Great North Air Ambulance Service

The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) has welcomed a new doctor to its critical care team in the hopes of expanding and becoming a 24/7 service.

Last year, the charity not only developed its service in Cumbria to cover 24 hours a day across the two busiest nights of the week but also began a long-term trial to transfer seriously injured or unwell patients by helicopter from the Isle of Man directly to the UK for emergency medical treatment.

New doctor, Paddy Duncan, from Gateshead, has joined the charity at a crucial time and will join the other team of 35 doctors that work for the organisation across the North East and Cumbria.

GNAAS’ medical director, Chris Smith, said: “There is a definite need for more doctors within the organisation. We’re busier than ever and demands on the service are high.

“An expanded service means more night work and that means we need more doctors.”

Dr Duncan, who currently works at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle as an anaesthetics registrar, said: “I am thrilled to be working with GNAAS and I am really looking forward to continuing my training with some of the best doctors and paramedic I have ever worked with.

“These guys strive for excellence and everyone from the operational team to the fundraising staff are all driving the charity forward and supporting one cause.”

The 36-year-old had to pass the charity’s rigorous selection day which was comprised of a panel interview and clinical assessments.

Dr. Duncan said: “The whole interview process was very intense and highly stressful. I left feeling like I hadn’t performed as well as I could have, and I was disappointed because it’s something I have worked towards for a very long time.

“I couldn’t believe it when I found out I was successful and went out with the family to have some celebratory drinks.”

He added: “I feel like I am in a very privileged position to be here, and I am looking forward to my future with the charity.”

GNAAS is dependent on donations to survive and has launched a raffle with a top prize of £10,000 to help it meet rising demand for its services. Tickets cost £1 each and are available now at https://gna.as/2022raffle

About GNAAS

• The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) is a charitably funded air ambulance service which provides life-saving throughout the North East, North Yorkshire, and Cumbria.
  
• They operate two helicopters 365 days a year and also operate a night-time service in the North East and Cumbria on rapid response vehicles.
  
  
• The aircraft cover an area of about 8,000 square miles and on board are specialist doctors and paramedics who effectively bring the hospital to the patient.
  
  
• The level of skill and expertise of the on-board team mean they respond to the most critically ill and injured people, giving them the best chance of survival.
  
  
• GNAAS is a progressive organisation which has pioneered pre-hospital care in the region.
  
• The latest techniques, equipment and drugs are constantly being evaluated to ensure the charity can provide the best care possible for their patients.
  
  
• 2022 marks the service providing 20 years of life-saving care. Throughout this time, they have responded to more than 23,500 times across the region, with road traffic collisions being the most frequent type of incident responded to by the team.
  
  
• They do not receive Government funding and must therefore raise £6.7m a year through public donations to remain operational.

For more information visit: https://www.greatnorthairambulance.co.uk/ or follow @gnairambulance on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok