Resuscitation greats honoured at room opening ceremony

Two meeting rooms have opened at the Resuscitation Council UK head office, honouring two pioneers in resuscitation, Peter Baskett and Sam Richmond. 

Members of Resuscitation Council UK’s core staff welcomed the families of Baskett and Richmond, as well as some of their former colleagues, who spoke of the impact they have had on resuscitation guidelines and development, both nationally and globally. 

RCUK President Jonathan Wyllie spoke fondly of Sam Richmond, and paid testament to his colleague’s commitment to global resuscitation training. 

“Sam’s greatest professional satisfaction was to have served the population of Sunderland for more than 25 years as a consultant neonatologist at the Sunderland Royal Hospital. However, he also had an international reputation in neonatal research and resuscitation training. 

“Sam left a lasting international legacy of effective training and standards in newborn resuscitation.”  

Professor Jerry Nolan, RCUK Executive Committee member, then spoke about Peter Baskett’s pioneering work in resuscitation. Speaking at the event, he said: “Peter Baskett was one of the world’s leading authorities on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and prehospital care. He was a friend and mentor to many of us who have been involved with RCUK over the years. 

“Peter was passionate about the Advanced Life Support (ALS) course and was personally responsible for its introduction into more than 20 countries. I am delighted that the naming of the new Peter Baskett Room will serve to remind us of his outstanding achievements.” 

We would like to thank the families of Sam Richmond and Peter Baskett for joining us at the ceremony, and for officially opening the rooms. We hope that the meeting rooms will allow current and future members of the resuscitation community to come together and expand on the innovative, life-saving framework these two figures have provided.