Meet the Team

Amy left college in 2011 after studying Biology, Chemistry, French and Maths. She worked as a Junior Secretary at a charity in Winchester, before starting work at a local zoo. Amy joined South Central Ambulance Service in 2014 working in the PALS department before qualifying as an Emergency Call Taker in June 2015. In January 2017 Amy joined the HEMS team as a HEMS Emergency Dispatch Assistant. She has a keen interest in emergency medicine and hopes to study medicine at university in the coming years.

Ben is a consultant anaesthetist in Salisbury. After beginning his medical training in Bristol, he joined the military, serving with airborne and commando forces around the world for 18 years. He trained in pre-hospital medicine with the Surf Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter in Sydney, Australia and subsequently worked on the Medical Emergency Response Team helicopter in Afghanistan. He joined the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance in 2013.

Job title: Consultant in Pre-hospital Emergency Medicine.

Chris joined HIOWAA in 2014 and also works for University Hospital Southampton as a Consultant in Emergency Medicine and is the current clinical lead for the service.

Chris said: “After completing my training in Emergency Medicine I knew that Air Ambulance work was something I wanted to do, in addition to my hospital career and at the time there was no dedicated training program so over a two year period I worked in Australia for the Sydney Air Ambulance and then back in the UK for the Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance. This gave me a great head start in the professional world of Air Ambulance work.

I worked in Sydney, Australia for almost a year. Their service is very different to ours, being a mix of roles of what our Coast Guard helicopter, Air Ambulance and also land based transport teams do in the UK. This meant we trained for a number of scenarios like winch operations, canyon rescue, as well as complex inter-hospital transfers.

I am part of the training team at HIOWAA and help to look after our doctors in training, keeping an eye on their progress and mentoring them as required.

My proudest moments working for HIOWAA are the patient stories. Every time I hear of a life saved or time when we made a difference makes me feel incredibly proud of the team.

The standout moments, for me, are the little moments. Landing at Thruxton after a long day with a beautiful sunset, or taking off in a snow covered field. Times that reinforce what a privileged position we have, working for an Air Ambulance.

Outside of work, my family and cycling keep me on my toes and fit!

My top tip: Always tuck your shoelaces in, you never know when they might get snagged!”

Dave joined the Army in 1984. He served first on ceremonial duties and then as a helicopter ground crewman/refueller. In 1988 he attended an Army Pilot Course.

As a pilot he served in various places from the Arctic to the Equator, working as an instructor on both helicopters and aeroplanes. He left the Army in 2006 and joined Bond Air Services.

Dave flew Air Ambulances and Police helicopters for Bond (now Babcock) all over the UK until he joined HIOWAA in October 2015. He is also qualified as a Captain, including in night HEMS.

Dave graduated as a paramedic in 2012, taking up a voluntary role on a charity expedition down the Missouri River, before starting with South Central Ambulance Service.
Dave spent five years working in the Hazardous Area Response Team, where he was also deployed to South Sudan as a paramedic for the UN.
Prior to starting with HIOWAA, Dave graduated alongside colleague Lou Wigmore from University of Southampton with a BSc in Clinical Practice.
Outside of work Dave enjoys cycling, climbing, stand up paddle-boarding and making DIY look difficult!

Job title: HEMS Doctor and Consultant Anaesthetist.

I joined HIOWAA in February 2008 and previously worked with Hampshire Ambulance (now South Central Ambulance Service) as BASICS volunteer from 1993. I currently work at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust as Consultant Anaesthetist.

I have had a longstanding interest in Emergency Medicine and Trauma; I trained in Emergency Medicine up to locum Consultant level and was an early adopter of the trauma training programme Advanced Trauma Life Support in 1989. Whilst training in London, I was active as an international Air Ambulance doctor, retrieving patients from around the world, culminating in a mission to rescue the hostages held in Iraq by Saddam Hussein. I joined Hampshire Ambulance (now SCAS) as a voluntary BASICS doctor in 1993 and developed an interest in Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM). Having missed out on the chance to work with London HEMS by two years, I seized the opportunity to join HIOWAA when it started up in 2007. I formally began to fly shifts in February 2008 and was the first doctor to fly with Helimed 56.

