London’s Air Ambulance: Can we bring the hospital to an injured patient?

Centre of the Cell’s Big Question Series are brought to you by top scientists at Queen Mary and beyond, in partnership with Centre of the Cell and co-created with young people from our Youth Scheme. They give audiences from age 14 the chance to hear from leaders in science and healthcare about the cutting-edge biology and innovative front-line medicine going on right here in East London.

Dr Anne Weaver and Dean Bateman speak about working at London’s Air Ambulance in their Big Question event.

London’s Air Ambulance has been saving the capital’s critically injured since 1986. This life saving service could not exist without the incredible people who make up this organisation. Join us as we hear from Dr. Anne Weaver and paramedic Dean Bateman about this charity and their experiences working at one of the busiest air ambulance services in the world.

About the speakers

Anne Weaver

Consultant, Medical Director

For more than 25 years, Anne has been driving pre-hospital care across London and last year celebrated her 20-year anniversary with London’s Air Ambulance. As London Air Ambulance’s Medical Director, Anne oversees all clinical operations, ensuring that the service evolves to meet the needs of the future and we continue to be there for the over 2,000 patients a year we attend.

In 2004, she became the youngest female doctor in the UK to qualify as a helicopter emergency medicine consultant. She co-founded the UK’s first pre-hospital care programme for medical students and played a pivotal role introducing blood products to trauma response. Her work has changed countless lives, with now approximately three quarters of all UK air ambulances carrying some form of blood product on board.

Dean Bateman

Senior Clinical Lead Paramedic

Dean joined the London Ambulance Service in 1993 and qualified as a Paramedic in 1997. His first secondment to London’s Air Ambulance as a Flight Paramedic was in 2005. Since then, he has completed several more full-time secondments including one on the Physician Response Unit and has remained an Emeritus member of staff up until 2017.

As well as working as an Advanced Paramedic Practitioner in Critical Care for the London Ambulance Service, Dean has worked in various countries across the Middle East and Africa providing medical care and assisting with the development of a HEMS system. After spending several years learning and gaining experience with Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance, Dean has returned to us as the Senior Clinical Lead Paramedic.