RAF medical staff honoured for work in Afghanistan

The three organisations, from RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire, linked to the medical pathway between injury on the front line to care back in the UK, were honoured by the civilian Ambulance Service Institute (ASI).

The ASI - formed in 1976 to honour ambulance service personnel and associated professions - presents annual awards reflecting the hard work, dedication and sacrifice of medical first responders.

The RAF is the sole provider of aeromedical evacuation to all three Services through its Tactical Medical Wing at Lyneham.

The wing was successful in three award categories for 2009: the Military Award, awarded to the Operations and Logistics Squadron; the Air Ambulance Team Award, awarded to the Medical Emergency Response Team; and the Special President's Award, awarded to the Critical Care Air Support Team. The awards were presented by Jacqui Lait MP at the House of Commons.

Air Vice-Marshal Chris Morris, Chief of Staff (Health) RAF, said:

"The recognition by the Ambulance Service Institute of Tactical Medical Wing [TMW], the Operations and Logistics Squadron, the Medical Emergency Response Teams [MERTs] and the Critical Care Air Support Teams for their superb performances in the most difficult of times is very much appreciated.

"TMW continues to deliver the highest standard of care possible and their expertise and professionalism is outstanding. This is an exceptional achievement."

The Operations and Logistics Squadron at RAF Lyneham is responsible for all logistical and maintenance supporting functions for the operationally deployable elements of RAF Medical Services, including aeromedical evacuation and deployed operational medical formations such as MERTs.

The squadron has a staff of just 29, who over the last year have 'continuously demonstrated a determination to rise to all the challenges required of them'. ASI President, Michael Pearce, said:

"Working through a significantly increased operational tempo, with substantial manpower shortfalls, the team continually displayed extraordinary levels of teamwork, determination and selfless commitment. Indeed this period, in particular over the summer and during Op PANTHER'S CLAW, is generally recognised as being the busiest period experienced since the wing's inception in 1996."

The Medical Emergency Response Team was awarded the Air Ambulance Award for their contribution to Operation PANTHER'S CLAW. See Related News >>>

Based at Camp Bastion, the MERT evacuated more than 280 casualties from the battlefield during the period of the operation. MERTs consist of a tri-Service doctor (anaesthetist/emergency medicine specialist), an RAF emergency nurse, an RAF paramedic and an RAF medical assistant, who work 24-hours-a-day to evacuate casualties from the point of wounding to the military hospital at Camp Bastion.

The teams, who flew in RAF Chinook helicopters, were constantly exposed to enemy threats ranging from small arms fire to rocket-propelled grenades.

In some areas improvised explosive devices were doubled and insurgents lay in wait for foot and vehicle patrols. The MERTs worked in high heat temperatures of more than 40C carrying 20kg of personal protection and kit and undoubtedly saved the lives of not only coalition troops but also those of Afghan civilians and children.

The citation stated that apart from the 14 soldiers who did not survive, the MERTs evacuated 20 casualties with single traumatic amputations and six casualties who had sustained the loss of two or three limbs. Ten per cent of the 280 casualties evacuated required advanced care because their injuries were so severe.

The Critical Care Air Support Team (CCAST) was awarded the Special President's Award for their role in the repatriation back to the UK's National Health Service of critical care patients from operational theatres and elsewhere around the world. Those nominated for the award represent the core of the team operating over this period.

The citation stated that:

"Their actions over the period ensured the safe return of an appreciably large number and concentration of critically injured personnel from theatre. CCAST team members are drawn from numerous locations within the RAF Medical Services who undertake on-call periods based at the Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, part of Tactical Medical Wing, based at RAF Lyneham.

"The team includes a consultant anaesthetist, two critical care nurses, a medical equipment support technician and a flight nursing assistant. This team of specialists are able to provide a near full intensive care environment in the back of an aircraft.

"During the summer of 2009 when British military forces were involved in PANTHER'S CLAW, the CCAST were tasked with the transfer of all UK critically injured military patients from Afghanistan to UK.

"During their on-call period the team flew seven missions to retrieve 17 critical-care patients. By comparison, the average for the rest of 2009 was seven critical-care patients per month. This episode thereby represented more than double the normal number of patients, with the team flying more than 200 mission hours in a four-week period.

"Their essential task not only ensured that patients were safely returned to the UK to receive on-going and definitive care, but was crucial for maintaining an enduring intensive care capability at Camp Bastion. The importance of the latter cannot be underplayed; without CCAST, the potential to overrun Camp Bastion's finite beds resource and relatively small critical-care facility would have been high."