I also worked overseas in Bermuda in 1985-86 as the Resident Anaesthetist. Apart from learning to scuba dive, water ski, windsurf, fly to New York for lunch and party hard, I transferred a young man with a broken neck from Bermuda to Manchester in a BA jumbo jet.

My proudest moment for HIOWAA was stepping out of Helimed 56 onto the new helipad at University Hospital Southampton for the first time, the culmination of 15 years work to persuade the hospital that a helipad was a necessity.

Two standout moments from my time here include – being run over whilst on a job in 2012 and being flown into UHS Trauma Centre in the back of Helimed 56 as the patient, having flown in as the doctor, and performing open heart surgery on a stabbing victim.

I have represented HIOWAA at numerous events over the years and given presentations to groups such as The Round Table.

Outside of work I enjoy practical activities – travelling with my wife Clare, renovating houses, restoring my 1970 Land Rover, shooting and training my Springer Spaniel, Harris.
I’ve been married to my very tolerant wife, Clare, for 34 years; Clare can now recognise the distinctive sound of Helimed 56 as it flies over. We have three adult children, Tom, Freddie and Lottie, all now having left home and making their own ways in the world with their partners. We have two dogs, Harris the ESS and Pip a Spanish rescue “Spaniel”, two Burmese cats (well, one and a half + one half alley cat) called Frank and Baby (he was Betty’s Baby and we never got around to naming him) and a cockerel called Doodle-Doo and his chickens.

My top tip or favourite quotes are:

1. Information without perspective is a higher form of ignorance.

2. You can’t change beliefs with facts.

3. Carpe Diem.

Job title: Advanced Clinical Practitioner / HEMS Paramedic

I joined HIOWAA 2020 and I also work at University Hospital Southampton as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner. I worked in South Central Ambulance Service for 7 years before.

I trained as a paramedic doing a FDSc degree at UWE, worked in SCAS as a paramedic then as a specialist paramedic in urgent care. I completed by MSc in advanced practice along with a 3 year national training program to become an ACP. I then joined HIOWAA part time in addition to continuing as an ACP.

Outside of work, I enjoy running and hiking with my dog and wife.

Ewan has been a member of the team since 2008. Pre-hospital medicine is very important to him, and he has been part of providing it in Hampshire since 2004 through the Charity BASICS of which he is currently chairman.
Ewan is also a consultant in Emergency Medicine for Hampshire Hospital Foundation Trust in Winchester and Basingstoke. The father of three is kept busy beyond medicine by his children.

Frances attended and graduated from the University of Liverpool medical school and then worked in Merseyside for a further two years as a junior doctor. In 2008 Frances headed for the sun and began working in Gosford Hospital, NSW followed by Liverpool Hospital, NSW, Australia. In 2017 she completed her emergency specialist training and began working as an emergency consultant. This opened up the opportunity for Frances to work for Sydney HEMS.

In 2019 Frances returned to the UK and began flying with HIOWAA. For her, each patients’ story is unique and if she can help make their bad day a little better, it’s been worthwhile. Her standout moment for HIOWAA was the team building Lego challenge: “Everyone still has an inner child,” says Frances.

She enjoys being outdoors: running, country walks, stand up Paddle boarding (SUPing), listening to live music, enjoying good food and drinks with friends. And wants to give a special mention to her parents, who have supported her ambitions and adventures and waited patiently for her to return to the UK!

“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”

Gordon is a consultant in critical care and anaesthesia at Queen Alexandra Hospital Portsmouth having previously worked in Australia and Baltimore Shock Trauma. Having served with regular and TA airborne units he helped develop the helicopter emergency retrieval system currently used in Afghanistan. He has also worked with an International Red Cross Field Surgical Team covering the Afghan conflict.

Hania is a consultant anaesthetist at University Hospital Southampton who specialises in major trauma and vascular anaesthesia. Her medical training started in Poland where she worked for the Polish Ambulance Service while obtaining her degree and completed her training at King’s College Hospital in London. She also spent a year working full time for Kent Surrey Sussex Air Ambulance. Since completing her speciality training, Hania has gained a postgraduate degree in medical education and has organised and taught on many medical courses in the UK and abroad.

