By a grateful BASICS Essex patient, Julie from Southend: "I knew the instant I hit the floor that something was badly wrong. My left foot was twisted at a strange angle & pain was building fast. By chance—good or bad—I was on a video call with my twin sister, Angie. I asked her to call an ambulance while I tried not to panic. My right leg had landed on a brass lampstand, leaving a deep gash that looked close to the bone. Angie arrived quickly and pressed a clean tea towel on the wound while I held my left foot, worried about the blood supply. Any injury is complicated for me. I live with cystic fibrosis, mild heart failure and osteopenia, and my care team are already discussing a lung transplant. The ambulance crew soon arrived and gave me gas and air while assessing the damage. They suspected my foot was dislocated and broken in two places. Stronger pain relief and a realignment were needed, so they called for a doctor. I didn’t know it then, but the doctor on his way Chris, was a volunteer with BASICS Essex , an emergency medical charity. Chris drove from Burnham and reached me in about half an hour. Calm and reassuring, he administered stronger medication and worked with the paramedics to move me outside where there was room to treat me. Living in a chalet bungalow meant the stretcher wouldn’t fit through the lounge. With extra pain relief on board, Chris realigned my dislocated foot to protect the blood supply and prevent further damage. Thanks to his skill, we avoided serious complications before I even reached hospital. In A&E, doctors attempted two further realignments but the joint kept slipping. Surgery was the only option. Two days later I underwent an operation under a spinal block—general anaesthetic was too risky given my lung and heart problems. Surgeons fixed metal plates and screws to my left ankle and cleaned and stitched the deep cut in my right leg. Only afterwards did I learn that Chris was a BASICS Essex volunteer and that the charity receives no government funding . These highly trained doctors give their time freely, responding across the county when the NHS is stretched and patients like me need urgent specialist care. I am profoundly grateful. Without BASICS Essex I would have endured hours of unnecessary pain and might have faced permanent damage. It is because Chris arrived when he did, my foot was realigned quickly & I have every chance of walking again after rehabilitation. To everyone who donates or fundraises for BASICS Essex—thank you. Your support puts doctors like Chris on the road, turning terrifying accidents into stories of expert care, compassion and hope." Learn how you can support here.

Every day across Essex, our emergency services step forward to help people in their hour of need. From road traffic collisions to sudden medical emergencies, the dedication of ambulance crews, firefighters, police officers, air ambulance teams, and voluntary services ensures that our communities are protected around the clock. Their work is nothing short of extraordinary. At BASICS Essex, we are proud to play our part in this life-saving network in Essex. As a pre-hospital emergency medical charity, our volunteer clinicians, including Doctors and Paramedics, provide enhanced critical care at the roadside or wherever it is needed. We work closely with the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) and the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance teams to ensure patients receive the very best care as quickly as possible. When a 999 call is received, the EEAST call handler gathers vital information about the incident before dispatching the most appropriate resources. Depending on the circumstances, this may involve a combination of ambulance crews, BASICS Essex volunteer clinicians, and air ambulance teams. This joined-up approach is particularly valuable during high-demand periods, as it reduces waiting times for critically ill patients and ensures they have the best chance of survival. Working Together in Critical Moments Collaboration between services is at the heart of what we do. Paramedics bring their incredible frontline expertise; air ambulance teams provide rapid transport and advanced interventions; and BASICS Essex volunteer doctors add senior skills to the scene. Each service complements the other, creating a safety net for patients at their most vulnerable moments. A recent case illustrates this teamwork in action. In the early hours of the morning, BASICS Essex were tasked to assist EEAST crews with a patient in his 30s who had suffered a heart attack. En route to a specialist cardiac centre, the patient went into cardiac arrest several times. Thanks to the combined efforts of ambulance paramedics and our volunteer doctor—who provided advanced interventions and accompanied the patient to hospital—the man not only survived the journey but was sitting up and talking just days later. Stories like this are a powerful reminder of the impact collaboration can have. No single service can do it all—but together, we achieve outcomes that save lives. The Human Side of Emergency Response Behind every incident are highly skilled professionals and volunteers giving their all in challenging and often unpredictable situations. The long nights, complex cases, and emotionally demanding calls are met with unwavering commitment to patient care. BASICS Essex volunteers dedicate their time and expertise freely, often balancing demanding medical careers with their charity work, all with one goal: to give patients the best possible chance when seconds matter. Looking Ahead As we celebrate the work of Essex’s emergency services, we also look forward. Demand continues to grow, and so does the need for collaboration. By strengthening partnerships, sharing expertise, and supporting each other, we can ensure that communities across Essex continue to benefit from world-class emergency response. At BASICS Essex, we are honoured to work alongside our colleagues in the ambulance service and air ambulance teams. Together, we are proving—every day—that collaboration saves lives. As a charity that receives no government funding, we actively pursue donations and fundraising efforts from the general public and local businesses. If you can help us, get in touch here.

