Salisbury schoolgirls create board game highlighting work of 999 call handlers
The team's won top prize in a South West NHS competition
A group of Salisbury schoolgirls have won a South West NHS competition, for highlighting the work of emergency call handlers.
Alice Ward, Beatrice Wild, Erin Gilson and Poppy Chismon, from South Wilts Grammar School, have put together a board game based around the efforts of 999 call takers.
The aim is to complete mission cards, with players also landing on ‘action spaces’ which can either help or hinder them.
Throughout the game, participants learn about the role of an emergency call dispatcher and the type of tasks they might face.
This video explains more about the game play:
The 13 year olds entered a contest to research and promote an NHS role, ahead of the organisation's 75th anniversary.
Alice, Beatrice, Erin, and Poppy, said:
“We had an amazing time working as a team, being creative and having fun. It was the perfect opportunity for us to work together and display our individual strengths whilst working as a group."
Dr Navina Evans, Chief Executive, Health Education England, said:
“Well done to everyone at South Wilts Grammar School who entered the competition, you should all be extremely proud of yourselves.
"I am amazed with Alice, Beatrice, Erin, and Poppy’s game based around an Emergency Call Dispatcher. The concept of the game is incredibly clever and factual, but also creative and fun for all ages. The girl’s hard work will be an inspiration to next years’ contestants. "
Across the country, nearly 900 entries were sent in to the competition, with over 1,500 pupils taking part.
Michele Chilcott, Headteacher at South Wilts Grammar School, said:
“The Step into the NHS competition raises students' aspirations and opens their eyes a to a wide range of health and social care career opportunities.
We are incredibly proud of Alice, Beatrice, Erin, and Poppy’s teamwork, presentation, and design skills, which impressed teachers as well as the judges.”
Tom Wilkinson, Emergency Operations Centre Recruitment and Retention Lead at the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT), said:
“We would like to congratulate South Wilts Grammar School on their winning entry – what a great achievement!
"The role of an Emergency Medical Dispatcher is a critical part of the ambulance service. They are the first point of contact when a 999 call comes through the medical emergency. They can give lifesaving help and advice ahead of an ambulance resource arriving on scene.”