A new paramedic has joined the Great North Air Ambulance Service’s critical care team.
Carlisle-born Mike Sproat, a father-of-two, will work from the charity’s base in Penrith and will fly primarily on the Pride of Cumbria II helicopter.
Mr Sproat said: “I have worked for the North West Ambulance Service for a long time and working for GNAAS is the only other thing I have really wanted to do.
“I feel so privileged to be a paramedic and it feels especially good to be working across a patch I was born in and delivering that critical care to my own community.
“I have worked closely with the GNAAS team on scene incidents for some time now and I know how amazing they are.”
Before coming to GNAAS, Mr Sproat worked as a mental health nurse in London. He moved back home to Carlisle and joined NWAS in 2002.
Mr Sproat said: “I moved to London after I finished school to study nursing at university and I qualified in 1996. I loved being a mental health nurse and living in London, and that’s also where I met my wife Sarah – we’ve been together since we were 19.”
GNAAS director of operations West, Lee Salmon, said: “I’m thrilled to be able to welcome Mike to the team. A true gentleman, with a loving and supportive family to help him integrate and give 100 per cent to the charity.
“His life experience, his professionalism, and his awesome clinical knowledge mean he will not only thrive in the GNAAS team, but he will help us grow the team in the right way.”
Mr Sproat said: “The team at GNAAS has been fantastic already and they are so friendly and welcoming. In my free time, I love running, cycling, and walking our dog, Jasper. I also spend a large chunk of every weekend with my two sons at football matches and going to the Carlisle United games.”
Mr Salmon added: “His joining the charity allows us to expand our operational cover, and provide much-needed resilience to our critical care teams.
“I wish him the very best of luck and trust he will only enhance our hard-working and devoted teams bringing advanced critical care to the people of the region.”
