West Midlands ambulance workers were among a team of NHS staff that brought 21 Ukrainian children with cancer to England for treatment.
The children were brought to England by the Government with the support of Polish authorities and doctors.
They were triaged by NHS clinicians before being transported to appropriate NHS hospitals to continue their treatment.
The vital and in many cases lifesaving cancer treatment will be provided free of charge by the health service across hospitals in England.
Hospitals in Poland have taken in many children needing healthcare who have arrived from Ukraine. With more children crossing the border requiring immediate treatment, the UK has responded to Poland’s call for support from international partners to provide additional care.
The UK partnered with St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, an American non-profit which specialises in paediatric diseases, to arrange an urgent flight for the children.
We are incredibly proud to have been part of the #NHS mission to bring 21 Ukrainian children who needed cancer treatment to the UK. Over 50 of our staff were involved in the operation at Birmingham Airport yesterday.
— West Midlands Ambulance Service #HelpUsHelpYou (@OFFICIALWMAS) March 14, 2022
https://t.co/ZJvGekeSbL pic.twitter.com/VGLbMHP6HU
The Department of Health and Social Care has collaborated with the Department for Transport, Home Office, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to facilitate the transfer of the children from Poland to the UK.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said more than 50 of its staff were involved in the operation at Birmingham Airport.
“Our staff from both our non-emergency transport service and the emergency side transported the children and their family members to a triage centre and then on to their final destination,” the trust said in a tweet.
“Incredible teamwork from so many NHS staff to get it all sorted so quickly.”
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