A life-saving Essex charity needs cash urgently if it is to carry on with its vital work.
Volunteer doctors and paramedics from BASICS Essex (British Association for Immediate Care Essex), which celebrates ten years as a charity on 8th June, help save lives in communities across Essex. They can be at a patient’s side in minutes, day or night, to provide immediate pre-hospital medical care to seriously ill and injured patients.
The charity’s ability to raise funds to purchase essential medical equipment has been dramatically hit by COVID-19. Without this funding, it faces major problems.
Paul Gates, BASICS Essex Chairman explained: “Our committed volunteer doctors and paramedics make themselves available around the clock throughout the year. They are often first on the scene, be it at the roadside, in a field, or a home emergency.
“Our non-restricted income, the money that pays for our insurance, medical equipment, training, and fundraising expenses has decreased due to the pandemic. It costs us £60,000 a year to run the charity and without that income we will struggle to continue.”
In 2020 volunteers from BASICS Essex were mobilised 114 times, up 78% on the 2019 figure of 64 mobilisations. Responders have continued to support the NHS throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and have attended patients severely affected by COVID-19. So far in 2021 volunteers have responded to 44 incidents.
The incidents they attend include cardiac arrests, road traffic collisions and serious trauma cases. The volunteers respond in their own vehicles, or in the scheme response car, anytime, anywhere at the request of the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust. By attending incidents close to where they live, they may be at the scene before an EEAST ambulance or even an air ambulance.
BASICS Essex can provide additional treatment such as enhanced pain relief or emergency surgical interventions when these are required. All of the volunteers have undertaken extensive specialist training in the complex and challenging arena of pre-hospital medical care.
