Patients from across South East Coast Ambulance Service’s
(SECAmb) region have once again been reunited with the ambulance
teams who saved their lives at the Trust’s annual ‘Our Survivors’
event.
The event, now in its sixth year, celebrates the clinical skills
of SECAmb staff and the lives they have saved.
Eight patients, whose lives were saved by the clinical
interventions of SECAmb staff, were reunited with their lifesavers
for the first time on Sunday (25 September) at Ashdown Park Hotel,
near Forest Row, East Sussex. (See below and the event booklet for
full details).
The event celebrates the life-saving skills of SECAmb staff and
volunteers, the quick-thinking of those at the scene in beginning
treatment and calling 999 and the lives of those saved. It also
emphasises the importance of early cardiopulmonary resuscitation
(CPR) for cardiac arrest patients.
A moving short film telling each patient’s
story was produced and has been uploaded to Youtube.
Each patient and member of the SECAmb team involved in their
care was presented with a special memento pin badge. The Trust was
also pleased to be joined at the event by special guest, Consultant
Cardiologist and renowned founder of the UK paramedic profession,
Professor Douglas Chamberlain.
SECAmb Acting Chief Executive, Geraint Davies
said: “I am immensely proud of our staff and what they achieve day
in day out. Our Survivors is an amazing event which makes it clear
how much the dedication and skill of our staff means to our
patients and their families and friends.
“While it would be impossible to share all the
great successes our staff are delivering, these eight stories
represent what is being achieved across our region on a daily
basis.
“It is team work that is required to deliver
great outcomes – from those at the scene who act quickly and dial
999 and begin lifesaving treatment, to our staff in our control
centres, the ambulance clinicians, specialist teams such as the air
ambulance and volunteers providing the highest quality of treatment
to patients.
“I’d like to thank all the patients and their
families for sharing their stories with us in order for us to
empahsise the importance of early CPR and the excellent work of our
staff and volunteers.”
‘Our Survivors’ 2016
- Gerald Marchant, Pembury, Kent
- Paul Fowler, Hoo, Kent
- Peter Rabbatts, Maidstone, Kent
- Sir Hugh Bennett, Ardingly, Sussex
- Trevor Cowburn, Crawley, Sussex
- Imogen Guest, Redhill, Surrey
- Dr Leslie Campbell, Hambledon, Surrey
- Alex Royle, Farnborough, Hampshire