Discussion over moving 70 stone man

St John Ambulance Suffolk has today confirmed that it is in discussion over providing vital assistance to move a 70-stone patient.

It was revealed this week that the man is now in line for life-saving surgery in Chichester and will require a dedicated team to relocate him because of his size and weight from Suffolk for this procedure.

St John Ambulance Suffolk is one of the options being considered for that transportation.

The charity, which is based in Bramford, has made a name for itself as a leader in bariatric transport – the movement of patients whose size prevents them from being carried in a conventional ambulance - and has now been responsible for bringing four such specific vehicles to the roads of the region.

The vehicles and specialist equipment, combined with the dedicated clinical team, have the capacity to transport patients up to 70 stone in weight.

By having these dedicated bariatric vehicles the charity can offer the highest level of service possible to the residents of Suffolk and has been assisting health services across the country in this capacity for a number of years.

Keith Hotchkiss, Operations Manager for St John Ambulance Suffolk, said: 'I can confirm that we have been in discussions with the Primary Care Trust about the transportation of a patient to enable him to receive surgery.

'As yet, there is no confirmation as to which option the PCT will elect to take.'

He added: 'St John Ambulance Suffolk is proud of the part it has played in ensuring it has transportation and a team of professionals which are specifically capable of providing a dignified and efficient service when it comes to assisting bariatric patients.'

Suffolk’s fleet of specialist bariatric vehicles is a direct result of the increasing numbers of clinically obese clients throughout the UK that St John Ambulance is asked to transport. With the number of requests for St John Ambulance services ever on the rise there is a mounting need to ensure that adequate resources are available.