11 new Paramedic Aircrew were presented certificates by Wing Commander Alistair Howard, Officer Commanding 333 Squadron based at R.A.F Benson at a ceremony at Bicester Hotel, Chesterton on Friday 4th March.
South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust (SCAS) Clinical Supervisor Joanna Jefferies (Didcot), Paramedics Tracey Alden (Reading), Lisa Brown (Bracknell), Richard Company (Reading), Kevin Letchford (Reading) and Lee Mayne (Reading) will respond with Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance (TVACAA) on Helimed 24 out of R.A.F Benson.
Paramedic Timothy Ross from the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service NHS Trust will respond with SCAS paramedics Victoria Cladingboel (Basingstoke), John Gamblin (Basingstoke), Paul Rock (Whitchurch), and Kirsty Tallack (Petersfield) for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) on Helimed 56 out of Thruxton air base. All new aircrew paramedics will work a rota of 6 weeks on the air ambulance and 6 weeks off working as land ambulance paramedics.
A reception was followed by a formal presentation during which the opening speech was given by Will Hancock, SCAS Chief Executive, who said:
‘It is no mean feat to be recruited and to qualify for operations in what must be one of the most demanding emergency services roles in the country. The Air Ambulance service in the South Central Region has gone from strength to strength and forms a core part of pre-hospital medical services both operationally and clinically. Over 50 paramedics applied and you are the elite 11 who made it through to qualify to represent our service in the air.’
Isle of Wight Ambulance Service Aircrew Paramedic Timothy Ross added:
‘Working on a helicopter is a very alien experience for both the patient and the paramedic. Our role as patient carers is a lot about communication but as soon as the blades begin to whirl all that goes! We can access one arm and the head – all the rest of our patient is inaccessible so anything that needs to be done needs to be done prior to loading, something we don’t routinely do ‘on the road.’
‘Flying on Helimed 56 is all I wanted it to be. The gruelling extra training has been so worthwhile and I hope my patients will benefit from it. The air ambulance is used to attend all manner of incidents where accessibility is difficult by land, where a patient needs to be rapidly conveyed to hospital or to a more appropriate hospital than their local A&E, where land crews need more pairs of hands quickly, or where a doctor is needed.
‘My company transport is fast and the view from my office window is amazing!’
