Lifesaver! £25k donation helps fund new ultrasound equipment for Hampshire nurse and paramedic volunteers

Every year, a small team of enhanced care nurse and paramedic volunteers give up their free time to help support the lifesaving work of the NHS South Central Ambulance Service.

The seven active members and four associate members of SCAS BASICS respond to calls from ambulance crews at all hours alongside their day jobs. Last year they were dispatched to 788 incidents across Hampshire, sometimes even arriving before NHS crews.

Although their work on the front lines is clearly vital, the team receives no statutory funding from the NHS. They rely mostly instead on support from the SCAS Charity, which chips in to finance initiatives and equipment.

That is until now, as SCAS BASICS has received a £25,000 donation from the County Air Ambulance HELP Appeal to help fund new cutting-edge ultrasound equipment for better diagnosis and treatment of patients.

A selection of the lifesaving equipment. Credit: HELP Appeal

Jack Ansell, Operational Lead for SCAS BASICS, was delighted by the news: “This donation is a real lifeline for us.

“We rely heavily on grants and donations to enable us to equip our teams with the tools they need to support our ambulance crews and patients when they need the enhanced interventions that we can provide.

“This is all only possible thanks to generous support from donors such as the HELP Appeal and the commitment of our volunteers, who respond to calls for help, day or night.”

The grant represents a portion of the £250,000 donated by the HELP Appeal to the British Association for Immediate Care, which operates 30 regional schemes like SCAS BASICS across the UK.

Robert Bertram, Chief Executive of the HELP Appeal, added: “SCAS BASICS’ volunteers are the unsung heroes of emergency care – giving up their free time to support their local ambulance service.

“This donation will ensure they have the highest standard of equipment at their disposal to ensure they can treat patients quickly and safely, giving them the best possible chance of survival and recovery.”