Meet our new Deputy Medical Director Andy Holdstock

On 1 July 2026 we welcomed Dr Andy Holdstock into the role of Deputy Medical Director for Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC). He might be new to the role, but Dr Andy is not new to GWAAC; he is a long-standing and much-respected member of our crew.

Dr Andy’s responsibilities include working with the Medical Director to manage and support GWAAC’s Doctors and the day to day running of the crew. He assists with shift rotas and ensures Doctors have annual reviews and are up to date with all requirements to practice, including training requirements for South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASfT).

Dr Andy coordinates and runs GWAAC’s clinical governance days and is the lead for education for our crew, supporting the development of Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) trainees and trainee Specialist Paramedics in Critical Care (SPCC).

As well as contributing to innovation and the development of GWAAC’s clinical service, Dr Andy works with SWASfT’s Medical Directorate to collaborate on governance and learning for other air ambulances. He says, “I want to make a difference to the clinical team and to the patients who need us. I’m looking forward to driving the team forward cohesively - I want to support with the excellent work that GWAAC does at the cutting edge of PHEM and maintain the high standards that we all set for ourselves. On a personal note, I am looking forward to supporting everyone having a voice in the future of the service and expanding the work we do with the aim of anyone in our region getting the care they need when they need it.”

Dr Andy's Journey

Dr Andy’s journey into emergency medicine and critical care started in 2002 with a Biochemistry degree in Bristol. It sparked his interest in becoming a Doctor and he went on to study Graduate Entry Medicine at Nottingham University. Over the next eight years he completed his Foundation Training in the East Midlands and Emergency Medicine training in West Yorkshire. Another spark was ignited during this time and Dr Andy took an interest in PHEM. He trained with GWAAC between 2017 and 2018 and proudly completed both his training in Emergency Medicine and PHEM in 2020. In August 2020 he started work as a Consultant in Emergency Medicine in Airedale on the edge of the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. And in February 2021 he joined GWAAC as one of our Critical Care Doctors, splitting his time between the two roles and locations.

Why GWAAC?

So, why does Dr Andy travel all the way down from Yorkshire to Bristol to work his shifts at GWAAC? “It’s the people! I have never worked with such a diverse group of incredible individuals who are dedicated to delivering world class care to some of the sickest patients across our region—from education and clinical outreach to clinical innovation; everyone who works for GWAAC is an amazing person and truly unique. It is why I continue to work here rather than any other service.”

He goes on to say, “GWAAC really is one of the more progressive and clinically excellent air ambulance charities in the country and we achieve some truly amazing things.”

Looking to the future

As Deputy Medical Director, Dr Andy wants to, “Support both the clinical and charity teams in our shared goal of GWAAC being there for everyone who needs us and having wider clinical cover across all the areas we serve. I’d like to help individuals to grow projects locally and within the wider ambulance service—things like GWAAC’s Clinical Outreach programme, the Great Western Hearts defibrillator and CPR projects, and the Access to PHEM programme.”

The biggest challenge, Dr Andy says, is the limited resources available: “The fact that we are a charity with limited resources and funding means that being able to support or drive forward all the great ideas and ambitions is also limited. It can be hard when we are all passionate about implementing something that we feel will benefit our patients, but we can’t do it yet because we don’t have the funds.”

If he could change just one thing? “It would be having extra resources to be able to expand our service and cover a greater area for a greater proportion of time whilst allowing the team to develop some of their areas of expertise. I would love to see us putting out an extra critical care resource each day!”

Making a difference to patients

Dr Andy is proud to work for, and represent, GWAAC. He believes that GWAAC’s crew make a difference to every patient they go to. Recalling one incident, he says: “I remember attending a young motorcyclist who had come off his bike and gone through a road sign. On scene he had obviously lost a lot of blood and had significant injuries to his chest, abdomen and pelvis. He would have died without our intervention; we worked as team to rapidly get him out of the ditch, administer blood, haemorrhage control and deliver an anaesthetic before performing surgical interventions and flying him to Southmead Hospital. Three months after, he came back to visit us, none the worse for his experience!”

Getting to know Dr Andy

When asked what his biggest achievements are to date, he said: “Professionally, I am proud to be a dual qualified Consultant working for two excellent organisations with the awesome individuals I work with! And personally, I am proud that I balance my career with being a great Dad to two incredible children and I really value the time with my family.”

His future ambitions include, “Achieving a good work life balance between my hospital and pre-hospital roles, and working to make pre-hospital care a long term, sustainable career for all of us.”

If he were not a GWAAC Doctor and hospital Consultant, he says: “I would have a small café and bookshop (like the TV series Black Books, but maybe less grumpy ;) where I could serve and drink great coffee and cake!”

His interests outside of work include, “Spending time with my family—exploring new places, walking in the Dales, fossil hunting, and going on adventures. I also like to cook, tend my garden and slow my life down when I am not working. I enjoy spending time outside (hay fever aside) and value quiet time outside of working two stimulating jobs!”

“Also, with GWAAC’s Specialist Paramedic Pete Reeve, I set up a board game Dungeons and Dragons group during the Covid pandemic and we have regular sessions online. It’s now a big group of us, including SWASfT Medical Directors and other doctors across the country!”

Dr Andy’s three favourite things in life are: Family, coffee (a favourite being a Flat White, or a Cortado), and cooking. His three most hated things are: Celery, rudeness, and queuing.  

If he had to describe himself in one word? “I mulled this over a lot! Probably - Kind? Or hardworking? Or maybe reliable? I asked people in the office, and they said ‘Talkative!’”

To finish off, we asked Dr Andy if we could share any interesting facts about himself? He gave us a list:

“I was on Blockbusters when I was 17 (the Liza Tarbuck era!).”

“I am trying to learn Spanish - mostly because I went to Spain last year and felt I could do better!”

“I always cook for the crew when I am at GWAAC’s airbase and quite enjoy secretly testing how spicy they like their food.”

“I can recite most Julia Donaldson books from memory.”

With so many skills up his professional (and personal) sleeves, there is no doubt that Dr Andy will have a positive impact in his new role as GWAAC’s Deputy Medical Director. Good luck, Dr Andy!