Over 60 brave medics from Northern Ireland are helping to save the lives of wounded soldiers from Afghanistan’s frontline.

The doctors and nurses are among a team of 62 TA reservists who form 204 Squadron (North Irish) Field Hospital (Volunteer), who took over responsibility for the biggest Army hospital in the warzone.

More than half the squadron is made up of staff from the five health trusts across Ulster. A total of 38 medical professionals, including consultants, surgeons, doctors, anaesthetists, nurses, ambulance drivers, pharmacists and dentists have teamed up with 21 reservists from non-healthcare organisations and three regular soldiers at Camp Bastion.

They only took over responsibility for the field hospital last Friday and have been kept busy with casualties — including six from the Royal Irish Regiment who were injured in a Taliban bomb attack last weekend.

They are working in one of the most intense environments on the planet with staff having to deal with battlefield injuries as well as routine workplace accidents, heat injuries and bouts of sickness.

Overseeing the facility is Commanding Officer Colonel Iain Moles, who said his staff had hit the ground running.

Colonel Moles, a former Ulster rugby star and GP in Killinchy, said: “We are clearly very busy. We took over last Friday and have been working every day into the early hours. Our surgeons and the emergency department have been very busy and the intensive care unit is constantly in action.

“It has started with a bang and we are not expecting it to get any less busy until the end of August when the weather starts to cool down. Statistics from previous tours show that the number of casualties starts to slow down around the end of August because the snow on the mountains blocks routes and means the enemy can’t move around as easily.”

While deployed the reservists work in a purpose-built and recently upgraded hospital facility which is equipped with everything found in a normal NHS hospital — from syringe drivers to CAT scanners.

Added Colonel Moles: “Our equipment is second to none.”

Casualties are not restricted to coalition forces but include Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers, Taliban and civilians.

Currently there are a number of Afghan children, including an eight-year-old-boy who was shot and a four-year-old girl who was bitten by a spider.

Said Colonel Moles: “We treat absolutely everyone. There is an eligibility mandate about who we can and cannot treat, but in general we ignore it. We are treating whatever comes through the door.”

Heading up the emergency department at Camp Bastion is Consultant Adriel Stewart.

The TA Colonel, who normally works at the Erne Hospital, said she hasn’t had much time for sleeping since she arrived last week.

“It is very different. There are long periods of sitting about then frantic moments waiting for people to come in, sometimes in large numbers.

“The first day was very quiet and the second day we had four patients in and within minutes another four patients were brought in, so it was very hectic. It is very different from the perspective that patients who come in here instantly get seen by consultant staff and can go immediately to theatre. Everything happens very quickly.

“It’s good, and there are many plus points, but the down side is it happens at all hours of the day and night, so I’ve not really seen my bed very much.

“We officially took over the hospital on Friday, which was quiet, but Saturday, Sunday, Monday we have been very busy.

“The only difficulty is it’s very hot during the day despite the air conditioning. But, I haven’t seen my bed very much and this hospital building is very cool, and there’s always somewhere to put your head down for a quick snooze,” she said.

The nurses providing some home comfort for our boys

Among those helping out on the busy wards at Camp Bastion are a cluster of Co Antrim women.

Kate McLaughlin from Ballybogey has swapped her village home for life in a seven-person tent in the sandy desert of Afghanistan.

The health visitor has left her two children aged 22 and 15 for the three-month tour of duty and said coping with life away from her family was sometimes difficult.

She said: “You have up periods and down periods but it has been very busy since we got here. You try to prepare yourself for it but when you come out here the reality is quite different. A lot of these young boys who are coming in are younger than our own children.

“I’ve not been able to phone home now for five days, because every time I go to use the phone the communications system goes down, so that’s hard, but it’s probably harder for the people at home.”

Another nurse, Sharon Quigg from Ballymoney, said the TA was now seen as a crucial part of the Army and anyone signing up must be prepared for deployments overseas.

Mrs Quigg, whose nephew is among the Royal Irish soldiers on the frontline, said: “I’ve been in the TA a long time and have been to Iraq. If you’re in the TA you have to be prepared to deploy. It’s not like years ago when we really were just ‘weekend soldiers’. We’re a lot more respected now and are doing the same work as regulars.

“We’ve known about this deployment for about a year now so we’ve been doing a lot of training. But you also couldn’t do it without the support from our families.”

Meanwhile, Glengormley woman Staff Sergeant Joy Burgess, who works as a school catering assistant in north Belfast, is now a combat medical technician.

She said: “It’s completely different from what I would normally do. Luckily enough on my shift I haven’t had too many major traumas, but when they come in it will be a test.”

The mother-of-one added: “We’ve had a few boys from Northern Ireland and it was nice for them to hear our voices — a voice from home. They sort of cheered up when they heard that.

“It certainly is rewarding. At the end of the day you are helping to save somebody’s life. Over here they are straight into the A&E department and, if they need it, then straight into theatre, whereas back home they have to wait hours before they get into theatre.

“It’s nice to know that you’ve helped to save somebody’s life and that they are able to go home to their family. You really do feel like you are making a difference.”

Chaplain’s praying for full support

An Army chaplain who Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness prayed for ahead of his deployment to Afghanistan last night urged everyone in Northern Ireland to support our troops.

Reverend David Latimer, from First Derry Presbyterian Church, arrived in Helmand last week as part of a TA group responsible for the hospital at Camp Bastion.

The father-of-three said: “It is an eye-opener what these men are doing out here and the courage and bravery that they are showing.

“I would encourage everyone to support the troops. I would like people to look beyond the uniform that we are wearing and see the job that we are doing.”

Rev Latimer contacted Mr McGuinness after his church was paint-bombed six months ago. Since then they have built up a friendship.

“He has devoted a lot of time to resolving the situation for me and out of that we have been in contact on a number of occasions and there is an evolving friendship there, and frankly I’m delighted.

“He sent me a lovely text message saying ‘David how are you and your family? I hope the good ship 1st derry is sailing towards a bright brand new day for the town we love so well. M, God Bless’.”