A DOWNTON teenager who was cut free from a vehicle after a horrific car crash near Ringwood has paid tribute to the volunteer emergency doctor who saved his life.

Chris West, 18, has just returned to college after battling to recover from the head injuries he sustained in the crash.

Now he has spoken of his gratitude for volunteer BASICS Hampshire doctor Sarah Assheton, who rushed from her Southampton home to administer life-saving treatment after the 4X4 he was travelling in smashed into a tree on Somerley Road in September 2009.

He said: “If it wasn't for Sarah. I would be up in the sky with Mr Jesus. I received very serious head injuries and my brain was being starved of oxygen. She helped me breathe and without her I would be dead.

“I am so thankful to her. Until my accident I didn't know the BASICS charity existed and it is vital. It should be widely known and people should raise money for them. All the doctors are volunteers and they save lives.”

Now, after a long rehabilitation, Chris is piecing his life together and has started a Vocational Skills course at Wiltshire College's Salisbury campus - chasing his dream of becoming a car mechanic.

BASICS uses volunteer doctors to give emergency treatment to critically ill and injured patients before they get to hospital.

But because BASICS Hampshire doctors receive no funding, they can only respond to about a third of their call-outs, as they can only attend an accident when they are off duty.

Now the charity is campaigning for funding, so doctors can attend whenever they are needed.

Dr Assheton said: “In this case, because of the nature of Chris's injuries, I did make a difference to the outcome.

“The paramedics do a brilliant job and very often the BASICS team will do not much more, however there are occasions when a doctor on the scene will make a difference.

“When I was called to help Chris, I had a three-month old baby and I was only able to attend because my husband was at home. If I hadn't gone to help then there would have been no doctor at the scene.

“The charity needs to be funded so we can always attend.”

Chris's mum Sarah said: “We feel Chris's accident highlights a postcode lottery.

“On that day Chris found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, but also in the right place, because had his accident been one or two miles outside this area BASICS would not have been involved, and the early intervention required would not have been given and the outcome would have been very different.

“We will always be very grateful to everyone who attended to him that day - but especially Sarah, who dropped everything just to help my son.”

A spokesman for BASICS Hampshire said: “BASICS doctors are bleeped about 2,000 times a year, but they can only respond to around 600 or so calls because they are volunteers and can only respond when they're not on duty.

“A typical BASICS doctor is a consultant in a relevant area, like emergency medicine, anaesthetics or intensive care. While paramedics deal brilliantly with the vast majority of 999 calls, there are a number of life or death situations where patients need a highly trained emergency doctor before they reach hospital.”

Typical medical interventions administered by the BASICS doctor include anaesthetizing the patient to stop secondary damage - especially in the case of head injury - and intubation, where a tube is put down the throat to maintain a patient's airway.

In serious cases the doctors can operate at the scene.

If any Journal reader thinks they could help raise funds for the charity, they can ring Hazel Dyson at Community First New Forest on 01425 482773.