COVER STORY


An hour to save their lives T


he GWAAC Critical Care Team are extremely busy, attending on average over four jobs a day,


and saving hundreds of lives. People have been very generous, fundraising to keep this vital life-line going. They can see the helicopter flying, but they don’t get the chance to see what happens at an incident.


the front and back of her brain. The episode followed her journey through Southmead Hospital, and then a specialist brain rehabilitation unit. Christy was determined to overcome her serious injury and it was hoped that she would return home soon. During the same episode viewers were also able


to see Critical Care Paramedic Pete Sadler and Critical Care Doctor James Tooley as they treated Peter, who had been run over by a forklift truck in Gloucestershire. Peter was lucky, his injuries were painful, but not life- changing, and he was soon back on his feet again. Horse rider George needed our help when he


August gave people a unique opportunity to


see the work that the crew do out in the field, as they appeared in two episodes of BBC’s An Hour To Save Your Life. The programme was the result of two months of filming, where a camera crew spent time with our Critical Care Doctors and Critical Care Paramedics. It showed them responding to incidents in both the helicopter and critical care cars. Filming also took place in the Bristol Royal Infirmary and Southmead Hospitals, where you were given behind the scene insights into the handover between our crew and the hospital medical team, as well as the ongoing care and surgery each patient received. An Hour To Save Your Life looks at innovations


in emergency medicine and the improvements in patient outcomes as a result of pre-hospital care and fast-tracking cardiac arrest, medical and trauma patients to specialist centres. The team were shown responding to three


incidents, treating patients Christy, Peter and George. The crew all wore Go Pro cameras strapped to their chests, which along with shots from the cameraperson, gave people the chance to see and hear what goes on at the scene of a serious incident. On average road traffic collisions make up 25 per cent of all our jobs. Our team jumped in the Critical Care Car, and rushed to Christy’s aid when she was hit by a car in Bristol. Critical Care Paramedics Vicki Brown and Neil Hooper, and Critical Care Doctor Greg Cranston were seen giving her an emergency roadside anaesthetic as they feared she may have bruising to


14 DONATE ONLINE AT WWW.GWAAC.COM AND SUPPORT US ON @GWAAC Helimed NEWS


suffered a riding accident in Gloucestershire. Viewers watched as Critical Care Paramedic John Wood and Critical Care Doctor Greg Cranston rushed to the scene in the helicopter, landing next to him in the field. On arrival there were worries that he had damaged his spinal cord and his breathing may deteriorate. After doctors at Southmead assessed him it was discovered that he had lost the use of his


GWAAC crew appeared in two episodes of BBC’s An Ho


ur To Sav e Yo ur Life.


legs, and it was unlikely that he would walk again. George’s inspiring attitude and the way he accepted what had happened was very moving. We were overwhelmed by the response to these


shows, and are very grateful to the patients and their families for agreeing to be filmed. We are thankful to the people who support us,


and ensure that we can continue to be there for people like Christy, Peter and George.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20