Penrith Mountain Rescue Doctor speaks at Royal College event

Local GP Dr Tim Sanders is speaking at a Royal College of General Practitioners (GPs) event on Tuesday, January 31st about his role as a volunteer, and a medical professional, with Penrith Mountain Rescue Team (MRT). The event, which is online, is the first in a series being organised by the Royal College which will look at the extended roles undertaken by GPs in their communities.

Tim’s talk focuses on his experiences working as a GP in the Eden valley of Cumbria and of taking on two extended roles. One of these is volunteering with Penrith MRT, where Tim is currently the only doctor in the Team. On call-outs, he works with other Team members who hold Mountain Rescue England and Wales’s (MREW) Casualty Care qualification. The other is leading the University of Central Lancashire’s MSc course in Mountain Medicine. This unique course combines postgraduate academic study and the development of clinical knowledge, with teaching in the practical skills required to ensure the safety of team, casualty and clinician in challenging mountain environments.

“My talk has the title ‘Extended Roles: Want to know more about mountain rescue? Get lost!’, which is a bit tongue in cheek,” says Tim. “I’ll be talking about both roles but I am anticipating a lot of interest from those at the event in the mountain rescue side of things.”

“These are challenging times to be working in the health service,” he comments, “but through my work with Penrith Mountain Rescue Team, I find energy by volunteering my time with other like-minded people. As a university lecturer, I feel so lucky to be supporting my students to learn about a topic they are passionate about whilst developing the transferrable academic skills necessary for them to become NHS leaders of the future.”

Dr Tim Sanders is an Eden valley GP and a member of Penrith MRT