A 76-year-old man has said he ‘received wonderful care’ from the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) following a serious fall from the side of a mountain in the Lake District. John Hughes from Cambridge was enjoying a holiday in the Borrowdale Valley, Keswick, with his wife Jo back in June of this year when … Continued
After time spent as an emergency medicine doctor in some of the world’s worst conflict areas, Kate Allen joined the critical care team at GNAAS in 2018. In this honest interview, Kate discusses her inspirational career, the difficulties she’s faced as a woman working in medicine, the people who inspire her, and that one piece … Continued
When GNAAS is called out to a critically ill patient, seconds count. More often than not, on scene of an incident, the team on duty would have to run to and from the aircraft to grab bits of life-saving equipment or rely on help from the ambulance service. That was of course until five critical … Continued
Phil O’Donnell, from Hull, has been a critical care doctor with the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) for over eight years. Holly Taylor caught up with Phil to find out more about his life outside of the charity. Where do you work outside of GNAAS and what is your role? Outside of the charity, … Continued
Our critical care team typically includes one doctor and one paramedic. Although the two roles bring different skills and capabilities to the scene, at the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), they do so from an equal standing. The team operates under incredible pressure and often in isolation, so the cohesion of the small team … Continued
Doctors enable a range of treatments and drug interventions that elevate the service from just a means of patient transport to a flying critical care unit capable of carrying out surgeries and blood transfusions on the roadside. But the job of an Air Ambulance Doctor is not for everyone. “When you are out there, you … Continued
Our onboard team is usually made up of a pilot, a specialist pre-hospital doctor and a paramedic. Paramedics at GNAAS are all full-time members of staff and an integral part of the team. Hollie Smith has been a paramedic with the charity since January 2022. Holly Taylor interviewed Hollie to find out how a day … Continued
Carlisle-born Mike Sproat joined the charity just a few short weeks ago and has already made a huge impression. The father-of-two will be working from the organisation’s base in Penrith, Cumbria, and will fly primarily on the charity’s Pride of Cumbria II helicopter. Mike said: “I have worked for the ambulance service for a long … Continued
Just a few of months ago, The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) employed 10 new critical care doctors in the hopes of expanding and becoming a 24/7 service. Lyle Moncur from Edinburgh is one of those. Lyle has already passed the charity’s intense sign-off process to enable him to fly with the organisation’s paramedic … Continued
A boy from Whitley Bay has escaped with only ‘superficial’ injuries following a 15-foot fall from a woodland path into the river below. Seven-year-old, Finley Strachan, had been enjoying a day out in the sunshine with his family last month at Plankey Mill in Northumberland when he slipped down a bank into the water. Finley’s … Continued
