Archives (2024)

Image: Colleagues and public gather at Annual Members Meeting
26 September 2024

Colleagues and public gather at Annual Members Meeting

We were delighted to welcome colleagues and members of the public to our Annual Members Meeting (AMM) recently. The event, which took place at the South of England Showground at Ardingly, West Sussex, on 13 September, gave attendees the chance to view a variety of stalls showcasing our current work and plans for the future as well as a chance to learn life-saving CPR skills. Our retirement associa

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Image: Kent father of three reunites with ambulance heroes following cardiac arrest
26 September 2024

Kent father of three reunites with ambulance heroes following cardiac arrest

With cardiac arrest survival rates below one in 10, Justin Riordan, a father of three from Rainham, Kent, was determined to express his gratitude to SECAmb colleagues for helping to save his life. In the early hours of 7 June 2024, Justin’s wife, Lisa, woke to what she thought was Justin snoring extremely loudly. When she tried to wake him, he was unconscious and showing signs of agonal breathing,

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Image: New clinical hub initiative shortlisted for national award
19 September 2024

New clinical hub initiative shortlisted for national award

A Kent health project, which is helping to keep patients safe, well and out of hospital has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award. The East Kent integrated clinical hub, involving South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust’s (SECAmb), East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust and Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust, has been shortlisted for a 2024 Health S

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Image: Take part in our public survey and help shape our future
18 September 2024

Take part in our public survey and help shape our future

At South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb), engaging with our patients and hearing your views is a top priority. We are committed to involving the public in shaping our patient and public engagement strategy, and we invite you to participate in our public survey to help guide this important work. Through public involvement, we’ve already achieved significant milestones, including hosting six c

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Image: Mother of two overjoyed to be reunited with ambulance colleagues
18 September 2024

Mother of two overjoyed to be reunited with ambulance colleagues

A mother of two young children from Ramsgate in Kent who suffered a decline in her mental health recently had the opportunity to thank her lifesavers as she continues her recovery. Coral Kirklaldie, 41, was overjoyed to be reunited with the South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) team. With one in four people experiencing a mental health problem of some kind each year in England, Coral, found

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Image: Dad thanks lifesavers after recovering from heart attack
16 September 2024

Dad thanks lifesavers after recovering from heart attack

SECAmb colleagues were over the moon to meet a father of three who suffered a heart attack while taking part in a charity football match. Craig Minnican aged 33 from Cliffe in Kent, met with his lifesavers, Emergency Medical Advisor, Chelsea Williams, Resource Dispatcher, Simon Field, Trainee Associate Ambulance Practitioner, Olivia Godman and Newly Qualified Paramedic, Harry Topsfield at Thamesid

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Image: West Kent clinical hub avoids more than 1,200 emergency department admissions
13 September 2024

West Kent clinical hub avoids more than 1,200 emergency department admissions

A clinical coordination hub in west Kent has recently marked its one-year anniversary, helping avoid more than 1,200 emergency department admissions. The hub, which was organised and implemented by South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, (SECAmb), in partnership with Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW), and Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT), has now beco

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Image: Woking man reunited with lifesaving team
11 September 2024

Woking man reunited with lifesaving team

A Woking man who received a staggering 15 shocks from a defibrillator to restart his heart was finally able to thank his life-savers in a recent reunion. 62-year-old Ian Marples met the SECAmb team who helped save his life after he suffered a cardiac arrest at his local GP practice on 17 March 2021. Ian was delighted to be able to let the people who saved him know that he was alive and well, suffe

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Image: Brighton fan has his partner and ambulance crews to thank for saving his life
10 September 2024

Brighton fan has his partner and ambulance crews to thank for saving his life

A former 999 call taker put her previous knowledge to good use and called for help when she sensed her partner of more than 30 years became seriously unwell. The calls proved to be lifesaving when avid Brighton & Hove Albion fan Chris Geddes then went into cardiac arrest in front of SECAmb paramedic Kathryn Fox, who along with her colleagues, emergency care support worker Sheenagh Hughes and t

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Image: Kent teacher who suffered a major artery tear reunites with lifesavers
4 September 2024

Kent teacher who suffered a major artery tear reunites with lifesavers

A Kent science teacher, who is lucky to be alive after suffering a tear of his major aorta artery where it exits the heart, is reunited with his lifesavers. With just a 15 to 30 per cent chance of surviving the Type A aortic dissection, South East Coast Ambulance Service colleagues were delighted to be reunited with the father of three from Parkwood in Gillingham, Kent, at Medway Make Ready Centre

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