

Sue Jardine Paterson with her mother deliver a bag to Dr Rich-ard Fowles of the Chirnside Prac-tise in the Borders.

Dr. Angus Cooper is an A & E consultant in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. He is hugely supportive of the trust and is running a series of remote and rural races to raise money for The Sandpiper Trust. “So far our list of races includes: Inverness half marathon, Balmoral 10k, Dunecht Dash (with the children), Baker Hughes 10k, Isle of Skye half mara-thon, Isle of Harris half marathon and Kirkwall half mara-thon. We chose these races to reflect the spirit of Sandpi-per. Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It's also the most efficient way to sponsor us. The Sandpiper Trust gets your money faster and, if you're a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation. So please sponsor us now!” http://www.justgiving.com/angusandcarol

More doctors comments

“ I was called out at 02:42am to assist the Scottish Ambulance Service as no crew was available - the

nearest to us being Golspie some 20-30 minutes away. The call was to a blue, collapsed 1 month old

baby. My pulse oximeter suggested quite marked hypoxia (lack of oxygen) and I administered oxygen

using a paediatric reservoir mask. Very quickly thereafter, the baby's pulse and oxygen level picked up,

he became pink and was more responsive. He was quickly transferred to Inverness via ambulance there-

after. Prolonged apnoea (basically not breathing properly) in the very young infants can cause brain

damage leading to cerebral palsy, or worse. With the help of the Sandpiper Bag & the Vehicle Locator,

the BASICS training I have received, and the able assistance of my colleagues in the Scottish Ambu-

lance Service this wee tot has hopefully avoided this devastation. Be assured, you are making a differ-

ence.” GP - Highland

―The week after I received my bag, I attended a biker who failed to negotiate a corner, striking a telegraph pole. His shoulder was shattered and a damaged lung rapidly filled with blood. I quickly placed him in a cervical collar, drained his lung and got him promptly off to hospital. I am sure I did not save his life but felt so much more con-fident at the availability of the bag and its contents and also at the expert tuition, fresh in my memory.‖

GP– Dumfries and Galloway

As a Consultant in Accident and Emergency Medicine covering an area which is mainly rural, the Sandpiper Trust has been a

god send. Working with Basics Education Scotland, we have trained our local GPs in immediate care. However, they have al-

ways been dependent on using equipment, which arrives with the ambulance. In rural areas, General Practitioner will often be

the first attender at emergencies. Training GPs in Immediate Care without supplying them with equipment is a bit like teaching

someone to ride a bike and then telling them to walk! With the introduction of Sandpiper bags and vehicle locators to support

training initiatives, we are now increasingly seeing patients arriving from rural communities having been fully resuscitated and

pain free. The Sandpiper Trust has contributed to a fundamental improvement in pre hospital care in Scotland.

A&E Consultant- Aberdeen

“We have used the Sandpiper Bag on numerous occasions. For example, a small child had a fit and stopped breath-ing, requiring ventilatory support. A single vehicle motor cycle accident required immediate treatment and the use of equipment in the bag. A very serious fall in a construction site required the use of a stiff collar, IVI's etc. My wife and I job share a single handed practice on a remote island of Shetland. There is an ambulance, but it is driven by a volunteer driver who has minimal training. It is not equipped to the same standard as mainland ambulances. The nearest paramedic ambulance is more than an hour away by road and ferry, as is the local hospital. We greatly appreciate the efforts that the Sandpiper Trust has put in to raising money for such an important cause.” - Shetland

“It is difficult to describe the countless times the Sandpiper bag has been of use. Practising in Tomintoul which is relatively remote, it is a constant companion on all emergency calls. Last month a patient had a heart attack and of course the indispensable bag was in action again, providing oxygen and IV line, etc. A car crash not so long ago and the cervical collar aided immobilisation until the ambulance arrived for more definitive care prior to evacuation. And so it goes on….”

GP–Tomintoul, Morayshire

Cardiac arrest in Scotland

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is common.

Over 2,500 patients suffer sudden cardiac ar-

rest in Scotland every year. Less than 5% of

cardiac arrest victims survive and a signifi-

cant proportion suffer permanent brain dam-

age. This can be devastating for patients and

their families.

