nastyleg
11-23-2009, 02:44 AM
Navy surgeon saves lives and limbs in Afghanistan
A People In Defence news article
18 Nov 09
Currently on his fourth deployment to Afghanistan, Royal Navy Surgeon Commander Graham Hill believes that this is his hardest tour so far.
Surgeon Commander Graham Hill, Royal Navy
Cdr Hill, who is normally based at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, is currently saving lives and limbs in his post at the operating table of Camp Bastion's field hospital in Helmand province.
He deployed to Afghanistan in October 2009 for an eight-week tour as the UK Joint Forces Medical Group's Field Hospital Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon.
Cdr Hill said:
"My main role here is to assess and operate on the traumatic limb injuries which come through the Emergency Department's doors. I also treat the usual breaks and sprains from physical exercise but I'd say about eighty per cent of my work is on trauma."
The British-run medical facility at Camp Bastion cares for British, American, International Security Assistance Force and Afghan National Army battlefield casualties, as well as local Afghan civilians who have been caught in cross fire or injured by the Taliban's homemade roadside bombs:
"This is my fourth deployment to Afghanistan," Cdr Hill said. "Previously the hospital was in tents so it is the first time I've worked in this purpose-built facility.
"The whole hospital is designed to treat very serious battlefield wounds and has first class specialists and state-of-the-art medical equipment to do that effectively."
Bastion's hospital is currently staffed by around four hundred Army medics from 33 Field Hospital, based in Gosport, Hampshire, 254 General Support Medical Regiment based in Preston, Lancashire, and Territorial Army personnel from 256 (City of London) Field Hospital (Volunteers), as well as Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, American, Danish and Estonian medical professionals.
Cdr Hill said:
"I'd say the pace of work is definitely more than I've encountered in previous tours in terms of the volume and severity of trauma.
"The whole hospital is designed to treat very serious battlefield wounds and has first class specialists and state-of-the-art medical equipment to do that effectively."
Surgeon Commander Graham Hill, Royal Navy
"The work is challenging from a surgical and also emotional perspective, since limb amputations caused by improvised explosive devices have become a routine occurrence."
The key to coping with the demands of the job is all about having a strong and supportive team. Cdr Hill said:
"I am part of a fantastic team of doctors, all with strong characters and lots of experience. We continuously discuss the management of patients and work very cohesively as a team.
"Decisions about how best to treat patients are quick but there is consensus. Knowing you have people behind you supporting you makes decisions much easier.
"Soldiers do a very challenging job. I try to deliver the best possible medical care available outside the UK.
"Our troops are very brave boys and my pleasure comes from getting them through the Emergency Department and seeing them packaged off safely back home to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham."
Cdr Hill continued:
"The hardest thing for me is when one of our boys arrives at the hospital and you know you can't do anything for him. Although valiant attempts will have been made to get him to the hospital, the cold reality is that the patient won't survive.
"I think the whole hospital also finds it hard to cope with the Afghan children who come in having been caught in cross fire or injured by IEDs or unexploded ordnance. But they do get looked after very well."
Cdr Hill manages to keep in touch with some of his patients, including Mark Ormrod, the Royal Marine who lost two legs and an arm in a Taliban landmine blast in 2007. Marine Ormrod has learned to walk again on 'bionic' legs and is now back working for the Marines. Cdr Hill added:
"These guys make the job so worthwhile. Their drive and determination to overcome the consequences of their injuries is incredible."
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/PeopleInDefence/NavySurgeonSavesLivesAndLimbsInAfghanistan.htm
A People In Defence news article
18 Nov 09
Currently on his fourth deployment to Afghanistan, Royal Navy Surgeon Commander Graham Hill believes that this is his hardest tour so far.
Surgeon Commander Graham Hill, Royal Navy
Cdr Hill, who is normally based at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, is currently saving lives and limbs in his post at the operating table of Camp Bastion's field hospital in Helmand province.
He deployed to Afghanistan in October 2009 for an eight-week tour as the UK Joint Forces Medical Group's Field Hospital Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon.
Cdr Hill said:
"My main role here is to assess and operate on the traumatic limb injuries which come through the Emergency Department's doors. I also treat the usual breaks and sprains from physical exercise but I'd say about eighty per cent of my work is on trauma."
The British-run medical facility at Camp Bastion cares for British, American, International Security Assistance Force and Afghan National Army battlefield casualties, as well as local Afghan civilians who have been caught in cross fire or injured by the Taliban's homemade roadside bombs:
"This is my fourth deployment to Afghanistan," Cdr Hill said. "Previously the hospital was in tents so it is the first time I've worked in this purpose-built facility.
"The whole hospital is designed to treat very serious battlefield wounds and has first class specialists and state-of-the-art medical equipment to do that effectively."
Bastion's hospital is currently staffed by around four hundred Army medics from 33 Field Hospital, based in Gosport, Hampshire, 254 General Support Medical Regiment based in Preston, Lancashire, and Territorial Army personnel from 256 (City of London) Field Hospital (Volunteers), as well as Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, American, Danish and Estonian medical professionals.
Cdr Hill said:
"I'd say the pace of work is definitely more than I've encountered in previous tours in terms of the volume and severity of trauma.
"The whole hospital is designed to treat very serious battlefield wounds and has first class specialists and state-of-the-art medical equipment to do that effectively."
Surgeon Commander Graham Hill, Royal Navy
"The work is challenging from a surgical and also emotional perspective, since limb amputations caused by improvised explosive devices have become a routine occurrence."
The key to coping with the demands of the job is all about having a strong and supportive team. Cdr Hill said:
"I am part of a fantastic team of doctors, all with strong characters and lots of experience. We continuously discuss the management of patients and work very cohesively as a team.
"Decisions about how best to treat patients are quick but there is consensus. Knowing you have people behind you supporting you makes decisions much easier.
"Soldiers do a very challenging job. I try to deliver the best possible medical care available outside the UK.
"Our troops are very brave boys and my pleasure comes from getting them through the Emergency Department and seeing them packaged off safely back home to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham."
Cdr Hill continued:
"The hardest thing for me is when one of our boys arrives at the hospital and you know you can't do anything for him. Although valiant attempts will have been made to get him to the hospital, the cold reality is that the patient won't survive.
"I think the whole hospital also finds it hard to cope with the Afghan children who come in having been caught in cross fire or injured by IEDs or unexploded ordnance. But they do get looked after very well."
Cdr Hill manages to keep in touch with some of his patients, including Mark Ormrod, the Royal Marine who lost two legs and an arm in a Taliban landmine blast in 2007. Marine Ormrod has learned to walk again on 'bionic' legs and is now back working for the Marines. Cdr Hill added:
"These guys make the job so worthwhile. Their drive and determination to overcome the consequences of their injuries is incredible."
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/PeopleInDefence/NavySurgeonSavesLivesAndLimbsInAfghanistan.htm