Gareth Davies (doctor)
Encyclopedia
Gareth Davies is an NHS Accident & Emergency Consultant working at the Royal London Hospital
, Whitechapel
. He is best known for his role as lead doctor of the flight crew for the London Air Ambulance
(HEMS) and has been seen many times on the popular BBC documentary television series Trauma and Trauma Uncut. In addition to his NHS duties, he serves as the Medical Director of Virgin H.E.M.S. (London) Ltd (Company No. 2337239 - the charity linked to London Air Ambulance) and as a director of a number of other companies including London Air Ambulance Trading Ltd (Company No. 04836606), UK HEMS Ltd (Company No. 06491323), EMSC Ltd (Company No. 07179442) and Medical Excellence Ltd (Company No. 05668741).
off the north-west coast of England, famous for its Isle of Man TT
motorcycle racing event. From a very early age Gareth had been interested in motor sport and saw the consequences when people fell off their bikes. He would often follow ambulance
s to the scenes of these accidents to see what care was provided for those who were hurt. He could see that these victims needed advanced medical help from the moment they fell off their bikes.
On From the Top: Gareth Davies, an educational program broadcast on Channel 4
, Gareth recalled watching a television program from the U.S.
at the age of 16: "It was about these firemen who delivered medical care as firemen and they called themselves paramedics and that I thought was absolutely fantastic!" A life long passion to help those who had been hurt by the roadside had been formed; his goal was to become a paramedic
. At that time paramedicine was in its infancy, and so would not have been achievable when Gareth wanted to enter the profession. He was now faced with two choices: either go into the fire service and try and do medicine or go straight down the medical route. He chose the latter, hoping that one day he would be able to treat people at the roadside in a paramedic capacity.
and was accepted.
After his final exams in year five of medical school, Gareth thought he had failed and was in despair; however, he passed. On the program From the Top: Gareth Davies he says, after thinking he failed but then subsequently passing, "Miracle of Miracles I got though it. I try to reflect back on it and I think sometimes people see things in you that you don’t even know they’re looking for". The title of "doctor" means a lot to Gareth, and the fact that he had now followed his dream, fills him with a huge sense of accomplishment.
Gareth had heard about HEMS from a leaflet he saw in his local hospital library back in the Isle of Man. This was his chance to achieve his dream and use the skills he had learnt in a paramedic capacity. At the moment he wanted to join HEMS, the service was still very new and, the job, considered a very risky post to take on. There was a chance it would end his career and prevent him from becoming an Accident & Emergency Consultant - many people decided to err on the side of caution. However, Gareth didn't, he decided to go for the post of lead doctor.
The job interview
At first, nerves got the better of Gareth on the interview day and it took him three attempts to find the right Tube
station. The thought crossed his mind that he wasn't meant to go to the interview. He recalls on From the Top: Gareth Davies how "it was something like the Twilight Zone". He then, after three attempts on trying to find the right station, got in a taxi which took him to the interview. He got the first offer for lead doctor of the flight crew out of the twelve candidates who were interviewed that day. He recalls how he was amazed and how it "seemed quite surreal" when he received the post.
in 2005 under the category of Public Life. Other contenders were Abigail Witchalls
for her courage after being left paralysed after a knife attack, and Lord Coe for his efforts in bringing the Olympics to London in 2012. Lord Coe received the title.
Royal London Hospital
The Royal London Hospital was founded in September 1740 and was originally named The London Infirmary. The name changed to The London Hospital in 1748 and then to The Royal London Hospital on its 250th anniversary in 1990. The first patients were treated at a house in Featherstone Street,...
, Whitechapel
Whitechapel
Whitechapel is a built-up inner city district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London, England. It is located east of Charing Cross and roughly bounded by the Bishopsgate thoroughfare on the west, Fashion Street on the north, Brady Street and Cavell Street on the east and The Highway on the...
. He is best known for his role as lead doctor of the flight crew for the London Air Ambulance
London Air Ambulance
London's Air Ambulance, also known as London HEMS , is an air ambulance service that responds to seriously ill or injured casualties in and around London, England....