Hania enjoys voluntary and charity work and has participated in several international aid and training events in Vietnam, Iraq, Kenya, Malta and Egypt. In the UK she often provides medical support at major sports events such as marathons and Tough Mudder races.

Hania is an active member of UKMED: an organisation which provides rapid medical help to areas impacted by natural disasters across the world.

In her spare time, Hania sails competitively and enjoys Latin dancing.

Job title: Consultant in Anaesthesia, Perioperative Medicine and Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine.

I started with HIOWAA in 2019. I was appointed as a PHEM (Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine) trainee after I had finished my anaesthetic training. I also work at University Hospital Southampton as a Consultant in anaesthesia and perioperative medicine. My next major goal is to complete my PhD.

Prior to working with HIOWAA I worked in New Zealand with their HEMS service (Helicopter Emergency Medicine).

One of the most rewarding things working with HIOWAA is when we receive thank you letters or cards from patients or their relatives.

Life outside of work is very busy. I have a beautiful wife named Rachel and 3 kids Freya, Theo and Reuben. My passion is cycling of all kinds! I’m also a big fan of the sport and want to progress into coaching youngsters.

My favourite quote: “Your head matters more than your legs” the late Marco Pantani and “Age and treachery will overcome youth and skill” Fausto Coppi.

Jason moved to Oxford from Devon in 2010 to study Paramedic Emergency Care at Oxford Brookes. After graduating in 2012 he started working with SCAS as a Paramedic based in Oxford, where part of his role was to mentor and develop students. Having always been interested in critical care he was successful in joining HIOWAA in October 2016 as a HEMS Paramedic. Outside of work he enjoys swimming, the coast and attempting to surf.

Jay Turner joined HIOWAA as an Emergency Dispatch Assistant in November 2016. He started his ambulance service career 22 years ago, back in the day when emergency calls were taken and managed by pen and paper.

Over the many years, Jay has worked as an Emergency Call Taker, Emergency Response Co-ordinator/Dispatcher, Trainer for Command and Control Systems, and Critical Systems Support Officer. Jay also dispatched HM56 for the first couple of years when the aircraft initially took to the skies.

Jay is also rock and classical guitarist, who is currently working on his 4th album with his band SirenBlue (the name being just a coincidence!). Whilst the guitar is resting up, Jay can often be found kayaking around the river Hamble, running, including the NHS70 birthday seaside run in Kent, or forever re-landscaping his garden.

John joined the Air Ambulance in 2010 and continues to fly as a part time member of the team, having left this year to join Portsmouth’s emergency department as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP).

He started his paramedic career in the Royal Navy before joining the London Ambulance Service and then moving to Hampshire in 2008, completing his BSc in Paramedic Practice at Portsmouth University. He is now studying towards an MSc at Southampton, and when not working or studying, you’ll find him teaching his two year old daughter to paddleboard- so far, so good, he tells us!

Julian joined HIOWAA in December 2018 to pursue a career in critical care.
After qualifying from Monash University as a Paramedic in 2014, he moved from Australia to London to work for the London Ambulance Service. Working in Westminster Julian gained a large amount of experience, including developing and mentoring international paramedics and paramedic students, as well as providing further support to colleagues in the role of international liaison.
In Julian’s spare time he enjoys travelling and surfing. He is also hoping that this year the ashes will be brought home.

I’m Katie and I work as a HEMS Desk Paramedic – it’s my job to decide which patients the aircraft and critical care team vehicle go to. I started my secondment with HIOWAA in April 2021. I joined SCAS in 2012, qualifying as a paramedic in 2016 based at Hightown. I completed my BSc top-up degree this summer in Advancing Professional Practice at University of Portsmouth.

Starting on the desk has given me a great insight into how the critical care team add value to patient care in the pre-hospital environment. It’s an awesome team to be part of.

