|
|
 |
SIMCAS in the News
Saturday 5th November
Four SIMCAS members assisted South East Coast Ambulance Service and St John Ambulance at the annual Lewes Fireworks celebrations. Drs. Cottingham, Iosson, Pearce and Walter staffed the causalty station at Lewes ambulance station and had a presence at The Royal Victoria Hospital minor injuries unit. The most significant injuries we treated were from dropped bangers causing eye damage. The seriousness of these was picked up by the local BBC news team and Dr Pearce was interviewed for an item on this as shown below.
BBC News Bangers from Alan Pearce on Vimeo.
Friday 15th July
One man was left critically injured after head on crash on A272 near Buxted, East Sussex last night (15 July 2011) that also injured another four people.
A man was left fighting for his life last night after a serious high speed head on collision on the A272 between Buxted and Hadlow Down. Two cars crashed head on at approximately 21.50 on the 15th of July 2011 resulting in the entrapment of two young men. The three occupants of the second car were able to free themselves and had minor injuries
only.
The trapped front seat passenger suffered significant injuries due to the severity of the incident. Three doctors from the local charity SIMCAS were dispatched to assist. Dr Alan Pearce, Dr Jane Pateman and Dr Rowley Cottingham of the South East Immediate Medical Care Scheme were able to provide emergency medical care at the scene during the difficult prolonged entrapment which lasted about 2 hours.
The most serious casualty was transported using the Sussex Police helicopter to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.
Sunday 5 June 2011
A car driver was trapped after his car fell down an embankment and collided with a tree alongside the M20 near Maidstone, Kent at 21:08 last night.
Two people were injured when the car lost control in heavy rain and slid down the embankment, hitting a tree and trapping the driver. The incident occurred on the coast-bound carriageway between Junction 4 and 5 of the M20. A SIMCAS Nurse/Paramedic and two ambulances were required to treat the victims. Police and Kent Fire and Rescue crews also attended the crash.
The driver was trapped in his car for more than an hour and needed to be cut free, whilst his passenger received minor injuries. Bob Sheridan - a volunteer Immediate Care Nurse and Paramedic with SIMCAS - was called by South East Coast Ambulance Service from his home in Leybourne to attend the incident.
Bob commented "this was a very serious accident in atrocious weather conditions; the teamwork from all of the emergency services was excellent"
Both casualties were taken to hospital in Maidstone. The driver was immobilised at scene with full spinal precautions.
Sunday 5 June 2011
Five people were injured, three seriously after two cars collided on the A21 near Tonbridge, Kent at 23:50 last night.
Two cars collided head-on whilst travelling along the A21between Pembury and Tonbridge. Emergency services were dispatched from as far as Maidstone and Sevenoaks to attend the incident. A SIMCAS nurse and five ambulances were required to treat the victims, one of whom was trapped in his car. Police and fire crews also attended the crash.
One man was trapped in his car and needed to be cut free whilst the other 4 casualties, all travelling in the other vehicle, had been pulled free of the car by a quick-thinking passer-by. Tony Kemp - a volunteer Immediate Care Nurse with SIMCAS - was called by from his home in Tunbridge Wells to attend the incident and said "it is at times like this that even a little first aid training is invaluable and can potentially save a life."
Tony commented "this was a very serious accident at a notorious accident blackspot, the teamwork from all of the emergency services as well as from a passing hospital doctor was excellent."
All five casualties were taken to hospital in Tunbridge Wells by a fleet of ambulances, each casualty was immobilised at scene with full spinal precautions. Police closed the road into the early hours to conduct an investigation into the cause of the collision.
Sunday 29 May 2011
Security staff at a shopping mall were praised by emergency services staff for their quick thinking and first aid skills after an elderly couple fell down a moving escalator today in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Horrified shoppers at the Royal Victoria Place Shopping Centre watched as first the woman fell down the escalator and then her accompanying male friend did the same, landing on top of her. Both pensioners suffered significant head injuries in their falls. The centre's security staff and a passing shopper rendered first aid and dialled 999.
