I agree that Bristow has brought in many with very debatable experience, especially in rear crew with paramedics off the street with very little training. Also I am aware that there is a genuine concern regarding some of the Pilots who have been promoted, apparently because they need backsides on seats. However, SAR is not a dark art, you don't have to have seen every situation for one to be able to deal with whatever presents itself. It is better to have a sound base level, with a very healthy dollop of common sense and pragmatism, and take each job as it comes. I am definitely not suggesting that an O&G chap could be sent on SAR Ops without at least a year or two of Co-Pilot duties. There are some barely average O&G guys out there, but I have also seen a lot of extremely competent non-mil pilots, who take as much pride in their profession as many mil guys I have served with. A mix of backgrounds is invaluable; a Junglie would be excellent in mountains but pretty poor hovering over the sea with little references, whilst an ASW chap would find NVG a bit alien but drums a doodle.
For what my opinion is worth, the RAF should have cycled their crews through SAR every 2-3 years, with overlaps in the changeover dates- giving much more experience to the general RW community. This would be paying dividends with the RAF SH becoming more involved in the Littoral environment.
And the answer to your last is more than you probably think.