Police fight Auckland traffic to help surgeon save 'desperately unwell' baby's life

A paediatric surgeon has praised police for getting her through Auckland's heavy traffic in time to save a "desperately unwell" baby's life on Sunday night.

Dr Elizabeth Rumball was trying to get from Papakura to Starship Hospital in central Auckland on Sunday to perform life-saving surgery on the baby, but traffic was crawling, Counties Manukau police posted on their Facebook page.

"Our operator told her to come to Papakura Police Station where two of our officers, Constables Matt Malcolm and Rachel Morgan, blue-lighted her all the way to the hospital," the post said.

When a paediatric surgeon reached out to Police yesterday evening to assist with a life-threatening situation, our staff did not hesitate to assist. Dr Elizabeth Rumball phoned Police as she urgently needed to get to Starship Hospital to perform life-saving surgery on a young baby, however traffic was very heavy and crawling. Our operator told her to come to Papakura Police Station where two of our officers, Constables Matt Malcolm and Rachel Morgan, blue-lighted her all the way to the hospital. She later called to let us know the good news that the baby had survived the surgery. Our staff were very happy we could help Elizabeth in any way to carry out her work. It is great when we can work closely with our partners to get the best possible outcome.”

Posted by Counties Manukau Police on Sunday, 6 August 2017

Rumball said paediatric heart surgeons "get used to dealing with life and death".

"But when I found myself on the motorway last night having been called to an emergency and the motorway was blocked I wasn't sure at first what to do.

"Then it came to me possibly contacting police might be the answer."

She thanked Malcolm and Morgan for their "amazing" response to help her perform surgery on a "desperately unwell" child.

"You were just so positive and took the anxiety from me, and the tones in your voices where you were obviously just going out of your way to help - you have no idea the difference that made," she said.

Rumball called the station to let them know the baby had survived the surgery.

"Our staff were very happy we could help Elizabeth in any way to carry out her work. It is great when we can work closely with our partners to get the best possible outcome," Counties Manukau police said.