Sunday 1 September marks two years since the launch of our Critical Care Paramedic (CCP) Car.
Online seven days a week and crewed by at least one specialist paramedic in critical care, they respond to incidents such as road traffic collisions, anaphylaxis and seizures, helping us to reach more patients in need of specialist emergency care across the region.
Each of our specialist paramedics are highly trained and able to provide enhanced treatment and interventions to give our patients the very best chance of survival and recovery, when the worst happens.
The CCP car is used as an additional resource sent to those patients who may need enhanced paramedic level care, but who do not initially require an advanced doctor-paramedic Critical Care Team response.
They also provide additional support to the doctor-paramedic team at complex or multi-casualty incidents, such as a cardiac arrest or major trauma.
Specialist Paramedic, Mark Durell, said:
“It’s really exciting to see the CCP car reach its second anniversary. In the short time that the car has been running it has developed extensively – it now carries blood, delivers a wider range of critical care interventions and is making a massive difference to our patients.
“In the last year the CCP car has attended more than 650 incidents – almost double than the year before. We’re now entering a particularly exciting period as a number of our trainee critical care paramedics will qualify and be able to work on the CCP car, meaning we can get to even more patients.”
Your support makes a difference
15-year-old Tyler was in desperate need of critical care after he was involved in a serious road traffic collision in June last year.
Tyler was on his way to school and stepped out to cross the road when he was hit by an oncoming car – the force of the impact sending him 25 metres through the air and onto a grass verge.
Due to the extent of his injuries, teams in our helicopter and Critical Care Paramedic car responded.
Specialist Paramedic, John Gamblin, arrived first and began working alongside colleagues from South Central Ambulance Service to stabilise Tyler and begin life-saving airway management. Our Critical Care Team arrived by air shortly after, landing in a nearby field before approaching the scene.
Our team delivered vital interventions, including a pre-hospital emergency anaesthetic and an emergency blood transfusion, before flying him to the nearest major trauma centre.
Find out more about how support from people like you helped to save Tyler by reading his story.
Tyler pictured with his family.
Support our life-saving service and help make a difference in your community by making a donation today.
