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SIMCAS in the News
Tuesday, 15 June 2010 LittlehamptonFour 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.
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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.
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See BBC Internet News about SIMCAS here
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