Dr Richard Lyon, Specialty Registrar in Emer-gency Medicine and BASICS Doctor, will attend the scene of suspected cardiac arrests in the Ed-

inburgh area.

This has been made possible thanks to the provision of a fully equipped Sandpiper Bag and a

vehicle locator also provided by the Sandpiper Trust.

“ Sandpiper has transformed rural emergency care. I now know that no matter where I am in Scotland if I see the familiar blue bag I will have the essential equipment I need to do the job at hand. Now with the added support of vehicle locators from Sandpiper there are real prospects that the delays in call out can be minimised.” GP - HIGHLAND

Basics and Sandpiper

For those not familiar with the work of The Sandpiper Trust and BASICS Scotland a bit of background information may be useful.

BASICS is The British Association of Immediate Care and was formed in 1977 by a group of doctors who frequently attended emer-

gencies in pre-hospital situations and were keen to improve the standard of care and equipment available in this area. Membership

quickly expanded to include all health professionals involved in this area of work, in particular nurses and paramedics. Over the years

a lot of work was undertaken with the Emergency Services to coordinate activity, training and development of new equipment in this

field. Much of the activity of BASICS over the years has been in the field of education. In 1993 the Scottish division of BASICS

started to develop its own educational strategy and demand for this grew very quickly demonstrating the importance of this activity in

a country with significant amounts of rural and remote population. In 2000 the NHS in Scotland started to provide central funding to

support the educational activity in Scotland and this support.

Despite the central funding for education there was no national system for supplying health professionals with the equipment they

required to carry out this work. As a result many health professionals, keen to be involved, were unable to undertake this

type of work. Then in 2001 BASICS Scotland was approached by Claire Maitland, Sandy Dickson’s aunt with a view to

setting up The Sandpiper Trust alongside Sandy’s parents , Penny and Aly Dickson. Neither organisation foresaw the bene-

fits that the formation of the Sandpiper Trust and the symbiotic relationship with BASICS Scotland would bring to this area

of healthcare in Scotland. The most important of these are:-

The provision of a standardised and now internationally recognised set of kit for all providers of this service

The provision to date of over 750 Sandpiper bags in Scotland.

The provision of new training equipment. A new Simulator costing nearly £20,000 was recently donated to BASICS

Scotland by The Sandpiper Trust.

A vastly improved system for the Scottish Ambulance Service to know the availability and up to the minute location of

pre-hospital care providers in Scotland. This greatly improves the utilisation of pre-hospital care providers.

Continual monitoring of changes in pre-hospital care provision, allowing both organisations to quickly adapt to the

ever changing world of emergency care.

The work of both organisations continues to grow as the benefits of their activities are recognised and we are sure this will be the

case for many years. Dr Colville Laird

Mima Reid raised almost £500 for the Trust on a marathon Mon-

roe bagging climb. Here she is on the top of the world— well

Ben Vorlich to be precise - with Sophie Readman, having

reached the summit together.

Dr Mike Steven had the experience of a lifetime when he was invited to travel to Nepal with TV presenter, Ben Fogle, as a doctor for the BBC’s Ex-treme Dreams Programme.

― The Sandpiper Bag was an invaluable resource to me as an expedi-tion doctor. Its Tardis-like qualities enabled me to carry all the equipment to support a team of over 60 people in the wilderness for a number of weeks. I treated not just the contestants, but also the crew, porters and many of the locals en-route (including home visits!) and it came into its own when I needed to resuscitate a contestant prior to helicopter evacuation. The bag was genu-inely a life-saver and it is perfect for trekking – weighing 20kgs when fully equipped. Equally as invaluable was Bibi, the hardy Sherpa, (a runner up in the Everest Marathon!) who carried it for me when the going got tough.

