Lord Mayor praises hospital’s lifesaving role

LIVERPOOL’S Lord Mayor has praised staff from University Hospital Aintree and Walton Hospital for helping save lives in Afghanistan.

Councillor Mike Storey is paying tribute to the 7 staff, including doctors and nurses who currently volunteer with the Liverpool-based Territorial Army medical unit.  The reservists swap hospital life in Fazakerley or Walton for tours of duty on the Afghan frontline, dealing with military and civilian casualties.  Some medics fly direct into battle areas to give emergency treatment to wounded soldiers as part of the MERT (Medical Emergency Response Teams).

A large print of a painting called ‘Safe Return’ showing TA medics in action is to be given to Liverpool’s Lord Mayor for display in the Town Hall in recognition of the city’s support.

Liverpool’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Mike Storey said:- “We are all immensely proud of the service the unit gives in extraordinary circumstances. They play an essential role and risk their lives for others. These individuals all have extremely high levels of motivation, determination, commitment, enthusiasm, yet are compassionate and above all brave. I think I speak on behalf of everyone in the city in thanking them for using their expertise in such a selfless way.”

Colonel Peter Jackson, commanding officer of 208 (Liverpool) Field Hospital (Volunteers), said:- “We are indebted to the support we receive from the hospitals helping provide first-class medical care to our soldiers on the frontline. They couldn’t do that without the support of their employer back at home.  Everybody who joins the TA medics does so in anticipation that they can go and give care to the sick and wounded, often in arduous and harrowing circumstances. The staff from Aintree have been absolutely fantastic. They should be very proud of themselves and the Trust should be proud of them.”

James Birrell, chief executive of Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs both hospitals, said:- “Life-saving skills developed here at the hospitals are being used in a crucial way in Afghanistan and elsewhere. This is a voluntary decision by our staff and we give them our full support.”

Anyone wishing to find out more about TA medics can ring the 208 (Liverpool) Field Hospital (Volunteers) on 0151 488 6655.

National Work Experience Awards call for entries from North West companies

AS the recession drives more businesses to offer internships, the National Council for Work Experience (NCWE) is calling for North West enterprises to demonstrate the success of their schemes by entering its seventh annual Awards.

The NCWE Awards is firmly established as the official event to showcase best providers of undergraduate work experience and a perfect opportunity for employers to gain recognition for their commitment to the development of the future workforce.

The Environment Agency in Warrington and Rostons Ltd, the rural surveyors based in Chester both picked up awards last year for best placements nominated by careers advisers.

Spanning 11 categories, the Awards are open to organisations of all sizes and industries, including charitable and public sectors. Employers, students and careers advisers have until 11 December 2009 to nominate the organisations they feel epitomise best practice in work experience by visiting work-experience.org/awards.

Heather Collier, NCWE director commented:- “The recession has highlighted the importance of work experience for all involved and we are hoping to receive higher numbers of nominations from companies offering well-structured programmes.

Students are more likely to look for external endorsement when seeking work experience this year and by working for a company that has received an award they can be confident that their experience will be worthwhile.”

The NCWE Awards recognise, encourage and reward employers who take the lead in the provision of valuable work placement opportunities for students, and set high standards for others to follow by offering fulfilling work placements that help students develop their employability skills.

Entries will be assessed solely by online application and a maximum of 6 companies will be short-listed in each category. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony that will take place in London on 23 March 2010.

This year’s sponsors include Changeboard, AGR, Glaxo Smith Kline and Centrica.