Midlanders in Spanish Rescue

Ambulance staff in the West Midlands – dubbed International Rescue by colleagues -have come to the aid of yet another patient on foreign shores.

Just 24 hours after helping a patient in Australia, the same shift at the West Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in Brierley Hill was called upon to help a patient in Spain.

This time, the shift received a call from an Erdington woman at 3.20am yesterday, who told them her brother was unwell in a hotel in Torremolinos.

After failing to get an answer from the Spanish Embassy, the staff used the internet to get a direct number for his hotel.

Despite language difficulties, they were able to make contact with a friend of the 28-year-old man.

She was able to call a doctor and an ambulance. The man was taken to hospital, where he was yesterday said to be recovering.

On Wednesday morning the EOC staff came to the aid of an Australian woman after her brother in Brierley Hill contacted them just after 3am.

After making contact with the Australian Embassy, the team were put in touch with local authorities Down Under.

The consulate later told them the woman had been taken to the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney and was in a stable condition.

EOC supervisor Antony Glyptis, said: “Everyone in the team is really proud of the way that we are managing to help patients wherever they are – here in the West Midlands or around the world. Patient care is our number one priority and these two cases are proof of just how much each patient matters.”

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