Our man in Afghanistan: John Scott's first-hand account of a rescue in the desert

Today, in the second of a week-long series of reports, he gives a first-hand account of saving lives on the front line:

The Chinook helicopter had 14 people on board and was 30 minutes from Camp Bastion when one of its engines suddenly failed.

The pilot faced the terrifying prospect of crash landing or a 'hard' touchdown if the crippled aeroplane managed to limp back to the British Army main base in Afghanistan's trouble-torn Helmand Province.

I watched as the major medical incident plan to treat multiple casualties at the camp's hospital was activated with a chorus of bleeping pagers that alerted key staff to the unfolding drama.

The hospital command team rushed to a briefing from Colonel Glynn Evans, the man currently in charge of the world's leading trauma centre.

He is also Commanding Officer of 202 Field Hospital whose 34-strong team of army reserve medics – including doctors and nurses from hospitals in the West Midlands, Staffordshire and Shropshire – has just started a three-month tour of duty at the hospital in Camp Bastion where 195 medical staff from the UK, USA, Denmark and Estonia work.

Colonel Evans outlined details of the incident to the 14 members of the hospital command team during an emergency meeting in his office. Ten minutes later they returned to tell him exactly how they would could cope with the crisis.

This was the first full scale exercise to test the response of the newly formed team but before it could finish they were facing a real life drama to which the Express & Star was granted unique access.

Witnessing the speed, skill and teamwork with which the staff responded made it easy to understand how the hospital is able to boast survival rates of well over 90 per cent, despite treating casualties airlifted to them from the battlefield with terrible injuries.

The team treated almost a dozen life-threatening injuries and many minor casualties from both coalition and Afghan forces in the first six days after being joined by 202 Field Hospital. Now another was being airlifted into their care.

The foil-covered casualty was gently moved from the vehicle to a waiting trolley as a squad of medics moved in to 'sanitise' the man by removing any grenades, firearms or knives he might have been unintentionally carried from the battlefield where he was wounded. An interpreter stood by to offer reassuring words in case the patient was a conscious Afghan soldier.

Once that procedure had been completed he was taken into the Emergency Department where a team of medics immediately surrounded the treatment table. It was led by a consultant who directed everything that followed. Lt Col Heather Tysall, officer in charge of the emergency department explained to me what was happening, pointing out the anaesthetist and the doctor carrying out a head to toe check of the patient that is known as a primary survey.

Meanwhile, a fast scan of the body and X-rays were taken. Two nurses were also involved, one administered the necessary drugs while the other poised to get supplies of blood as medics prepared to administer warm blood should a fast transfusion be required.

A team of surgeons stood by ready to step forward and bring their expertise to the treatment of the patient should it be required. Fully staffed operating tables were ready and waiting to launch immediate life-saving surgery if required in the next door room.

The team worked with the well drilled efficiency of a Formula One pit crew performing a tyre change in the middle of a race. It was an awe-inspiring experience to see the Grand Prix stars of trauma medicine in action.

The patient is then normally moved on to either the operating theatre or an intensive therapy bed but this time he needed neither immediate surgery nor an intensive therapy bed.

Our man in Afghanistan: John Scott's first-hand account of a roadside bomb blast

Rebel guns seized after desert chase by Midland soldiers

He was an Afghan soldier who had suffered shrapnel wounds from an explosion. Fortunately his injuries were such that he could be transferred to Shorabak, the neighbouring Afghan camp where a hospital is being constructed under the guidance of British medics to replace the one at Bastion – simply known as Role 3 Bastion Hospital – that closes at the end of this year as British troops leave the conflict.

The UK Medical Group covers everything from care at the point of injury through hospital treatment to evacuation back to this country where patients are cared for at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine at the QE Hospital in Birmingham.

As well as the trauma centre at Camp Bastion, run by 202 Field Hospital, there is also the Close Support Medical Regiment that is currently the responsibility of 2 Medical Regiment. This provides pre hospital medical care that includes the ambulance service, GP surgeries for day to day sickness and other medical issues among military personnel as well as mental health, environmental health and dental support. There is also the Medical Emergency Response Team(MERT) who man the helicopters that fly the wounded from the battlefield to hospital.

The UK Medical Group has a total strength of 350 which is drawn from all three armed services, the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force, and is represented by both regular and reservist personnel. there are also a number of Ministry of Defence civilians who deploy to support the UK Med Group.

She said: "I am learning new routines and new equipment. Also working with the Americans is different from the way we do it at home but the daily routine is similar with the 12-hour shifts.

"I cannot believe what a good place it is to work. It is unbelievably clean and there is a very definite hierarchy. Everything is organised and everyone has a role. You know your place in the team and what is expected of you.

"I am learning new clinical skills and looking after a very different type of patient. The efficiency and clinical excellence of the hospital has surpassed everything I expected."

Colonel Evans, who is helping to organise the planned closure of the medical base in the desert that has not even had an outbreak of MRSA since it opened, explained: "Our aim is to ensure that every coalition serviceman and woman receives the best medical care for as long as they have boots on the ground. We will also be caring for members of the Afghan security services and the local population.

"The best trauma hospital in the world is sitting here today. By December it will have closed. Imagine closing down the best trauma centre in the Midlands and moving all the equipment and patients somewhere else. Thinking as a British tax payer, I want the equipment from this hospital brought home while the Afghans might like to discuss keeping some of it. We have to decide on every piece of equipment: Do we take it home, sell it or deem it not worth having."

Colonel Evans added: "One of the best tributes to the work of this hospital came from a soldier. When asked what would happen if he was wounded he said: 'If I get hurt I will just go to Rule 3 Bastion Hospital and they will fix it.'

"It is very harsh environment with extremes of dust, heat and cold. It is very austere for the staff and the medical equipment. But it is also a very safe, well guarded environment.

"We are very strong on cleanliness and, to the best of my knowledge, we have never had MRSA here. Many NHS hospitals would be jealous of that statement. All the doctors and nurses who work here either work alongside colleagues in the NHS at the military facility at Birmingham's QE hospital or in the NHS themselves. The staff acquire a skill set and knowledge while working at this hospital that they can then take back in to the NHS. Regrettably conflict has proved to be a very strong school for surgeons."

As a result the hospital works at an incredible pace. In one week earlier in the conflict a researcher saw 174 casualties brought in, including 23 who needed amputation.

Doctors and nurses have repeatedly performed medical miracles day in, day out throughout the fighting – and continue to do so. The clatter of Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters and tannoy calls for all emergency staff to go to the hospital were heard regularly during my short stay at Camp Bastion.

Some people have attacked the strategy while others have criticised the tactics but no one has ever questioned the quality of medical care given to British troops wounded on the frontline in Afghanistan.

Tomorrow: More exclusive reports from the front line