Bond's clinical lead explores extreme offshore medicine
Bond Offshore Helicopters' clinical lead, Dr. Mark Bloch, today gave insight into the critical work of paramedics on search and rescue (SAR) helicopters, and the challenges they face working in extreme conditions offshore.
Bond has been operating the Jigsaw SAR service for BP in the North Sea since 2006. In that time, Bond’s on-board paramedic expertise has been used to treat over 240 patients suffering a wide range of medical and emergency conditions, including major trauma, cardiac problems and strokes.
Crews have been involved in a range of missions including medical evacuation, personnel evacuation and downman situations, utilising both landing and winch-based rescue.
Malcolm Paine, Managing Director, Bond Offshore Helicopters said: “Search and Rescue is a key part of Bond’s on-going operations. Our paramedic capability is an essential element of this service and I am delighted to have an expert like Mark on board, to lead our clinical governance requirement.”
Dr Bloch, an expert in the field of pre-hospital care, was speaking as part of this year’s British Science Festival which takes place at the University of Aberdeen from the 4th to the 9th of September.
Attendees heard about how the emergency services approach offshore emergencies, pre- hospital care and what working life is like for SAR paramedics, as well as getting to see at first hand some of the equipment used by paramedics.
