A Crawley man who survived a life-threatening torn aorta has been reunited with the ambulance team who helped save his life over two years on. With around 20 per cent of patients with acute aortic dissection not surviving before reaching hospital – and up to 50 per cent before reaching a specialist centre – Christopher Chan knows just how lucky he is. Christopher recently visited S
Ambulance clinicians are being empowered to provide more informed and joined up care while assessing patients by having greater access to real-time patient care records. Following a successful trial in Paddock Wood, Kent, all frontline clinicians across South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) will now be able to access GP Connect, a national system which allows authorised clinicians to view in
Every week in the UK, approximately 12 people under the age of 35 die following sudden cardiac arrest and for 18-year-old Hayden from Westgate-on-Sea, SECAmb’s rapid response proved truly lifesaving. Hayden collapsed on the morning of 22 January 2026 while at home with his mum, Stacey, who was preparing to leave for work. He had been in bed getting ready to start his day when Stacey briefly check
South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) delivered vital lifesaving training during one of the UK’s largest Vaisakhi celebrations as part of ongoing efforts to tackle health inequalities and improve cardiac arrest survival rates. The Trust’s Community Resilience team joined thousands of attendees at the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara in Gravesend on Saturday, 18 April, delivering hands-on basic li
South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) and South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) are pleased to announce the appointment of Simon Ashton as Group Chief Executive, providing executive leadership across both organisations. Simon’s appointment was made following a joint recruitment process and confirmation by both Councils of Governors. He will take up
South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust has thanked Chief Executive Simon Weldon for his leadership as he stepped down from his role on Friday (17 April) During his three-year tenure at the Trust, the organisation has benefitted significantly from his vision which has driven major progress and improvement across SECAmb. Stepping into the role in April 2023, shortly after the Trust
A routine drive to an event turned into a life-saving rescue when two motorists stopped to help a cyclist lying beside his bike, only to discover he was in cardiac arrest. Craig Ormiston, aged 57 suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while cycling towards Brands Hatch on the morning of 21 June 2025 after setting out from the West Malling area on what had started as a beautiful sunny day. Friends, Emma
What began as what felt like mild chest pain quickly turned into a race against time for one Maidstone man who has since been reunited with the emergency team who helped treat him following a heart attack. Brian Gard aged 76 was at home with his wife, Heather, on 10 January 2026 when he began experiencing chest pain he initially thought was angina which is a condition caused by reduced blood flow
When Ellie King’s heart stopped, quick CPR from her husband and rapid response from South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) clinicians gave her a second chance at life. On 12 June 2025, Ellie and her husband, Paul, were at home watching television when Ellie’s breathing suddenly became irregular. Paul called 999 for help immediately. Resource Dispatcher, Elle Playfair, who was a call taker at
Today is World Health Day, which this year is campaigning for science-led solutions for a healthier future. With today’s research paving the way for the scientific treatments of tomorrow, SECAmb has been developing its own research capacity. The Research and Development Department held open applications across the Trust, before awarding £3,000 grants to three teams of colleagues with research prop