More specialist paramedics to treat critically ill patients

SECAmb one of the first ambulance trusts in the country to introduce Critical Care Paramedics and NHS Eastern with Coastal Kent
have announced the launch of a new team of CCPs.

In Kent alone, there were 58 people killed
on the road last year. Research shows that road trauma accounts for more than
a third of all deaths due to injury in this country.

In addition to treating patients suffering
from trauma, the CCPs will also attend
patients suffering from serious lifethreatening medical conditions such as
stroke, heart attacks, cardiac arrests and
obstetric and paediatric emergencies.

There will be six CCPs working in eastern and coastal Kent, joining the 12 already operating in West Sussex. It is hoped there will be more than 60 CCPs deployed on the ground and in the air across Kent, Surrey and Sussex by 2012.

Paul Sutton, Chief Executive of SECAmb,
said:"We are committed to improving outcomes for all of the patients we treat. Our paramedics and ambulance
technicians are skilled at providing
a high level of clinical care and saving lives. But patients suffering trauma and critical illness and injury will benefit further from our CCPs' specialist
skills meaning more lives can be saved."

Ann Sutton, Chief Executive of NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent, said: "By commissioning this new and innovative service, we will ensure that the most seriously ill and injured patients receive a high level of care as quickly as possible. The partnership we have developed with SECAmb is an important
step in improving the health, care and well being of people within our community."