(HEMS) and has been seen many times on the popular BBC documentary television series Trauma and Trauma Uncut. In addition to his NHS duties, he serves as the Medical Director of Virgin H.E.M.S. (London) Ltd (Company No. 2337239 - the charity linked to London Air Ambulance) and as a director of a number of other companies including London Air Ambulance Trading Ltd (Company No. 04836606), UK HEMS Ltd (Company No. 06491323), EMSC Ltd (Company No. 07179442) and Medical Excellence Ltd (Company No. 05668741).
Early life
Davies was born and grew up in Douglas on the Isle of ManIsle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
off the north-west coast of England, famous for its Isle of Man TT
Isle of Man TT
The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...
motorcycle racing event. From a very early age Gareth had been interested in motor sport and saw the consequences when people fell off their bikes. He would often follow ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
s to the scenes of these accidents to see what care was provided for those who were hurt. He could see that these victims needed advanced medical help from the moment they fell off their bikes.
On From the Top: Gareth Davies, an educational program broadcast on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, Gareth recalled watching a television program from the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at the age of 16: "It was about these firemen who delivered medical care as firemen and they called themselves paramedics and that I thought was absolutely fantastic!" A life long passion to help those who had been hurt by the roadside had been formed; his goal was to become a paramedic
Paramedic
A paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. The majority of paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units such as...
. At that time paramedicine was in its infancy, and so would not have been achievable when Gareth wanted to enter the profession. He was now faced with two choices: either go into the fire service and try and do medicine or go straight down the medical route. He chose the latter, hoping that one day he would be able to treat people at the roadside in a paramedic capacity.
Through medical school
His career choice decided, Gareth, now 18, finished his A-levels and applied to Sheffield Medical SchoolSheffield Medical School
The School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Sheffield is a medical school active in three fields of medicine: teaching, researching and practicing....
and was accepted.
After his final exams in year five of medical school, Gareth thought he had failed and was in despair; however, he passed. On the program From the Top: Gareth Davies he says, after thinking he failed but then subsequently passing, "Miracle of Miracles I got though it. I try to reflect back on it and I think sometimes people see things in you that you don’t even know they’re looking for". The title of "doctor" means a lot to Gareth, and the fact that he had now followed his dream, fills him with a huge sense of accomplishment.
London's Air Ambulance
The ConflictsGareth had heard about HEMS from a leaflet he saw in his local hospital library back in the Isle of Man. This was his chance to achieve his dream and use the skills he had learnt in a paramedic capacity. At the moment he wanted to join HEMS, the service was still very new and, the job, considered a very risky post to take on. There was a chance it would end his career and prevent him from becoming an Accident & Emergency Consultant - many people decided to err on the side of caution. However, Gareth didn't, he decided to go for the post of lead doctor.
The job interview
At first, nerves got the better of Gareth on the interview day and it took him three attempts to find the right Tube
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
station. The thought crossed his mind that he wasn't meant to go to the interview. He recalls on From the Top: Gareth Davies how "it was something like the Twilight Zone". He then, after three attempts on trying to find the right station, got in a taxi which took him to the interview. He got the first offer for lead doctor of the flight crew out of the twelve candidates who were interviewed that day. He recalls how he was amazed and how it "seemed quite surreal" when he received the post.
His work on 7th July 2005
Gareth Davies was on his way to a HEMS meeting at the Royal London Hospital when the bombs detonated. He was mobilised by London Ambulance Service along with the rest of the London HEMS team. Gareth deployed to Aldgate where he was the Medical Incident Officer. He later re-deployed, along other members of the London HEMS team, to Kings Cross. His work on that day led to him being nominated for the Great Briton AwardGreat Briton Award
The Great Briton Awards are an annual event to indicate who has made the greatest contribution to British life during the year. They were sponsored in 2004 by The Daily Telegraph, Morgan Stanley and the RSA. Nominations are based on a shortlist generated by asking the public to identify the...
in 2005 under the category of Public Life. Other contenders were Abigail Witchalls
Abigail Witchalls
Abigail Witchalls is an English woman who was left paralysed after being stabbed in front of her 21-month old son Joseph in Surrey, England, on 20 April 2005....
for her courage after being left paralysed after a knife attack, and Lord Coe for his efforts in bringing the Olympics to London in 2012. Lord Coe received the title.