About this episode

This episode discusses the critical timing and decision-making involved in pre-hospital care with a focus on the value of HEMS.

In pre-hospital care, timing isn’t just important; it’s everything. The difference between a good outcome and a devastating one can come down to minutes and decisions, and few decisions are more critical than knowing when to bring advanced critical care to the scene. In this episode, we’re joined by Critical Care Paramedic Callum Sutton from Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC) to explore a question that sits at the heart of pre-hospital medicine: when does HEMS truly add value? This isn’t about calling early for the sake of it; it’s about understanding the patients, the physiology, and the interventions that can change trajectories. But just as important is what happens before the helicopter lands. From optimising access and monitoring to anticipating procedures like pre-hospital emergency anaesthesia, small actions on the ground can translate into critical time saved. This is a conversation about foresight, teamwork, and marginal gains, and how, in the right moments, those gains can mean everything. This episode is supported by the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC). GWAAC’s Clinical Symposium takes place on Friday, 16 October 2026, at Ashton Gate Stadium…

More episodes of Pre-Hospital Care Podcast

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• Neurodivergence in Pre-Hospital Care: ADHD and Autism with David Birch · May 24, 2026 · 41 min
• After the Shock: Life Beyond Cardiac Arrest with Paul Swindell, Zoe Hitchcock and Noah Cohen · May 21, 2026 · 43 min
• Not So FAST: Rethinking Stroke Recognition in Pre-Hospital Care with Shane Devlin and Ronan Walker · May 17, 2026 · 50 min
• Mastering the Pre-Hospital Airway: Assessment, RSI, SALAD & FONA · May 13, 2026 · 1h 2m

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