Mercia Accident Rescue Service

Mercia Accident Rescue Service (or MARS) is a BASICS affiliated charity operation based on providing a fast-response, advanced medical team to back up the emergency services of the English counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The charity aims to provide an organisational framework within which practitioners can be properly trained and equipped to provide prehospital care, its work is supported by local fundraising.[1] MARS is staffed by a team of 11 doctors and two advanced clinical practitioners.[2]

Mercia Accident Rescue Service
AbbreviationMARS
Formation17 July 1984
Legal statusActive
PurposeThe provision of immediate medical treatment to any person in need of such care, when requested to do so by a member of the emergency services
HeadquartersHereford
Location
  • UK
Region served
Herefordshire and Worcestershire
Official language
English
Chair of Trustees
Mark Worthing
AffiliationsBritish Association of Immediate Care
Budget
£72,774
Staff7
Volunteers
16
Websitewww.marsbasics.org.uk

MARS responders assist at serious incidents such as road traffic collisions,[3][4][5] industrial accidents, drownings,[6] assaults, and critically unwell medical patients.

Equipment Carried

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The typical equipment carried by a MARS responder includes:

Notable Individuals

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  • Prof Gavin Perkins - Consultant in Critical Care Medicine / Clinical Academic
  • Mr Richard Steyn[8] - Past chairman of BASICS / Consultant Thoracic Surgeon / Honorary Associate Professor
  • Dr Malcolm Russell[9][10] MBE[11]
  • Mr Andrew Thurgood - First Consultant Nurse in prehospital emergency medicine in the UK

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Health, Marcus Billig finishes Bolton's Ironman challenge for the team from MARS to purchase ultrasound machine for Herefordshire". Hereford Times. 2013-08-30. Retrieved 2023-09-27.
  2. ^ "Introduction - MARS". 15 June 2022.
  3. ^ "Man in hospital with serious injuries after Hereford pileup". 29 December 2020.
  4. ^ "Two killed in ambulance crash". 26 August 2019.
  5. ^ "A49 closed: Man cut free as several cars and lorry crash". 29 December 2020.
  6. ^ "Firefighters rescue man from River Wye in Hereford". 22 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Health, Marcus Billig finishes Bolton's Ironman challenge for the team from MARS to purchase ultrasound machine for Herefordshire". 30 August 2013.
  8. ^ "Phem Ess".
  9. ^ "Saving lives that's the man from MARS". 9 January 2006.
  10. ^ https://www.prometheusalphamed.com/courses/uk-hems-course/instructors
  11. ^ "Hereford doctor awarded MBE for work with emergency services". 10 March 2014.