Archives (2024)

Image: Emergency Medical Advisors complete National Three Peaks challenge
10 May 2024

Emergency Medical Advisors complete National Three Peaks challenge

Two South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) Emergency Medical Advisors successfully completed the National Three Peaks Challenge on Friday, 3 May in an impressive 23 hours 6 minutes and 17 seconds. Ella Burgess and Chris LeRoy completed the colossal challenge 54 minutes and 43 seconds ahead of their goal time of 24 hours, all in support of the charity, SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Char

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Image: International recruitment boosts SECAmb nursing numbers
10 May 2024

International recruitment boosts SECAmb nursing numbers

A successful international recruitment campaign will see more than 20 nurses join South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb). The nurses will join a more than 60-strong nursing team working alongside paramedics to provide clinical advice to patients in SECAmb’s 999 and NHS 111 operations centres in Crawley and Gillingham. Following a worldwide recruitment campaign, SECAmb has

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Image: Crawley cardiac arrest survivor thanks ambulance team
26 April 2024

Crawley cardiac arrest survivor thanks ambulance team

A Crawley man has been reunited with a number of the ambulance team who helped save his life a year on from suffering a cardiac arrest. Retired Health and Safety Officer, Dave Mortimer, 67, visited South East Coast Ambulance Service’s Make Ready Centre in Crawley this week to pass on his thanks in person for the team’s effort. Dave was accompanied by Nicky Carr and Steve Grant, who as an off-duty

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Image: Paramedic completes epic mountaineering expedition
26 April 2024

Paramedic completes epic mountaineering expedition

A South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) Critical Care Paramedic (CCP) has achieved an extraordinary feat by conquering one of the most challenging ski mountaineering expeditions in the world, all in support of The Intensive Care Society. On Tuesday, 9 April, Paddock Wood CCP, Jim Walmsley, together with his team, completed the Patrouille des Glaciers, covering a total of more than 70km of up

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Image: Dartford heart attack survivor reunites with lifesaving crew
25 April 2024

Dartford heart attack survivor reunites with lifesaving crew

A father from Dartford who suffered a heart attack at his home has been reunited with the two ambulance service colleagues who helped save his life. Ian Harris, 52, from Dartford, Kent was washing his car at his home on the evening of 20 May, 2023, when he started to feel pain and discomfort in his hands, as well as coming over flustered and dizzy. Through his many years of watching 999 programmes

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Image: Mental Health Listening Service – Topic of discussion at the next Community Forum
18 April 2024

Mental Health Listening Service – Topic of discussion at the next Community Forum

The Trust’s next community forum will be an opportunity for the public and patients to learn more and share their views. The virtual Community Forum, which is open to anyone who has an interest in attending, will take place on Wednesday, 24 April from 6pm until 7.30pm. During this session, Community Resilience Lead, Tara Burn, will be speaking on her NHS England Fellowship project looking at the p

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Image: Empowering patient voices: New methods of instant patient feedback
12 April 2024

Empowering patient voices: New methods of instant patient feedback

Patients are now able to instantly submit feedback on their experience using our 999 service via brand new patient experience stickers which are now available in ambulances across our Trust. Building on the success of our patient feedback cards which were launched earlier this year, these new stickers are conveniently placed in ambulances, serving as a visual reminder that our patients’ voices m

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Image: Father of three recovering from cardiac arrest after son’s miracle chest compressions
11 April 2024

Father of three recovering from cardiac arrest after son’s miracle chest compressions

An Ashford father of three who suffered a cardiac arrest at his home in May 2022 has been reunited, alongside his family, with some of the ambulance team who helped save his life. Gerard Quinn, 59, from Ashford, Kent, was at his family home with wife Jenny, daughter, Elizabeth and son, Solomon when he collapsed on 29 May, 2022. After calling 999, wife Jenny was able to move Gerard to a safe space

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Image: Help us manage demand this Easter
25 March 2024

Help us manage demand this Easter

South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) is urging people use its services wisely and be aware of the demand both its 999 and NHS 111 services will face across the four-day Easter Bank Holiday weekend. SECAmb expects to handle up to 10,000 calls to its 999 service and in excess of 20,000 calls to NHS 111, a service it provides across much of its region (Sussex, Kent and Medway). By planning ahe

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Image: Trust celebrates International Women’s Day
8 March 2024

Trust celebrates International Women’s Day

We were pleased to celebrate the role of women across SECAmb by hosting an event to mark International Women’s Day (8 March). The event, held on 5 March, and hosted by our Gender Equality Network, (GEN), provided an opportunity for colleagues to celebrate the achievements on female staff across SECAmb. Women now make up more than 58 per cent of our workforce. A significant increase on just 43 per

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