Four experienced EMAS paramedics will go head to head with ambulance crews from Denmark, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Switzerland and Sweden at the Emergency Services European Championship next week.
The competition, which is part of a three-day medical conference, will see our crews demonstrate their skills during a multiple-patient major incident scenario – all under the spotlights and in front of several judges and a live audience.
Ricky Harrison from Derbyshire, Ross Ludford from Leicestershire, Rosie Sears from Northamptonshire and James Harness from Lincolnshire will represent EMAS at the event which this year is themed ‘It takes a system to save a life’.
EMAS is one of just two NHS ambulance trusts in the UK to qualify for a spot at the European EMS2018 Championship, with Scottish Ambulance Service taking the other place.
Anne Spaight, Head of Clinical Governance, Audit and Research at EMAS and who submitted the application for EMS2018, says she is confident we can take home the trophy this year as a UK team has won previously.
She said: “I am delighted that our team have been invited to take part in the competition, I am so proud of them.
“We would love them to get through to the final round, and I would be over the moon for them to win EMS2018. If London Ambulance Service can do it, we can do it.”
While all ambulance services across the world can apply to take part in the EMS2018 competition, only 12 organisations are selected to take part in the first round which involves two scenarios.
Only four teams will qualify for the final round which will be a full scale simulated scenario with more complex challenges and will take place in the congress hall in front of a live audience of medical professionals.
Anne explained that as our crews have such a wide variety of skills ready to help save lives in a major incident, EMS2018 is a great opportunity for our paramedics to demonstrate what they can do and hone their skills even further.
She said: “From potential air crashes, multi-vehicle pile-ups on fast motorways and coastal disasters our clinicians learn to be proficient in a number of different and difficult circumstances.
“Their enthusiasm for improving their skills and learning is evident and demonstrated by their keenness to be involved in our many research programmes, and in their interest in this application.
“By applying for this opportunity the team will have a chance to test their considerable skills against other like-minded colleagues, on this international stage, sharing and learning from others from all over the world.”
EMS2018 will take place from 16April to 18 April in Copenhagen.
More information about the event is available by visiting the EMS website