First on the scene for the South-East Coast Ambulance Service was local voluntary SIMCAS nurse Tony Kemp who said "this had the potential to be a very serious incident and the security team provided very high quality care to the two injured people from the outset."
Both of the casualties were immobilised for spinal precautions at the scene and taken to the Kent and Sussex Hospital in Tunbridge Wells for further treatment.
24th May 2011
A man was critically injured after he became trapped in a car crusher when his legs were entangled in the machinery today in a scrap yard near Hastings, East Sussex.
Emergency services were called to a vehicle dismantling yard in Westfield, near Hastings, East Sussex at about 08.35 this morning where a 40 year-old worker had become trapped in a car crushing machine. Both his legs were crushed by the machinery and he was trapped for about 45 minutes. The man was treated at the scene by a medical team including doctors from SIMCAS, the immediate care charity; the Air Ambulance and paramedics from South-East Coast Ambulance Service.
Emergency blood supplies were rushed to the accident and he was given a general anaesthetic before being cut free by East Sussex Fire and Rescue. The Air Ambulance flew him to the Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel for further surgery.
SIMCAS doctor Alan Pearce said “This was a nasty incident for everyone involved. It was comforting to know that the pain relief and anaesthetic that we gave him, because of the horrific injuries, helped reduce and relieve his suffering.”
Police and the Health and Safety Executive are currently investigating the cause of the accident.
BBC news story
Sunday 22nd May 2011
Seven people were injured with two left in a critical condition after a collision between three cars near Chichester, West Sussex last night.
A Subaru Impreza collided with an Audi on a bend in the B2178 Old Broyle Road, near Chichester, causing a small engine fire. Emergency services were first called to the scene just after 22:20. Of the five occupants of the Subaru, two men were critically injured with head and chest injuries and the other three were seriously injured.
A SIMCAS doctor and six ambulances from SECAMB and South Coast Ambulance were required along with West Sussex Fire and Rescue and Sussex Police to manage the incident. The most seriously injured patients received emergency treatment on scene before being transported to St Richard's Hospital Chichester. The other victims were taken to St Richard's or Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham.
SIMCAS doctor Neil Iosson said "This was one of the worst crashes I have attended in some time. Several people were extremely seriously injured in this collision and it is thanks to the immense teamwork by all the emergency services that we were able to get them all treated and transported to hospital rapidly."
The five men and two women involved - all thought to be in their twenties or thirties - remain in hospital at this time (00:30) and two are critically ill. The B2178 remains closed for police collision investigations.
Monday 4th April 2011
A couple in their twenties had a lucky escape today after a walk along the beach nearly ended in tragedy. SIMCAS doctor Rowley Cottingham and other rescuers were called to assist after the couple became trapped at the foot of Beachy Head, East Sussex by fast rising tides.
The two students had planned to enjoy the sunny weather and walk along the beach from Eastbourne to Brighton. Their plans went wrong when they became surrounded by the rapidly approaching tide as they walked below Beachy Head and were unable to walk on or retreat to Eastbourne. The cliff prevented them from using their mobile phones to summon help.
The male student decided to swim back to Eastbourne where he managed to raise the alarm: rescuers found him shivering and soaked but unharmed. Coastguard and police services searched for the woman and rescued her from the foot of the cliffs. She was examined by SIMCAS doctor Rowley Cottingham who found her to be cold and wet but unharmed. He said "I was delighted they were found quickly. The rising tide was running strongly this afternoon and this could have been much worse."
Wednesday 19th January 2011
A 37 year old man is undergoing treatment at the Royal Sussex County Hospital today after his car left the road at Ranscombe Hill on the A27 at Lewes at about 05.30 this morning.
His car ran through a wooden fence, parts of which went through the the car door and into his body.
He was attended by Dr Alan Pearce of the South East Coast Immediate Care scheme SIMCAS.
