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A committed group of doctors who support incident commanders during major, mass casualty, and complex incidents has marked a decade of working as part of North West Ambulance Service’s response.
The Medical Emergency Response Incident Team (MERIT) was set up in 2014 with MERIT doctors contributing to command and clinical decision-making processes. NWAS was among the first ambulance services in the nation to establish a bespoke team of doctors of this nature.
The team works on an on-call basis and provides medical advice, coordinates on-scene medical assets, and helps us get the right care to patients involved in large-scale incidents.
“People may not necessarily be aware that there are doctors who work within the ambulance service. The past 10 years have showcased MERIT’s invaluable contribution in responding to complex, large-scale incidents. The dedicated team work seamlessly with our command and clinical leadership colleagues. They provide essential advice and ensure medical resources are given to those in need.”
Dr Craig Hooper, MERIT Manager.
Bringing together a diverse range of specialties, each team member offers expert knowledge and experience in their respective practice areas, supporting NWAS’ response to incidents such as uncontrolled chemical releases, large-scale road traffic collisions, fires, or civil disorder. Each MERIT doctor possesses a certificate of completion of training in either general practice or specialties such as emergency medicine, anaesthesia, critical care, and surgery.
Find further information about MERIT by visiting nwas.nhs.uk/careers.