A NURSE from Withybush Hospital is to join a field hospital in Afghanistan later this month to help care for British soldiers injured during military operations. Clinical services manager Dave Hawkings from Neyland is a nurse and paramedic with Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust, having worked at Withybush Hospital for 26 years. But he is also is a member of the Territorial Army 203 (Welsh) Field Hospital (Volunteers) based in Cardiff. Now he is planning to use his clinical skills to help British soldiers in Afghanistan when he is deployed as a trauma nurse co-ordinator at the Military Field Hospital in Helmand Province. Said 42-year-old Dave: "This is my first deployment and my role as a member of the trauma team will be to treat and track traumatised patients brought into the field hospital through each element of their care to the point of discharge or transfer back to the UK. The role also provides a link with the Defence Medical Services in Birmingham, providing current medical information to them and also getting feedback on patients already transferred to the UK. It is a very great challenge and, following all my training, one which I am really looking forward to! " Dave first joined the Territorial Army Royal Corps of Transport when he was 20 years old, but was commissioned into the Territorial Army Medical Services some two and a half years ago. He was informed about his deployment to Afghanistan a year ago and since then has been undergoing intensive training every weekend as part of a large clinical unit. This has not only included localised training at unit level, but also more intensive clinical skills training at the University of Glamorgan where the unit simulated a full patient care service from the point of injury to discharge as it might happen in a real situation. In addition, David has also had to undergo further military, navigation, weapon handling and fitness training alongside his regular Army counterparts. Fitness, in particular, has been an important part of the preparations as in Afghanistan, Dave will be expected to provide holistic care to the same level as in any UK hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week in extreme temperatures. Dave's wife Mindy, 17-year-old son Dafydd and 14-year-old daughter Danielle are supporting him in his decision and will eagerly await his return. Said Dave: "This is what I have trained for and it is very exciting to finally have the opportunity to put the skills that I have learnt to good use. I am hoping that the experience will teach me a lot and that I will return to Britain with new skills that I can use in my everyday practice. " Said acting chief executive of Pembrokeshire & Derwen NHS Trust, Caroline Oakley: "Dave has been a valuable and much trusted member of staff at Withybush Hospital for more than 26 years and we are very proud that his excellent clinical skills are now contributing to the brave work of the Territorial Army 203 (Welsh) Field Hospital (Volunteers) in this way. We wish him well and look forward to his safe return."