Dr Pearce with the help of crews from South East Coast Ambulance Service gave specialist care at the roadside administering an anaesthetic as the casualty was cut free from the wreckage by a team from the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service.
He was taken by road to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton where he is being treated for his injuries.
19th January 2011
Fatal fall from cliff in Telscombe, East Sussex
A man died as the Ford Mondeo van he was in drove over the edge of the cliffs at Telscombe, East Sussex at about 1550 today. The van landed on its roof at the base of the cliffs, in a rock pool.
Dr Rowley Cottingham, a doctor with emergency care charity SIMCAS, attended the scene to assist the South East Coast Ambulance service (SECAmb). "It was an extremely difficult location to access, at the base of 300ft cliffs and he was trapped in the vehicle." he said "It took a combination of teamwork with the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, the Solent Coastguard as well as the new specialist Hazardous Area Rescue Team (HART) from the ambulance service to get medical and cutting equipment down by helicopter to the accident site. Unfortunately the man's injuries were too severe and he was declared dead at the scene."
15 November 2010
An elderly woman was seriously injured after colliding with a lorry today near Five Ashes, Heathfield, East Sussex.
At about 12pm today an 83 year old woman driving a Toyota Aygo collided with a lorry the junction of the A267 and the A272 just south of Five Ashes in East Sussex. She was treated by a medical team consisting of Dr Alan Pearce from the emergency medical charity SIMCAS, alongside the crew of the Sussex Air Ambulance and members of South East Coast Ambulance service.
She sustained severe head injuries and required a general anaesthetic at the roadside. The Sussex Air Ambulance took her by helicopter to the Major Trauma Centre at the Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel which has a specialist head injury team. The driver of the lorry was also taken to hospital (by road). Dr Pearce, a local GP, said "Different skills of the within the medical team came together well to deliver very high standards of care and to ensure that she got the best chance of recovery".
The A276 was completely closed for police investigations.
Friday 5 November 2010
A man was left fighting for his life after being hit by a stray firework last night in Lewes, East Sussex.
The 21-year-old man was hit in the chest by a rocket at the Commercial Square Bonfire Celebrations in Lewes, East Sussex last night . He sustained very serious injuries and burns to his chest and emergency stabilising treatment was given by SIMCAS doctor and paramedics from the South-East Coast Ambulance service.
He was rapidly transferred to the Emergency Department at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton. He underwent emergency chest surgery in the operating theatre last night and is now in a critical, but stable condition in intensive care.
"He is extremely lucky to be alive after such a serious injury," said Dr Alan Pearce of SIMCAS, "our role as prehospital emergency doctors is to provide specialist skills in just these situations." Dr Pearce was part of a team of six highly trained doctors and nurses working for the medical charity SIMCAS alongside the South-East Coast Ambulance and St John Ambulance services at the event. "The Lewes bonfire celebrations are always a very busy time for the ambulance service and this incident highlights the very real dangers of fireworks."
BBC News story
5 November 2010
A woman survived falling 40 feet in Eastbourne, East Sussex today.
Rescue services were called just after midday when a woman was seen to
fall from a window at Westdown House, a 7-storey block of flats in
Harrington Place, Eastbourne.
She fell 40 ft and landed on a raised flat roof and sustained critical
head and leg injuries. She was treated by paramedics from South East
Coast Ambulance Service and Dr Alan Pearce, a member of the local
immediate medical care service, SIMCAS.
Dr Pearce and the ambulance team stabilised her injuries and gave her
emergency treatment before placing her into a cradle which was lowered
to the ground by a team form the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service.
The Air Ambulance attended but was unable to fly her out due to poor
weather conditions and she was taken by ambulance to Eastbourne
District general Hospital.
1 November 2010
A woman driver was trapped after her car crashed off the road and into a house on the A22 near Hailsham, East Sussex yesterday. A South-East Coast Immediate Care (SIMCAS) Doctor was called to assist with her rescue.
