Join Iain Beardsell and Hutch as they review key insights from the Trauma 2030 conference hosted by the Institute of Pre-Hospital Care, part of London's Air Ambulance.

The discussion highlights the emphasis on speed in damage control resuscitation, the ongoing debate on 'scoop and run' versus 'stay and play' approaches, and the nuanced use of resuscitative thoracotomy.

The episode delves into advanced therapies like ECMO, their expanding role in trauma care, and the importance of relentless self-evaluation in medical practice.

Discover how London's focused approach can provide broader lessons for trauma care and the potential for innovative treatments to become more widespread.

Look out for more podcasts from Trauma 2030 over the coming weeks, where we will talk about team leadership in pre-hospital teams, more on damage-control pre-hospital care, nuancing the management of traumatic cardiac arrest, the increasing use of ECMO, and the shocked trauma patient.

The Institute of Pre-Hospital Care

The Institute of Pre-Hospital Care is part of London’s Air Ambulance Charity, focused on advancing pre-hospital care. They train clinicians, use case studies to guide our priorities, develop new clinical interventions and conduct research. They are also proud to educate and inspire the next generation of pre-hospital care experts through our two degree programmes, co-convened with Queen Mary University London (QMUL).

Through the training and education of The Institute of Pre-Hospital Care, they ensure their unique team of doctors and paramedics are there for London, today, tomorrow, always.

Listen on MedPod Learn

MedPod Learn is a new app that turns medical podcasts into structured learning. Alongside the audio, you get concise learning points, exam-style MCQs, and short reflection prompts — with listening time and activity logged automatically for CPD and appraisal. If you already learn through podcasts, this is a way to make that learning count.

Available now on iOS and Android.

Recorded at the BASICS Conference 2025, Iain talks with Haldon “Hutch” Hutchinson-Basley about the idea of a “cognitive HALO” — those rare moments where your mental bandwidth hits maximum power.

Hutch describes a traumatic cardiac arrest he encountered alone, with no warning and no crewmate to share the load. He explains how he recognised cognitive overload and used simple strategies — “lighting a flare”, “norming the abnormal”, and dropping tasks he couldn’t safely achieve — to regain decision-making space.

The discussion links this experience to his work on the ATACC course and the emerging SPEAR programme, exploring how realistic, human-centred simulation prepares clinicians to function when the stakes and stress are highest.

MedPod Learn turns trusted FOAMed podcasts into structured CPD, adding concise learning notes, single-best-answer questions, and role-specific reflection prompts to thousands of episodes. Everything you do — listening time, MCQs, reflections — is saved automatically and downloadable in one click for appraisal. The app is free to download, with a one-month trial of the full learning tools. Just search MedPod Learn on the App Store or Google Play.

In this St Emlyn’s podcast, Ian Beardsell and Simon Carley speak with RAF GP Phil Lucas from the Royal Air Force Centre of Aerospace Medicine at the BASICS conference in Leicestershire. They explore what really happens when a pilot pulls the ejection handle, and what this means for pre-hospital and Emergency Department teams who may be the first to see an ejectee.

Phil explains: • Why the aviation environment is so hostile to humans and how aerospace medicine supports aircrew • How modern ejection seats work – from canopy jettison and rocket firing to parachute deployment and landing • The decision making required to eject in a matter of seconds, and how pilots are trained to be “mentally ready” • Typical injury patterns after ejection, how technology has reduced spinal compression injuries, and where the remaining risks lie • Practical considerations for ED and pre-hospital teams when a pilot presents after ejection, including spinal precautions and safe removal of flight equipment • The psychological impact of surviving a crash or ejection, how support needs can change over months, and what helps people return to flying • Aviation medicine as a career path, including the role of the RAF Centre of Aerospace Medicine, the diploma in aviation medicine, and how this can sit alongside general practice or emergency care

This conversation draws strong parallels between aviation and emergency medicine: human factors, training under pressure, using simulation and mental rehearsal, and the importance of honest, individualised psychological support after critical incidents.