“He gave me back my future”: patient saved by paramedic joins emotional send-off after 40-year career

 

A London Ambulance Service paramedic retiring after almost 40 years was given the perfect send-off  as he was joined by a patient whose life he saved seven years ago.

Andy Goldfinch is working his final shift at the Hillingdon Ambulance Station today (30 June)  and said he will miss the camaraderie most, describing the Service as “like one big family.”

At his leaving event, Andy was joined by Rachael Eckley, a 39-year-old Deputy Head Teacher he rescued from a cardiac arrest seven years ago, which he describes as the “proudest moment of my career”. The pair have remained good friends since.

Andy said it was “fate” that meant he was off duty and nearby when Rachael’s heart stopped beating outside a café.

With the help of a waitress, Andy delivered lifesaving chest compressions to Rachael who went on to make a full recovery. Fewer than 10% of patients survive a cardiac arrest outside a hospital.

Andy was reunited with Rachael six weeks later at an event at her junior school in Pinner.  To mark the reunion, London Ambulance Service CPR trainers came to the school and delivered a training session to the teachers and pupils.

Rachael, who joined Andy at his retirement event at Hillingdon ambulance station, said:

“I’m here today because Andy stepped in and saved my life. Everything could have ended in that moment, but he gave me back my future – my children, my memories, my ordinary days.”

Another aspect of the job Andy enjoyed was delivering babies, attending hundreds of births over his career. Andy said:

“I helped the same mother deliver two babies many years apart, and she recognised me as soon as I walked into the room. The chances of that call coming in to me so many years later would be miniscule, but it meant I was there to deliver the sibling of the daughter I had helped bring into the world years earlier. It was incredible that she remembered me after all that time.”

Andy has been on the frontline of some of the capital’s most harrowing moments, from the 7/7 bombings to the Grenfell Tower fire. During the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic he responded to a staggering 170 cardiac arrests.

The paramedic role has changed dramatically during Andy’s 39 years of service.

Andy said:

“Medical technology has improved massively since I started, so there is much more you can do for the patient before reaching the hospital. With the amount of advanced equipment we have, we can now deliver a high level of care in an ambulance. This wasn’t always the case, for instance, many years ago you could only use a defibrillator in a hospital.”

Andy also celebrated the increase in gender diversity at the service, saying: “When I started there were very few female paramedics, my station was one of the first to hire a woman to the role. Now there is basically an even split in men and women working as paramedics, which is much better.”

In retirement, Andy doesn’t plan to completely end his time as a paramedic and wants to stay up to date with his training so he can work a couple of days a week providing care on movie sets or events. He also plans to visit many theme parks with his daughter who is a rollercoaster enthusiast.

When asked to give advice to anyone thinking about becoming a paramedic, Andy said: “communication is key, it is about 80% of the job. It really helps if you are a people person as you will be dealing with the public every day, often during their worst moments.”

Director of Ambulance Operations Darren Farmer said:

“I’d like to thank Andy for his incredible service over almost four decades with London Ambulance Service. Throughout his career he has shown unwavering dedication to his patients and colleagues. He will be greatly missed, and we wish him a long, happy and well-deserved retirement.”