Volunteer clinicians in Essex explain how local businesses can get involved to help emergency medical charity BASICS Essex deliver its life-saving service. BASICS Essex is a local charity with a specialised team of 25 volunteer clinicians on call to provide critical pre-hospital care within minutes of a 999 call, working at the request of the East of England Ambulance Service. The team of experienced volunteer doctors and paramedics are equipped to administer advanced pre-hospital care that traditional ambulance services cannot always provide. “ Our impact within the community is huge, but can go unnoticed”, says James Samouelle, an Advanced Critical Care Practitioner from Chelmsford, who has volunteered for the charity for over 8 years. “You might not have heard of BASICS Essex unless you are in a situation where you or a family member needs us, so building public awareness can be a challenge. “ Working in the ambulance service, I had a loose understanding of what BASICS Essex was, but it wasn’t until I saw a roadside incident close to home that I began to realise I could do more to support my local community, and that’s why I joined the scheme.” In 2024, the team was activated on 178 occasions across Essex, with cardiac arrest and medical incidents accounting for 53% of all calls. The team gave over 7,500 hours of voluntary time to helping save lives. Nick Sillet, an Advanced Paramedic Practitioner and Clinical Supervisor / BASICS Essex volunteer, has responded to several road traffic collisions with critically injured patients, and recalls his recent invite to a patient reunion. “Meeting the individual and their family was rather emotional and I felt privileged to have played a very small part in their care and recovery.  This case still motivates me to volunteer for BASICS Essex to this very day.” The charity does not receive any government funding and relies entirely on the generosity of the community it serves to stay operational, with £80,000 in annual running costs which include investment into medical equipment, vehicles, and day-to-day operations. “There are lots of ways that businesses can play a part in helping us save lives, through corporate fundraising, charity spaces for the London Marathon, or even ‘Sponsoring a clinician’ like myself!”, Nick added. BASICS Essex new Sponsor A Clinican  scheme is encouraging local businesses to pledge to fundraising £1,000 per year, with Colchester based Accountants Wood + Disney the first to sigh the pledge. Each business that gets involved will receive a host of benefits on offer including a team CPR / AED session, a logo on the Clinician’s hoody, regular team updates and highlighting team fundraising efforts across various digital channels. “We want to encourage businesses that want to do something charitable and want to support their local community, to use whatever means they have to help us,” Jay added. “If your business wants to do something good for the Essex community, please get in touch or visit our website to find out more about who we are and what we do.” Click here to learn more about our 'Sponsor A Clinician' Campaign

WHAT WE DO BASICS Essex , formerly known as BASICS Essex Accident Rescue Service or B.E.A.R.S , is a charity made up of volunteer doctors and paramedics who respond to incidents at the request of the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust. We help save lives in communities across Essex and can be at your side in minutes, day or night. We're proud to supplement the outstanding service provided by our ambulance clinicians. We receive no government funding and rely solely upon your donations. Ways to donate Our committed volunteer doctors and paramedics make themselves available around the clock throughout the year. They are often first on the scene, be it at the roadside, in a field, or a home emergency. We have operated in Essex since 1973. Our qualified and experienced doctors and paramedics respond from home, or as part of a medical response team, in the schemes own Enhanced Care Car. The doctors and paramedics are able to provide additional treatment on the scene, like providing enhanced pain relief or emergency surgical interventions where required. With calls increasing BASICS Essex needs your support. You can help save more lives in your local area. Support us today and help us to continue to provide our vital lifesaving service to your local community.

Did you know that whenever you buy anything online – from your weekly shop to your annual holiday – you could be raising free donations for BASICS Essex with easyfundraising? There are over 4,000 shops and sites on board ready to make a donation – including eBay, Argos, John Lewis, ASOS, Booking.com and M&S – and it won’t cost you a penny extra to help us raise funds. All you need to do is: 1. Go to https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/basicsessex/ and join for free. 2. Every time you shop online, go to easyfundraising first to find the site you want and start shopping. 3. After you’ve checked out, the retailer will make a donation to BASICS Essex at no extra cost to you whatsoever! There are no catches or hidden charges and BASICS Essex will be truly grateful for your donations. Thank you for your support.

As a small emegency medical charity, your donation will enable us to respond to more critical incidents across Essex, providing enhanced pre-hospital care to patients and help save lives across Essex. We do not receive any statutory funding and therefore rely solely upon grants and donations. Donate Thank you for considering donating to BASICS Essex. Below are various ways you can donate, take part in our weekly charity lottery, and generate FREE donations through shopping cashback. ONLINE DONATION Donate to us through JustGiving to directly fund our lifesaving work. TEXT MESSAGE (SMS) To donate £5 , text ESSEX to 70085 To donate a sum of your choice, text ESSEX followed by the amount (no £ sign). Example: Essex 15 You will have the option to Gift Aid your donation via a reply text link. Weekly Lottery Join our weekly charity lottery to help us raise funds, while also being in the chance to win some great prizes! Win prizes of up to £25,000 Christmas Mega Bundle prize Guaranteed BASICS Essex winners 50% of all tickets sold go to us Tickets cost just £1 per week Get your tickets Gift vouchers Lottery powered by OneLottery. T&Cs apply. See website for details. WRITE A CHEQUE If you'd like to donate by cheque, please make it payable to BASICS Essex Post it to: BASICS Essex, Moulsham Mill, Parkway, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 7PX Free donations through easyfundraising You can raise FREE funds for us when you shop through easyfundraising. There are 4,000 shops and sites on board ready to make a donation – including eBay, Argos, John Lewis, ASOS, Booking.com and M&S – and it won’t cost you a penny extra to help us raise funds. More info FUNDRAISING EVENTS Check our Events page for more ideas on how to fundraise for us