Bespoke ambulance helping to save lives

A pioneering, purpose-built ambulance used to train the paramedics of tomorrow is being used to help save lives today.

The University of Sunderland-owned vehicle was commissioned to help paramedic students get a flavour of life on the frontline.

Now it has offered to loan the ambulance, along with a large range of equipment, to the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS).

The vehicle was picked up on Friday and taken to the service’s base in Gateshead. The kind gesture is part of a wider range of support being offered by universities to the NHS across the country.

Last week almost 40 nurses from the university started working on the frontline, while testing equipment has also been loaned out to hospital trusts.

Sir David Bell, vice-chancellor, said: "We work very closely with all of our partners across the NHS.

“Our ties with the North East Ambulance Service were already strong through the education and training of our student paramedics. "We made an offer to loan our fully equipped training ambulance to the service during the current pandemic, and I am delighted to say they accepted.

“The university will continue to play a vital role in supporting all of our colleagues in the NHS as we move forward in the coming weeks and months.”

Mark Willis, programme leader for paramedic science and out of hospital care, said: “We hope that this small gesture can go a long way in supporting the ambulance service, NHS and patients within the North East region.”