Four consultant anaesthetists have completed six months of support providing essential care to the population of St Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean.
A call was made for the help of anaesthetists across the UK because of a lack of trained anaesthetists on the island, which is a British overseas territory.
Within four days of hearing the plea for help, a plan was co-ordinated and Dr Ben Clark, an expert in extreme medicine and Specialist Anaesthetist at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) was the first to fly to St Helena to ensure their services could continue as normal.
Without help medical staff in on the island wouldn’t be able to provide surgery, critical care or resuscitation services to their population of around 4,500 people.
Dr Clark, along with Dr Charlie Baker, Dr Scott Farmery and Dr Richard Smith all from UHNM rotated and did the 5,000-mile journey back and forth so that there was anaesthetic cover and care across the island and UHNM at all times.
Dr Clark said: “We cared for a number of patients from across the island including a gentleman which we were able to rehabilitate and enable a better quality of life for as when he first arrived we didn’t think he was going to survive.
“It’s been really great to be able to go over there and follow patients’ journeys such as this and deliver bespoke hands-on care.”
As well as providing routine anaesthetic services, the team delivered babies, resuscitated patients with serious injuries, rehabilitated long-term intensive care patients and helped to improve equipment.
They also provided education and training to colleagues and ensured that equipment was fit for purpose and it was utilised in the best way.
Dr Farmery added: “St Helena is such a beautiful place with beautiful people and it was such a privilege to be able to provide a high level of care for their population and experience their way of life.
“Without the four of us going over to St Helena their critical care services couldn’t have existed and patients would definitely have suffered as a result.
“I think I can safely speak for all of us that this has been one of the most rewarding challenges of our careers and we would all love to go back.”
The team worked alongside one surgeon, five GPs and a gynaecologist.
Their hard work and quality of care provided has been recognised with a letter of thanks and appreciation from the Saint Helena Hospital Chief Medical Officer on behalf of the St Helena Government.
Chief Medical Officer at UHNM, Dr Matthew Lewis, said: “It’s a major undertaking to pack your bags, leave your friends and family and start working in a completely different health system. I’m pleased that the anaesthetists have found it rewarding to work in St Helena and have set an example for other doctors in NHS.’’