Outside of work I love sport – I’m the only paramedic in the team who loves football! I play locally and support Southampton. One day I will enjoy the running I do semi-regularly.

I also love my dog.

As well as working for HIOWAA as a pre-hospital doctor, Liz Shewry is an anaesthetist at University Hospital Southampton (UHS), specialising in patients with Major trauma. After studying medicine in Cardiff Liz went to work in Perth, Western Australia. On her return Liz worked in South Wales but missed the beach and hence moved down to Dorset to study anaesthetics. In 2010 she moved to Sydney, Australia to train in pre-hospital medicine and enjoyed working there so much she stayed for an extra year. She’s been with HIOWAA since her return in 2012 and is excited by all the great changes to the service over the past few years.

Liz is interested in education and training and is part of the HIOWAA training group, helping to develop the new base training suite and pre-hospital training for junior doctors, starting in August. At UHS, when not looking after patients, she also works in education in major trauma and training using simulation technology to improve patient care. She has an interest in global health and regularly runs training courses in West Africa. She enjoys music, travelling and being outdoors (especially if it’s sunny).

Specialises in Emergency Medicine, Intensive Care Medicine and Pre-hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM).
Based in Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust where she is the current Clinical Director of Unscheduled Care. Has flown with HIOWAA since 2005. Previously worked in London with the Physician Response Unit and London HEMS.
Strong education interest – is the PHEM training program director for Wessex HEE, examiner for the DIMC held at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and HIOWAA medical training lead.

Enthusiastic runner, expert shopper, chocolate connoisseur, will sleep when she is dead.

Louise joined Royal Berkshire Ambulance Service in 2000 as an Ambulance Technician and was based at Newbury and Reading, qualifying as a Paramedic in 2005. She completed a year-long secondment  as an Advanced Care Paramedic in Australia for Queensland Ambulance Service in 2008. She  returned to Reading for a short while before becoming part of the newly formed Hazardous Area Response Team within South Central Ambulance  Service in 2011, up until joining Hampshire ad Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.

Louise is currently studying part-time at the University of Southampton for a BSc in Clinical Practice.

Away from work she participates in many sports, but especially enjoys white water kayaking, cycling and surfing.

Lucy started training with the ambulance service in 2012, whilst studying Paramedic Emergency Care at Oxford Brookes University. Having qualified as a paramedic, Lucy joined South Central Ambulance Service where she undertook further training to allow her to work as a Specialist Paramedic in Berkshire. Lucy also teaches Paramedic students at Oxford Brookes University, and is an instructor for the Resuscitation Council around the UK.

Outside of work, she has a keen interest in sustainable living and cycling and she regularly practices yoga.

Marcus joined the RAF from university in 1991.  Having completed pilot training, he spent 9 years flying the Chinook helicopter on operations and exercises worldwide.  After leaving the RAF in 2005, he was a director of a commercial aviation company for 10 years, while continuing to fly as both a rotary and fixed-wing commercial pilot.  In 2015 Marcus joined Bond Air Services as a HEMS pilot, initially flying at various HEMS locations around the UK, before joining the HIOWAA team permanently in November 2015.

Matt is a senior registrar in anaesthesia based at University Hospital Southampton and started training in pre-hosptial medicine in August 2017. Matt has completed most of his training in Bristol and spent time working in Western Australia. He moved into the region specifically to work with HIOWAA.

Matt spends his time away from work with his wife and two children and enjoys mountain biking, kite-surfing and skiing.

Mike joined our HEMS team in June 2015, having begun his career as a student Paramedic with East of England Ambulance Service in 2007. He  qualified as a Paramedic in 2010, joining South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust in 2011 and going on to become a Clinical Mentor to one of the teams at Bletchley Ambulance Station.  Throughout this time he provided clinical support to a wide variety of staff members and helped develop and build the practices of a number of students.  He is the father to two young boys, and prior to joining the Ambulance Service, he completed a BSc (Hons) degree in Sport and Exercise Science.

