Ben is one of our newest critical care doctors, working with Magpas Air Ambulance to save lives and keep families together across the East of England.
Ben is one of our newest critical care doctors, working with Magpas Air Ambulance to save lives and keep families together across the East of England.
When did you know you wanted to be a doctor?
Recently, I found that my mum had kept two of my favourite toys from when I was three or four: an ambulance and a rescue helicopter... That’s how long I've been interested in this work.
How did you come to work with Magpas Air Ambulance?
I spent my life working up to this moment. I went to medical school in Manchester and worked across the UK, and even in East Africa, to build my experience. When I was ready to work with a helicopter emergency medical service (or HEMS team), everyone I spoke to spoke so highly of Magpas Air Ambulance, so I was really excited when I got the job. It also feels full circle, as my mum used to sell cakes at school to raise money for Magpas Air Ambulance when she was a child, and now I’m one of the doctors here.
How does working as an air ambulance doctor differ from your previous roles?
Normally, I work in a hospital emergency department, where you might have 100 patients and tasks to juggle at once. At Magpas Air Ambulance, you usually look after one or two critically ill patients on each mission. This means you can focus on the advanced care we can provide when time is of the essence. However, you don't have a whole hospital to back you up. It’s often just me, a critical care paramedic and the kit we can carry. You can’t ask a colleague to pop over and give advice; you have to make the decision.
What do you like most about working with Magpas Air Ambulance?
The best thing about Magpas Air Ambulance is how friendly and supportive everyone is. For example, a gym one of our doctors attends recently held a fundraising competition in aid of Magpas Air Ambulance, and a whole team from the charity signed up to support her. Clinicians, staff and even one of our patients came together to compete on a Saturday morning. You don't get that in most workplaces! It really is like a family.
What do you do away from work?
When I’m not working, I spend my spare time with my family. I also like learning new languages, and over the years I've learned some Arabic, Swahili (enough to haggle in a market!), Chichewa, Spanish, and right now I'm learning German.
