The Cumbrian Shootings

Wednesday 2nd June saw West Cumbria deal with its second major incident within ten days. This was the horrific day when twelve people were senselessly killed & another eleven seriously injured by a crazed gunman in Whitehaven & its surrounding villages of Lamplugh, Frizington, Egremont, Wilton & Seascale. The day has left the West Cumbria community in shock & disbelief at what happened.

Four BASICS doctors were involved in treatment of those injured, three from BASICS (Allerdale) & one from our neighbouring scheme in Penrith. One helped co-ordinate the massive pre-hospital medical mobilisation from Silver command at Whitehaven Police station. This involved BASICS doctors, multiple ambulances, air ambulances & RAF / Naval sea kings. One of the BASICS doctors triaged those who survived their horrific injuries as they arrived at West Cumberland Hospital Emergency department, where he works as an Emergency Department Consultant. Many of the surviving injured were brought by the police force due to fear for safety of pre-hospital personnel during the incident. Two other BASICS doctors were deployed with frontline ambulances to attend shooting victims, when it was deemed safe by the Police to attend incidents. Unfortunately most of those that were attended were the fatal shootings in the incident.

BASICS (Allerdale) is a scheme based in North West Cumbria, with six active members at present. Four members are GP’s & two work as senior doctors within West Cumberland Hospital Emergency Department. The scheme has been in operation for over twenty-five years, but last Wednesday’s horrific events have to be its darkest day since operations began. It has affected us all profoundly both at a professional level & also as members of the local community that has been so deeply affected by these devastating events. Our sympathy & condolences go out to all those that have been affected by the devastating events on that day.

Dr GS Bickerton

Scheme Administrator

BASICS (Allerdale)