Rochdale A&E medic deployed to Afghanistan

Maxine Simpson ready for caring role in Afghanistan

A staff nurse from Rochdale Infirmary’s Accident and Emergency is one of a group of medics being deployed to Afghanistan later this year.

Maxine Simpson, is part of the Territorial Army (TA) 207 Field Hospital medical team whose members will temporarily leave their civilian day jobs at the Pennine Acute Trust and other UK hospitals to work at Camp Bastion for three months later this year.

Ms Simpson said: “This is my first deployment abroad with the TA and so I am slightly nervous but also very excited. I’m looking forward to the whole experience and expect to gain lots of clinical experience whilst I am out in the Bastion hospital. Lots of my colleagues have been very supportive with helping to cover my weekend time off and sharing their knowledge on the medical sides to the courses.”

Each year approximately a thousand reservists are mobilised to serve alongside the Regular Armed Forces on essential military operations. They first undergo a programme of intense pre-deployment training to ensure they're as prepared as they possibly can be for the task ahead. They have to learn and practice in mock-up hospitals which will reflect the humid environment of Afghanistan.

The Bastion hospital is staffed by Territorial Army (TA) medic units on a three month rotation with the regular Army, so medical services can be sustained without having an adverse impact on the NHS in the UK.

The Trust runs The Royal Oldham Hospital, North Manchester General Hospital, Fairfield General Hospital and Rochdale Infirmary. A number of other medical staff from across the Trust also serve as part of 207 Field Hospital (volunteers).

Bev Griffiths, A&E nurse manager at Rochdale Infirmary, said: "Maxine is a fantastic A&E nurse, very enthusiastic about her job and is very excited about her forthcoming posting to Afghanistan. We will all miss her but wish all the very best."

Dr Nick Gili, an A&E consultant and clinical director of unscheduled care at Pennine Acute Trust, added: “We are extremely proud to have a number of our staff, including A&E medics and nurses from across our hospitals, preparing for deployment to Afghanistan and those who have already been out there to provide care for our soldiers.

“They all do a tremendous and invaluable job under very different and challenging conditions supporting our servicemen and women. The expertise and experience they bring back is also helping us to develop the services we provide to patients here. On behalf of the Trust, I would like to wish all our colleagues based within 207 Field Hospital the very best of luck.”

Ministry of Defence figures show that while 158 armed forces personnel were seriously wounded in Afghanistan last year, and 1,229 were treated by field hospitals, 721 of them were suffering from diseases or non-battle injuries.