Nicola moved to Hampshire from Somerset and Joined the Ambulance Service in 2000 as an Ambulance Technician. She qualified as a paramedic in 2004, later studying Emergency Care Practice at Portsmouth University and graduating in 2009. Since then she has worked in North Hampshire in various roles, including Clinical Mentor, Team Leader and more recently finished a secondment as Emergency Services Manager, thoroughly enjoying the experiences and challenges each role offered. She first flew with Helimed 56 as a paramedic in 2010 and since then has had a keen interest in joining the team. She has also been proud to represent the crew and attended charity events with the last being the Great South Run in 2015. In her spare time she enjoys being outdoors, walking and running with her two little dogs who are great training buddies and will be completing some more exciting challenges for the charity this year.

Nigel joined Dorset Ambulance Service in 2004 as a technician and qualified as a Paramedic in 2007. He then progressed to become a Specialist Practitioner in 2010 and worked within the Emergency and Urgent Care sector in the Southwest region whilst also lecturing in Paramedic Science at various universities in the country.

During his time with South Central Ambulance Service as Education Manager he was seconded to HIOWAA to assist the HEMS operations Desk and as a Medical Passenger. He enjoyed the experience with the team so much that he decided to join the team permanently and begin his HEMS Paramedic pathway in 2018.

Oliver joined the HIOWAA Critical Care Team in October 2016. He started his career with the London Ambulance Service in 2009 as a Student Paramedic, qualifying in 2012. He moved to the Peak District in 2013 to work in Manchester (and cycle/rock climb more!) and joined the Hazardous Area Response Team in 2014 – this included regular major incident training, managing patients in dangerous environments and operational ambulance and response car shifts. He has a Postgraduate Certificate in Prehospital Critical Care and despite not being willing to admit it, quite likes studying. Away from work he spends his time rock climbing, cycling, planning his next ski trip, watching rugby and avoiding housework. He is married with three pairs of skis and two bikes.

Pat has had a varied career working for the Ambulance service. He joined the service an Ambulance Technician in 1997 and started his training in Bromley. On completion of his basic training he was posted to Brixton Ambulance station, where he stayed for the next 3 years. Much of his experience was gained here. In 2001 he took up a position with London Ambulance Service and qualified as an IHCD state registered Paramedic in 2003. During this time he enjoyed two years of patrolling the west end of London responding to 999 calls. From 2006 – 2007 he served as a Paramedic for Yorkshire Ambulance station, in a small town called Kirkbymoorside in the Yorkshire Moors. He began working for HIOWAA in 2007. He is married and a father of two young boys.

Rob is a Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Southampton General Hospital and started working at HIOWAA in August 2017.

Since qualifying from medical school in 2004 in Cardiff, Rob has worked in South Wales, the south coast of England, South Africa, Iceland and Rwanda.

He is married to a wonderful wife called Polly and the father of 3 little girls. He enjoys sleeping under canvas, making dens, cooking over a fire, running and cycling with his most extreme bike ride being his wife’s idea; cycling unsupported from South Africa to the UK!

His favourite quotes are: ‘Just keep swimming’ Dory in finding nemo. ‘Nothing beats kindness’ said the horse ‘it sits quietly beyond all things’. Charlie Mackesy, The boy the mole, the fox and the horse.

Simon is a Consultant Anaesthetist. He spent sixteen years with the RAF and has been working in helicopter prehospital care since 2006 including in Afghanistan (RAF), Australia (Careflight) and in the UK first with Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance and with the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance since 2012. Away from work he is married with two children and when time allows he loves skiing and flying light aircraft as a private pilot.

I began my training with South Central Ambulance Service in 2010 and since qualifying as a Paramedic and have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges of frontline work whilst being based at both Alton and Petersfield. In this time I have gained my degree and completed a three month secondment on HIOWAA’s dispatch desk which really help me understand the challenges the team can face.
When not at work, I enjoy scuba diving, cooking spicy food and running.

Thomas began working for the ambulance service in Hampshire in 2008. He is from Hampshire originally, and has mainly worked in the north of the county as a graduate Paramedic, Clinical Mentor and Team Leader. He is currently studying at university towards qualification as a practitioner, whilst working on the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance as a HEMS Paramedic.