Emergency services were called at about 21:45 yesterday to a car that had collided with a bollard and left the road on the A22 at Lower Dicker near Hailsham. The vehicle demolished the front porch of a house and damaged trees in the front garden and was badly damaged on the side and roof, trapping its 37 year-old woman driver.
Dr Alan Pearce from the emergency medical charity SIMCAS attended. He assisted paramedics and was able to give her advanced pain relief and to help treat her back and shoulder injuries. The trapped woman was finally cut free by East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. She was taken by ambulance to Eastbourne District General Hospital.
No-one else was injured in the incident. The road was closed for several hours so that emergency repairs could be made to exposed electrical wiring and enable shoring up of the damaged buildings.
Tuesday October 26th 2010
A woman was killed and three men were injured after a head-on collision near Birdham, West Sussex today.
Emergency services were called to the B2198 between Somerley and Birdham, near Chichester, West Sussex at about half past four this afternoon. A white Ford Sierra and a white VW van had collided head-on at a sharp bend in the road. The woman passenger was trapped and was dragged from the car by passers by, including a nurse and a retired surgeon, who gave first aid at the incident.
SECAMB paramedics were assisted by Doctor Neil Iosson from SIMCAS who performed emergency chest surgery at the side of the road. The woman's injuries were too severe and she was declared dead at the scene. The air ambulance had also been called but was unable to attend because of the weather.
The driver of the car was also seriously injured and the two men in the van were taken to hospital for further observation.
SIMCAS volunteer doctor Neil Iosson said “This was a very nasty accident and we worked as a team in difficult conditions to provide the best possible treatment for everyone involved. We think the car driver may have been taken ill at the wheel."
The road was closed by the police for further accident investigations.
October 2010
Police and ambulance crews were called to a serious road accident in Crowborough late on Saturday night. A pedestrian had been a victim of a hit and run where witnesses described seeing him thrown into the air and left unconsciois st the scene.
Also called due to the seriousness of the injuries was immediate care nurse Tony Kemp of the South East Coast Immediate Care Scheme (SIMCAS) who said "this mans head injuries were extremly serious, the ambulance crews recognised this and wasting no time called for my assistance whilst preparing him for transport to hospital." Immediate life saving care was provided and the patient rapidly transferred to the Kent and Sussex Hospital.
7th July 2010
Four people were critically injured in a high speed crash involving two cars on the A28 Canterbury road between Sarre and St. Nicholas at Wade. It was estimated the cars had a combined speed of as much as 140mph.
Fire crews, ambulance staff and a SIMCAS (South East Coast Immediate Care Scheme) emergency doctor worked hard to successfully rescue them.
Dr Alan Jones, a retired A&E Consultant, provided advanced medical care at the roadside. SECAMB responded with, 4 ambulances and a CCP (Critical Care Paramedic), who worked with Dr Jones, assessing and treating the crash victims and used an ultrasound machine at the roadside to scan the patients abdomens and lungs for immediately life threatening injurie
The scene which faced Dr Jones when he arrived was that of 4 trapped casualties, 3 men and 1 woman. He described it as “a nightmare with the cars so badly deformed but at least they were all alive! Because of the damage it was impossible to see what make of cars they were.”
All four victims had serious head injuries, in addition one driver had pelvic and foot injuries a passenger had critical chest, abdomen, pelvic and leg injuries. The male driver of the other vehicle had critical abdominal and pelvic injuries whilst the other passenger suffered abdominal and spinal injuries.
The whole fire, ambulance and SIMCAS team worked to save the lives of the victims and Dr Alan Jones of SIMCAS said “the treatment in situ and the extrication are some of the best I have ever seen” he added “it all worked like clock work". The casualties were so entrapped, it took 90 minutes to get them all out of the wreckage.”
The life saving treatments that Dr Jones was able to administer included intravenous sedatives and pain killers and fluids to help stabilise the patients and airway devices to keep them breathing thought out the prolonged entrapment as well as, with the CCP from SECAMB, using an ultrasound machine to scan the patients abdomens and lungs for immediately life threatening injuries. The patients were transported by road to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, Margate for on going treatment where their condition was described as critical but stable.
