Brighton electric bus named after ‘grandfather of paramedicine’

Professor Douglas Chamberlain helped establish Europe’s first paramedic unit and transformed the emergency treatment patients receive before reaching hospital.

A new zero-emission bus travelling through Brighton has been named in honour of a pioneering heart doctor whose work helped create the modern paramedic profession.

The Douglas Chamberlain bus was unveiled to mark the first anniversary of the professor’s death and recognise his contribution to cardiac medicine and emergency care.

Professor Chamberlain arrived in Brighton in 1970 to work as a consultant cardiologist at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

While working in the city, he developed a system that allowed trained ambulance staff to provide advanced emergency treatment before patients reached hospital.

The following year he founded what the Sussex Heart Charity describes as Europe’s first paramedic unit.

Professor Chamberlain trained ambulance workers and nurses in resuscitation techniques and the use of defibrillators — procedures which had previously largely been carried out by doctors.

Brighton became only the second place in the world, after Seattle in the United States, where non-medical professionals routinely used defibrillators.

The training programme created in Brighton became the UK’s first paramedic course, with the model later adopted nationally.

Professor Chamberlain also helped establish organisations responsible for setting international resuscitation standards and campaigned for wider public access to CPR training and defibrillators.

His work earned him the nickname the “grandfather of paramedicine”.

A commemorative journey was held on May 22, bringing together his family, former colleagues, cardiac patients and representatives from the Sussex Heart Charity and Brighton and Hove Buses.

The guests travelled from Brighton Marina, past the Royal Sussex County Hospital and along the seafront to Madeira Drive.

Among those attending was Brighton and Hove mayor Theresa Fowler, during her first official public engagement.

Matt Denison, chief executive of the Sussex Heart Charity, said Professor Chamberlain’s belief in innovation, education and helping communities save lives continued to guide the organisation.

The charity grew from patient-led donations inspired by his work and now funds cardiac equipment, specialist nursing support and educational opportunities for NHS staff.

Its projects also include providing grants for publicly accessible defibrillators and offering free CPR and defibrillator awareness sessions across Sussex.

The Douglas Chamberlain bus is the first of 16 new zero-emission electric vehicles being introduced by Brighton and Hove Buses to reduce emissions and improve air quality.

The vehicles were developed with input from community and disability organisations.

They include two wheelchair spaces, dementia-friendly flooring and seating, and audio and visual announcements informing passengers of the next stop.

The named bus is operating on route 7, which regularly passes the Royal Sussex County Hospital where Professor Chamberlain worked for many years.

Rupert Cox, interim managing director of Brighton and Hove Buses, said the bus would allow the professor’s name to continue travelling through the city he served.

Professor Chamberlain died on May 21, 2025.

His former secretary Janet Stevens, who worked alongside him for more than 40 years, said his impact had been life-saving and life-changing.

She said millions of people around the world had benefited from advances which began in Brighton in 1971.