Coronavirus: 'Proud' Royal Navy sailors give up their time to transport patients with Covid-19 to hospital

For the past few weeks a pair of sailors from Fareham’s HMS Collingwood and Gosport’s HMS Sultan bases have been supporting South Central Ambulance Service (Scas).

Leading Air Engineering Technician Gordon Brooks, an instructor at Sultan, and Lieutenant Commander Chris Wood, at Collingwood, have been part of a contingent of 80 defence personnel reinforcing Scas as the organisation was stretched to the limit during the viral outbreak.

Ambulance crews and medical staff have been under pressure during the pandemic, with more than 300 Scas paramedics forced to self-isolate with coronavirus symptoms – while nationally 4,100 medics were forced out of work due to illness.

Volunteers like LAET Brooks and Lt Cdr Wood helped relieve the strain by transporting patients around the area or working in the emergency operations rooms dispatching ambulances.

Lt Cdr Wood already had experience with the NHS, having been a volunteer with the ambulance community first response team for a year.

During the pandemic, the senior naval officer worked in patient transport services in Portsmouth, transporting patients with Covid-19 between to and from their homes to hospital, as well as helping those in need of vital medical treatments like renal dialysis.

Speaking of his time volunteering, Lt Cdr Wood said: ‘I feel proud and privileged to be working with a great team of people from the military and ambulance service, all as part of the wider NHS family.

‘The level of support from the public has been immense. The dedication of the regular NHS workers who I’ve met, looking after some very poorly patients, has been humbling and brought the Covid 19 pandemic to first-hand experience.’

LAET Brooks tackled a similar role, transporting patients from Southwick Park or Andover to and from hospital in a 999 response car during his spare time

He added it was a ‘privilege’ to help the NHS during its time of need and added: ‘Working for the NHS is an opportunity to do something different outside of the normal working day.

‘What’s really surprised me is how good the general public have been and how much respect and thanks there has been as you’ve been out there going about the job.’

As lockdown begins to ease, and some restrictions are relaxed, the pair of naval volunteers have urged the public to remain vigilant.

LAET Brooks said: ‘’If I could say one thing to the public right now it would be to stay positive and keep following the guidance.

‘Get outside for exercise and maintain a distance from others whenever you can and stay happy.’

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