Dr Neil Iosson from SIMCAS also added that “this is a real example of SIMCAS volunteers working in their local community with SECAMB to save lives."
Tuesday, 15 June 2010 Littlehampton
Four Injured, One Critical after Littlehampton Car Crash
Four young men in their twenties were injured (one critically) after their Nissan Micra hit a tree in Littlehampton, West Sussex yesterday evening.
Emergency services were called to Ferry Lane, Littlehampton at 8pm last night (Tuesday 15th June 2010) after a car collided with a tree. Dr John Chatterjee, who is a volunteer with SIMCAS – the South Coast Immediate Care Scheme – was dispatched to assist the ambulance and fire services.
When he arrived at the scene of the impact he found one man, in his mi- twenties, had suffered severe head and chest injuries. Dr Chatterjee administered a general anaesthetic at the side of the road and performed emergency chest surgery. SIMCAS doctors are trained to provide a range of highly specialised treatments for critically ill patients.
The local air ambulance helicopters were unavailable so the Port Solent Coastguard helicopter assisted, transporting the critically injured man and Dr Chatterjee to Southampton General Hospital for further treatment. The three other injured men had less serious injuries and were taken to Worthing Hospital by road ambulance.
“The patient was very seriously injured and after the chest surgery it was crucial he got to a specialist trauma hospital as soon as possible. I was very pleased that the Coastguard were able to get us quickly to Southampton.” said Dr Chatterjee afterwards. “At SIMCAS we train hard to treat these sorts of injuries and it can sometimes make the difference between life and death.”
Monday, 14 June 2010 Brighton
Two cars collided head-on in the early hours of this morning (Monday 14 June 2010) on the A23 in East Sussex, resulting in six people being taken to hospital.
SIMCAS doctor Alan Pearce was called to a serious head-on collision which occurred at about 00.15 outside the Black Lion pub on the A23 in Patcham, Brighton. Six people, in two cars, were injured, including one woman who was trapped with serious leg fractures. SIMCAS mobilised a specialist doctor to provide advanced treatment at the scene at the request of South East Coast Ambulance service.
Dr Pearce said “She was very brave and I was treated her pain with strong pain killers and give her an anaesthetic whilst she was removed from the badly damaged car. I haven’t seen so many emergency vehicles needed at an incident for a long time and it was a real team effort by the emergency services to help treat the many injured people.”
One fireman sustained a head injury during the rescue and also needed hospital treatment.
Most of the casualties were taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton but to reduce the workload on a single hospital, one casualty was taken to the Princes Royal Hospital at Haywards Heath
London Road was closed whilst police collision investigators examined the scene.
6th June 2010 Halland
A male motorcyclist died following a head on collision between a 600cc motorcycle and a Volkswagen Touran today north of Halland, near Uckfield on the B2192 just before 3pm.
Dr Alan Pearce of SIMCAS (South East Coast Immediate Care Scheme) was the first on scene from the emergency services and worked with an ambulance crew from SECAMB but despite their efforts, his injuries were too severe and he was pronounced dead at scene. The driver and passenger of the car were treated for shock. The road was closed following the incident as the police collision investigation team try to find the cause of the fatal crash.
Thursday, 20 May 2010 Eastbourne
A man was seriously injured by a shotgun this morning (Thursday May 20, 2010) in Eastbourne, East Sussex. Rowley Cottingham, a doctor working for SIMCAS (South-East Coast Immediate Care Scheme) was mobilised along with the Ambulance Service after a gunshot was heard. Dr Cottingham and the paramedics worked to provide expert care before transporting the man to Eastbourne District General Hospital by ambulance. The air ambulance also attended.
Rowley, who is also a consultant in the Emergency Department at Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton said “We were able to get the man comfortable and reduce his pain as well as stabilising some serious injuries before transferring him to hospital”.
The man is in hospital with facial injuries. His condition is not thought to be critical.
