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Surviving Adventure™ - The Instructors

What makes us different from other courses on the market is that the instructional faculty includes highly experienced doctors, paramedics and expedition medics - all current and highly respected in their field. 

Dr Malcolm Russell - Course Director

Actively practicing pre-hospital immediate care for over fifteen years, Dr Russell has served most of his career as a doctor in the British Army working extensively with some of the UK's most elite military units. As a civilian Dr Russell has worked with several ambulance services including the London Helicopter Emergency Medical Service and has been involved in training paramedics and emergency care practitioners. He is an examiner for the RCS Diploma in Immediate Medical Care  and he is the Royal College of General Practitioners' representative on the Curriculum Training and Assessment Sub-committee of the Intercollegiate Board for Training in Pre-hospital Emergency Medicine. He has planned and managed medical support to various expeditions including to Mt McKinley (Denali) 2004, and the Army Everest West Ridge expedition, 2006. Dr Russell provided medical support to the Land Rover GO60 Expedition from UK to Singapore, in 2008 (you can read more about his trip on the Blog page). In 2009, he climbed Kilimanjaro via the beautiful Lemosho route.  Although on a different scale to Denali or Everest, this was the first of the seven summits that Malcolm has successfully climbed (previously being hampered by frostbite and avalanche conditions on the other two).  His expedition was uneventful from a medical perspective and the stunning view from the 'roof of Africa' was a great finale to a spectacular trek. 

Mr Dean Bateman - Chief Instructor

Dean is the Chief Instructor for Prometheus Medical and has 20 years of experience of responding to medical emergencies in ambulances, fast response paramedic cars, physician supported units and helicopters.   In 2005 Dean qualified as a helicopter flight paramedic with London's Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) and, having spent a year with them full time, he continues to carry out regular shifts to maintain his advanced skills.  Currently Dean provides medical instruction and scenario training in advanced trauma management to existing and training flight paramedics and technicians. He also instructs pre-hospital clinicians in up to date trauma care, cardiac care and paediatric emergencies.  As well as his other qualifications, Dean holds the Diploma in Immediate Medical Care Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh (Dip IMC RCSEd).  In addition to his work in the UK, Dean also has experience of teaching and providing medical cover in hostile environments across Africa, including Somalia and Kenya.

Mr Nicholas Jordan

Nicholas has over 20 years’ experience in pre-hospital and hostile environment medicine. Serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps for 24 years, Nicholas qualified as an IHCD Paramedic in 2004 and also holds the Diploma in Emergency & Primary Health Care (EPHC). He has over 10 years’ teaching experience and has recently achieved the Cert Ed (HE) at Birmingham City University and the BTEC Level 3 Assessors Award. During his military career, Nicholas has worked in many austere and hostile environments including jungle, arctic and mountainous and desert regions providing emergency and primary health care, medical planning and evacuation. Nicholas is also an SIA qualified Close Protection Officer, is NEBOSH Health & Safety Trained and speaks a moderate level of Arabic. 

Mr Tom Davies

Tom is an experienced Paramedic, who has worked for West Midlands Ambulance Service and Midland Air Ambulance for the last five years.  He is a keen sportsman and played professional rugby for London Scottish in the premiership in 1999. Tom also has a BSc in Sports Science and worked as a diving instructor in Australia and the Caribbean for 4 years.  He acted as Safety Diver for Tanya Streeter on her 153m world record dive in 2003, where he gained his experience of working in remote locations. More recently, Tom was selected as part of 12 man crew to attempt a world record to row from NY to Falmouth as team medic (funding dependent).

Mr Gordon Clark

Gordon is a Critical Care Paramedic. He qualified as a paramedic in South Africa where he gained a wealth of experience, working as a response paramedic, lecturer and air ambulance crew member. Since coming to the UK he has held a number of roles, working on response vehicles, ambulances and also as a long standing crew member of the air ambulance. Being a paramedic in South Africa has taught Gordon to be resourceful and adaptable in remote environments where very often there is no back-up. This experience has stood him in good stead where he feels very fortunate to have been involved at the forefront of paramedic practice in the UK. 

Mr Jim Hancox

Jim Hancox joined the then Hereford & Worcester Ambulance Service in 2002 and qualified as a paramedic in 2005. For the past five years, on a part time basis, he’s worked as a HEMS Paramedic with Midlands Air Ambulance. He currently works with a doctor out of the charity's base at RAF Cosford. When he’s not flying Jim works for West Midlands Ambulance Service's Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) based in Oldbury. Having recently gained a PGCert in Critical Care through Warwick University, Jim is keen to develop his practice towards becoming a specialist paramedic in the field of trauma and critical care. Outside of work Jim is a keen sportsman enjoying running and cycling and hopes to complete his first marathon later this year. He also plays Ultimate Frisbee at both a national and international level having represented Great Britain at the 2011 World Championships in Italy.

Mr Mike Needham

Mike has worked for the NHS since 2000, qualifying as a Paramedic in 2004. Until recently, he was the Lead Paramedic for the Motorcycle Response Unit for South West Ambulance Service Trust (SWAST).  Before joining the NHS, Mike spent five years in the Royal Air Force.  As an instructor, Mike has taught FPOS (Intermediate) for a number of organisations and  was an iCare (Immediate Care At the Roadside in an Emergency) Instructor for SWAST.
Mike enjoys overseas travel and his experiences include spending a month in Algeria gaining Off Road driving experience and numerous mountaineering trips to Scotland, the French Alps and the Canadian Rockies. He has also undertaken a Sea Kayaking trip in the Outer Hebrides. He currently divides his time between working in some of Africa’s most remote and hostile areas, and working and instructing in the UK for the NHS and the private sector.