News: News

London Ambulance Service statement in response to the Kevin Clarke inquest

A statement from Darren Farmer, Assistant Director of Operations at London Ambulance Service, in response to the Kevin Clarke inquest.

BBC documentary star reveals how heartbreak led him to join London Ambulance Service

Viewers of the award-winning TV show Ambulance on Wednesday night were moved by emergency ambulance crew Stuart’s story about his dad’s death.

In the episode, aired on 7 October 33-year-old Stuart Griffiths is shown rushing to a suspected cardiac arrest alongside his crewmate paramedic Rachel.

Three years ago, Stuart’s dad collapsed and stopped breathing. His mum gave him CPR until paramedics from London Ambulance Service arrived.

Medics were not able to save Stuart’s dad – who was only 57 – but the efforts they made and the care they showed the grieving family, changed Stuart’s life. Within weeks of his dad dying Stuart began enquiring about working for London Ambulance Service. He joined as call handler in the 999 control room less than six months later.

“I may not be considered the stereotypical example of a paramedic. I’m a black female”

This Black History Month paramedic Charlene shares her story of being inspired to become a paramedic.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month – Tracy’s story

A London Ambulance Service medic who survived breast cancer is calling on women – and men – to be aware of the importance of checking for lumps.

Tracy, a trainee Emergency Ambulance Crew who has been working with our new ‘Wellbeing Hub’ since the beginning of September, was diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2018, aged 43.

Tracy had found a lump in her breast and booked a doctor’s appointment immediately. She received treatment over the course of a year, including chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy.

This month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Tracy wants to remind women (and men, as breast cancer affects men too, in rare cases) to regularly check their breasts for lumps or any other changes.

Episode four of ‘Ambulance’ reveals toll of treating trauma cases in London

The fourth episode of the hit TV show Ambulance, filmed after people have just been paid and hit the town, gives a glimpse of what London looks like on a busy weekend and shows a series of violent incidents. 

Paramedic Braden on why it is important to get the flu jab

Braden, a paramedic who works out of Homerton Ambulance Station is calling on our staff and volunteers and the public to get their flu vaccination this year. He knows first-hand the devastation that can be caused by the flu.

This is his story.

“It happens every single day” – verbal abuse takes its toll on 999 call handlers in third episode of BBC’s Ambulance documentary

The harsh reality of daily verbal abuse and aggression from 999 callers comes under the spotlight in the next episode of BBC One’s Ambulance documentary on Wednesday (30 September).

A message from the Chief Executive

It is with great sadness that I announce the sudden death of Eleanor Marr on Sunday 20 September 2020.

Service’s End of Life Care team raises funds for Macmillan Coffee Morning

Our End of Life Care team has been travelling across the capital to raise vital funds for Macmillan Cancer Support – serving coffee and cakes and talking to colleagues about palliative care.

The Service partnered with Macmillan Cancer Support in 2018 to provide our staff and volunteers with specialist training to ensure that terminally ill people get care that meets their needs but respects their wishes. As part of this, Macmillan funded three roles in our End of Life Care (EOLC) team.

The team held a series of socially-distanced coffee mornings at hospitals and London Ambulance Service sites on Thursday 24 September ahead of the charity’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning on Friday.

Episode 2 of ‘Ambulance’ shows the contribution of voluntary Emergency Responders

The episode, airing on Wednesday at 9pm on BBC One, goes behind the scenes of two busy weekend shifts where LAS faces the challenges of Extinction Rebellion protests and People’s Vote marches and an IT systems outage which means the Service’s Emergency Operations Centre control room teams must use pen and paper to take down information from 999 callers.

A message from the Chief Executive

It is with immense sadness that I have to announce the death of our friend and colleague Reverend Simon Woodmore, who passed away on Saturday afternoon (19 September) after suffering with a stroke earlier in the week.

He was 51 years old. Simon joined the London Ambulance Service in 1991 and served more than 29 years.

Award-winning show returns to shine spotlight on heroes of country’s busiest ambulance service

A prime-time documentary will show the commitment of our ambulance crews and control room staff on the front-line of emergency care in London and the challenges they face.

‘Ambulance’ –the BBC’s BAFTA-award winning series – returns to the capital with a new eight-part series broadcast weekly on BBC One from Wednesday (16 September) at 9pm.

Service’s ‘Tea Trucks’ given NHS Charities funding boost to continue serving refreshments to hard-working crews

We have received funding from NHS Charities Together to continue to run “Tea Trucks” which have been delivering hot drinks and snacks to our crews across the capital.

Service introduces new measures to help lead to tougher staff assault sentences

We have recruited two violence reduction officers as part of our ongoing work to protect staff and volunteers. The officers will work closely with the Met Police as they support victims who want to take their cases to court.

Child 999 caller given recognition for saving family’s life

A ten-year-old girl has been recognised by London Ambulance Service for saving the lives of her family after finding her mother unconscious with carbon monoxide poisoning.

Rawda Mohamud woke in the middle of the night to hear the carbon monoxide alarm going off in their south London flat.

Mayor opens hi-tech training academy boosting control room response ahead of busy winter period

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan joined LAS staff and volunteers for the unveiling of a plaque to formally launch the 999 centre which welcomed its first students in recent weeks.

Van loan gives vital boost to our coronavirus response

Medics responding to emergencies during the coronavirus pandemic were supported by a loan of a mini fleet of vans to help deliver personal protective equipment (PPE) to the front line.

Medic reunited with family after being separated since the start of lockdown

After months of separation, London Ambulance Service medic Hina Pajwani has been reunited with her family just in time to spend their late father’s birthday together.

Tony reveals more than just a new look with post-lockdown haircut

As the UK began to emerge from lockdown, the much longed-for haircut was one of the most anticipated moments for many.

But for Team LAS medic Tony Keegan, it meant more than just a dramatic new look as – for the first time – revealed his hearing implants.

Medic continues to help save lives while recovering from coronavirus

A London Ambulance Service paramedic who survived COVID-19 is calling on others who have recovered from the virus to join him in taking part in a national trial to see if blood plasma could help treat people who are seriously ill with the condition.