Friday 7th May 2010 Pevensey
A car crashed into a ditch on the A259 Pevensey Bay Road today (Friday, 7 May 2010) causing injuries to the driver who was trapped for 90 minutes.
Gavin Turner, a member of SIMCAS (South East Coast Immediate Care Scheme), was the first medical responder on scene. Assisted by an off-duty A+E nurse and they stabilised the patient. Working together with paramedics from South-East Coast Ambulance service and Sussex Fire and Rescue, it took the team one and a half hours to rescue the elderly man from his car.
It is believed that the man had been taken ill whilst driving causing him to lose control. He was admitted to Eastbourne Hospital.
Gavin said "it was a very well-managed incident where seamless teamwork helped the patient get to hospital as quickly as possible".
Thursday 6th May 2010 Rye
A 56-year-old pedestrian was hit by a train at 08:57 on Thursday, 6 May in Rye, East Sussex. She was critically injured after being hit by the Ashford Hastings train, close to Rye railway station. The pedestrian crossing has no automatic barriers.
SIMCAS Dr Ben Chishick, the first medical responder on scene, worked together with an off duty paramedic to resuscitate the woman, who had severe leg injuries. South-east coast ambulance and the Surrey Air Ambulance transported the patient by air to Kings College Hospital, London.
Dr Chishick, who is also a GP at Rye Medical Centre said "she had sustained massive injuries and was bleeding severely. Only the excellent teamwork of the doctors and paramedics on the ground and the medical team from Surrey air ambulance meant that she was able to reach specialist surgeons in London."
British transport police investigators attended the scene and the rail line was closed for two hours.
Friday 16th April 2010 M25 Kent
The M25 in Kent was closed for several hours after a multi vehicle incident, involving several cars and an HGV, there were 2 critically injured patients and several seriously injured patients. Both of these patients were taken to the Royal London by road for further treatment of multiple traumatic injuries.
The BASICS response included SIMCAS (The South East Coast Immediate Care Scheme) nurse Bob Sheridan and Dr John Chatterjee who worked alongside their air ambulance colleagues from the London, Kent and The Surrey and Sussex services (who all responded by car due to the volcanic ash grounding their aircraft) and the well organised SECAMB (south east coast ambulance service) response. Dr Chatterjee said "It was a huge accident and I glad the whole team worked so well to get everyone out alive"
6th Decemeber 2009 Arundel
Two vehicles were involved in a road traffic collision this morning on the A27 outside the White Swan Pub on the A27, just west of Arundel, West Sussex. Three people were seriously injured, with one woman trapped in the wreckage of her car after it slid down a bank into dense woodland. Emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 9am today. Doctors from SIMCAS and the Surrey/Sussex Air Ambulance were involved in extensive efforts to free and resuscitate her, although unfortunately she died later at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton. The Sussex Police helicopter/ambulance also attended. The road was closed, in both directions, for several hours for police investigations.
17/11/2007 Eastbourne Herald
Dr Marianne Jackson was featured on BBC South East News in April 2005 regarding her attendance at the serious Pyecombe crash in 2004.
Windows Media
Versions
Broadband
Dialup 56K
Real Player Version
Broadband
Dialup 56K
The 
did a feature on another SIMCAS
member - Peter Johnson in March 2005. You can see the article here and page 2 here
In April 2004 BBC South-East News interviewed Dr Pearce in an effort to raise the profile of SIMCAS and to encourage NHS funding through the newly negotiated GP contract. Later the same month, SIMCAS was featured on Meridian News during Operation Woodchat which simulated a major incident involving two planes colliding over Sussex. If you are on 56k dial-up connection you can see the programs by clicking on the Dial-up 56k wording below or if you have broadband connection then click the broadband option.
Windows
Media
Version
Dial-up 56k
Broadband
Real Player Version
Dial -up 56k
Broadband
Windows Media Version
Dial-up 56k
Broadband
Real
Player Version
Dial-up 56k
See BBC Internet News about SIMCAS here
