One of today's Holiday Heroes is Nottinghamshire Ambulance Technician Lance Allen who will be out on the road responding to the most seriously ill people in the region.
“The lead up to Christmas is challenging and emotionally taxing on those of us who work it as we cannot spend Christmas with our families.
“Although it can be tough as we’re not at home with our families, we’re all in it together. It’ll be business as usual in terms of patients becoming unwell and still needing our help.”
As an emergency service invited into patients' homes at their time of need, Lance has seen first-hand the many different experiences people have of Christmas.
“We'll almost certainly see some patients who feel faint or collapse following a large Christmas meal, overindulgence is a real thing and can lead to people standing up too quickly and feeling faint.
“For people who are alone, it’s a very difficult period to get through, and responding to calls related to mental health is very common.
“Most patients I see tend to be more seriously ill because who wants to spend Christmas Day in the emergency department? While we do our best to avoid hospital admissions, the reality is that it may be the only option we have to get our patients the treatment they need.”
While the majority of patients Lance sees are grateful for his attendance to them at this time of year, there are unfortunate incidents of violence and aggression. Lance says he has a zero-tolerance approach to any form of abuse or violence, a sentiment wholeheartedly backed by EMAS.
“We understand that emotions can be high, and some people have nowhere to turn at this time of year, but it’s still not an excuse to be abusive to us. We are human at the end of the day.
“While we will always respect our patients, this needs to be reciprocated."
Despite not getting to spend Christmas with his family and friends, Lance and his colleagues still manage to bring some festive cheer into work.
“What's Christmas without some festivities! It’s not uncommon to see a bauble dangling in the front of an ambulance, along with some lights and tinsel.
“There are some really good cooks, bakers and generous people at EMAS, so food is often in abundance! We're never short of some sweets, chocolate and on occasion a bacon cob for the morning shift and pizza for the night shift.”
What is Lance’s top tip for a safe and happy Christmas?
“Preparation! If you take a lot of medication, make sure you have your repeat prescriptions ordered and picked up before Christmas and New Year begins.
“If you are experiencing persistent and recurring medical issues which are not getting better with self-care, get an appointment booked with your GP sooner rather than later.
“If you think you need urgent help and it’s not life-threatening, make your own way where possible to an urgent treatment centre as it frees up ambulances so that we can respond to life-threatening conditions.
“Have fun and enjoy the festive period. Try not to overindulge on the food, alcohol and sweets.
“Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!”