Swift action by paramedics praised after woman returns to work just months after heart attack.

Allison Dighton, of Warboys, was driving on 13 August last year when she had a heart attack at the wheel and crashed into a lamppost. A rapid response vehicle and ambulance soon arrived at the scene, however Allison went into a full cardiac arrest.

After 10 minutes, Allison’s heart was beating again, but observations showed she had a myocardial infarction. A MAGPAS critical care paramedic arrived and put Allison into an induced coma so she could be transported to Royal Papworth Hospital, where she had stents fitted.

Allison has little recollection of the incidents of that day, and wanted to find out more about what had happened. She recently met the crews who saved her life in a reunion at Huntingdon ambulance station.

Allison said: “I needed to have some closure, because I can’t remember anything that happened that day. I remember getting up and knowing I had to go out somewhere. The next thing I knew, I was waking up from an induced coma in the critical care unit.”

EEAST paramedic Sacha Wilkinson was first on the scene. She said: “I was working solo in a rapid response vehicle when I got the call. I was nearby and was on the scene in a minute and determined that Allison was in peri-arrest. Our ambulance arrived quickly and together with paramedic Chloe Bish and emergency care assistant Luke Taber, we got her out of the car.”

Allison has made a complete recovery and has now returned to her role as theatre sterilisation and decontamination lead at Hinchingbrooke Hospital - where she has worked for over 38 years.

She said: “It has been a very scary experience, especially not knowing what happened. It was lovely to meet all the team. I can’t thank everyone involved enough for saving my life that day. They are truly incredible people.”

Sacha added: “I would urge everyone to learn CPR. Less than one in ten persons whose heart stops outside of a hospital will make the kind of full recovery Allison has. But, if a relative or loved one goes into cardiac arrest in your presence, good CPR in those first minutes makes a huge difference to their chances of survival.”

The East of England Ambulance Service offers free community-based training in basic life support (BLS) and CPR. Find out more here.

Pictured: Luke Taber; Sacha Wilkinson; Linda Dighton (Allison’s mum), Allison Dighton; Chloe Bish at Huntingdon Ambulance Station.