I could not have done all this without the help of the Sandpiper Trust.‖

News and Events

The Perthshire Ladies Motorcycle Club presented a cheque to The Sandpiper Trust for £1000 to supply a Perthshire doctor with a Sandpiper Bag. The lucky recipi-ent was Dr Katherine Finlay from Rannoch Health Centre who was de-lighted to re-ceive The Sandpiper Bag to assist with medical care in the Ran-noch area. The evening continued with a dem-onstration by BASICS Scotland advising the ladies on helmet removal following an accident and basic resusci-

tation.

Fettes College raised nearly £1,400 in the retiring collection for their Christmas Carol Concert which took place in St Mary’s Cathedral. Anna Mait-land handed the cheque over to Sandpiper patron Gavin Hastings on behalf of the College.

Members of the Royal Guard, on duty at Bal-

moral, were the recipients of medical treat-

ment from a BASICS doctor equipped with a

Sandpiper Bag following a road traffic acci-

dent near Ballater. The medical equipment

had actually been presented to the doctor

from the Ballater practice by HM The Queen.

Picture courtesy of Donald Stewart Photography

A lasting memorial

Newsletter compiled and designed by Aly Dickson

Making a difference - Vehicle locators

50 Sandpiper Bags are now linked by a vehicle locator system to the Emergency Services Control

Centres, based in Inverness, Edinburgh and Cardonald. The equipment costing £1500 each has been do-

nated by the Trust to BASICS doctors who have expressed a wish to be more directly involved with pro-

viding immediate care in areas where ambulance cover is often thinly spread and where accidents are

known to occur. The initiative pioneered by the Sandpiper Trust, was designed to ensure that Sandpiper

Bags are used more effectively within the Emergency Care environment and it is encouraging that the

Scottish Ambulance Service is now considering a proposal to assume responsibility for funding some as-

pects of GP pre-hospital care. From data recording VLS activity there is now clear evidence that the sys-

tem is an invaluable partner for the Emergency Services and an effective first responder aid. In the three

months up to February ‘09, Inverness control centre made 83 call outs and a further 105 in the subsequent

quarter compared to a mere 20 for non VLS BASICS call outs. Another great Sandpiper Initiative.

Sandy Dickson was a favourite

of Margo Rawson when he was

at Croftinloan School near

Pitlochy. Margo recently won a

competition to be part of the

crew on a 3500 mile ocean

voyage and she decided she

would like to raise money for

the Sandpiper Trust. She hopes

to raise £1 for every mile com-

pleted. Her progress can be

followed on the Just Giving

Web site - so please help her

achieve her goal!

It is not every day that The Minister of Health is

rewarded with a copy of the Sandpiper Cookbook

but Nicola Sturgeon was a willing audience during

the official opening of the new Pitlochry Hospital

where she was shown the contents of the Sandpiper

Bag and given a detailed explanation of the role of

the Sandpiper Trust. Will this meeting and the

growth in the number of the Trust’s vehicle locators,

now available more widely, herald the beginning of

closer cooperation between the emergency services

and the Trust in order to improve the quality and

speed of an emergency medical response in Scot-

land?

It is nine years since Sandy Dickson died and eight years since the Sandpiper Trust was

created by his family and friends. I remember discussing our aims and targets for inclu-

sion in the first brochure and the number of Sandpiper Bags that we hoped to be able to

deliver. 750 seemed a distant and unattainable mirage back then and is no less a miracle

today now that we have reached that first goal. The need for more bags does not dimin-

ish and 1000 seems a good round figure! Our aims have broadened as we find new ave-

nues to go down with vehicle locators and the promotion of new training techniques

through BASICS Scotland . The Sandpiper concept has now been recognised as one of the

most effective solutions for immediate care when in partnership with others and has re-

ceived international acclaim.. From a single acorn great oaks are grown.

Intrepid travellers Jak Kennedy and

Nick Hodgson chose an unusual

route in order to raise £1600 for the

Trust. They conquered mountains,

survived searing desert heat and trav-

ersed tropical jungles between Car-

lops and Cameroon while participat-

ing in the Africa Rally 2008. They

acquired a beautiful Suzuki called

'Suzie' in order to tackle the course

through Morrocco, Western Sahara,

Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria until they reached their final

destination in Cameroon . Well done Jak and Nick and thanks for your support.