This summer, SCAA bidd a sad farewell to its longest-serving paramedic when Helimed 76 Lead Paramedic John Pritchard MBE took up a promoted post with the Scottish Ambulance Service.
But John (JP to all who know him) will not be straying far from the life-saving Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) he helped to establish in 2013 and the Perth-based paramedic crew he has led ever since. For John’s new role is as Area Service Manager with ScotSTAR/HEMS South which sees him work closely with paramedic teams at the Government-funded Helimed 5 at Glasgow and SCAA’s Perth-based Helimed 76 – his old aircraft.
“It’s been an amazing journey,” he said. “I feel a great sense of pride and achievement when I look back on the challenges the charity faced when we first set up the service in 2013 - how we all pulled together to launch a fledgling Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) - and see how SCAA has developed into what it is today.
“I’ve been privileged to work with some true professionals and meet many remarkable people – patients and their families and friends, fellow air ambulance clinicians, pilots, engineers, emergency and volunteer services, charity staff, volunteers, fundraisers and supporters. It’s been a phenomenally rewarding and humbling period in my life.”
In his 11 years plus with SCAA, JP has faced just about every challenge the air ambulance service could throw at him, ranging from life-saving scenarios in inaccessible locations and horrendous weather to fending off sheep, horses and the odd bullock when landing on scene.
“No two days were the same,” he explained. “You just never knew what awaited you when you clocked on each morning. Life was certainly never boring.”
In his new role, JP will cover the odd shift on the air ambulance, so his flying days are not over.
“SCAA has been an amazing part of my life,” he said, “and it’s a fantastic charity. So many lives have been saved or improved by the work everyone does and the support given by the public and I’m extremely proud to have been involved.”
