Latest News

November 2012

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 10:37:00 +0000

New Air Ambulance Charity Launches in Scotland

A new air ambulance charity, Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance, is to begin operations in Scotland.

The charity will be providing, free of charge to the Scottish Air Ambulance Service, one Bolkow 105 helicopter complete with pilot and paramedic crew. The cost will be met through community fundraising across Scotland. There is no Government or NHS financial support. The aircraft will be based at Perth Airfield and provide an air ambulance and HEMS response across the whole of Scotland.

The East and Central areas of Scotland will be the predominate areas of operation. The helicopter will be fully integrated in to the Scottish Air Ambulance Service and will be routed as part of the 999 Emergency Medical Dispatch Centre.

Scotland has previously been covered from the air by two Eurocopter EC135s, operated by Bond Air Services on contract to Gama Aviation who hold a contract with Scottish Ambulance Service. This is the only EMS operation in the UK funded by central government.

In 2009 members of the business community in Tayside approached the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) with a proposal to establish a charitably funded Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) which would be additional to and provide additionality to the Air Ambulance Service in Scotland. Although the fundraising for this service would predominately come from businesses and individuals based in Scotland, it was clearly stated from the outset that this asset would be an additional resource, deployed centrally by the SAS in time-critical emergencies. In 2010 this community established a charity, Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) “For the emergency relief of serious sickness and injury and the protection of human life by the provision of an air ambulance based in East Central Scotland. Initial corporate supporters are Scottish Hydro, McEwens of Perth, Perth Airport, Balhousie Care Group, Scottish Aero Club and Scottish Ambulance Service.

November 2012

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 17:33:00 +0000

Wales Air Ambulance (WAA) has successfully launched a ‘new generation’ helicopter at its Mid Wales base, completing its fleet of three EC135 air ambulances for Wales.

The new aircraft (G-WASC), which will operate from Welshpool Airport from 2nd November, supersedes the charity’s 20 year-old Bolcow-105. It is the third and final of WAA’s helicopters to be upgraded, after two successful campaigns to replace aircraft at its Swansea and Caernarfon bases.

The upgrade comes after months of fundraising to generate an extra £600,000 for the purpose-built aircraft. ‘Leap into Action’ was WAA’s nationwide campaign for 2012, appealing to supporters to act now to help replace the charity’s aged helicopter before it was decommissioned by the Civil Aviation Authority.
Supporters rallied across Wales for the appeal, including a 200-mile trek by opera star Rhys Meirion. The Welsh tenor was joined by a host of celebrities such as Lucie Jones and Josie D’Arby for ‘Cerddwn Ymlaen-Walk On’, which visited all three airbases during the walk and raised over £60,000.

The largest single donation for the Welshpool-based helicopter came from the estate of the late Harry Boden, of local builders’ merchant Boys & Boden Ltd. The £250,000 legacy was a massive contribution to the upgrade, which has enabled the new air ambulance to be fitted with additional equipment, such as radar technology for adverse weather conditions – meaning missions can be reached regardless of weather patterns.

WAA Chief Executive Angela Hughes said: “The response we have had from this appeal has been phenomenal. People from every corner of Wales have helped us with our final upgrade to a new generation helicopter, meaning all three aircraft have the very latest technology for air ambulance operations here in Wales.

“This really is a new chapter for Wales Air Ambulance, and for pre-hospital care in Wales. These helicopters are faster, more efficient and have more room inside for treatment in-flight. Now that we have this technology across the country, it means everyone in Wales – from busy towns to the remotest of countryside – can benefit from this cutting-edge emergency air cover.”

Charity Chairman Bob Palmer added: “The charity has come a long way since it started in 2001, growing from one helicopter in Swansea to a national operation that can reach anywhere in Wales within just 20 minutes. Having strived to get this new lease, our next challenge is to ensure that our new generation fleet continues to fly for many years to come. We are here for anyone in their most difficult hour of need, and we hope people will continue to support this lifesaving cause for Wales.”

July 2012

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 16:37:00 +0000

The North West Air Ambulance is excited to announce significant changes, which will enhance the service being provided to patients across the region.

The North West Air Ambulance aircraft are moving to bases at two of the region’s dedicated trauma hospitals, allowing qualified doctors to travel onboard to incidents which require specialist clinical care on scene and becomming the first air ambulance service outside London to operate from hospital helipads.

In a £¼ million investment, our two helicopters will move from their current bases at City Airport, Manchester, and Blackpool Airport to the University Hospital of South Manchester, Wythenshawe, and Royal Preston Hospital, respectively.

Doctors in each of the hospital’s A&E department will subsequently be able to fly onboard the air ambulance to incidents where patients require specialist treatment on scene.

Lynda Brislin, chief executive of the North West Air Ambulance charity, said: “A patient will no longer have to wait until their arrival at hospital to have access to the highest quality clinical care – instead this will be available to them in their time of extreme need.

“Being based at key trauma hospitals and having expert clinicians on hand for serious incidents will help to further increase patients’ life chances.

“We are committed to continuously enhancing our service but, as a charity, developments of this nature come at a significant cost and would not be possible without the support and generosity of the North West public.”

Brendan Ryan, Medical Director at the University Hospital of South Manchester, said: “Patient care is at the heart of all we do at UHSM and as we know often the speed and quality of care can make the difference between life and death for some patients who have suffered major trauma.

“The North West Air Ambulance charity does a remarkable job and moving the service closer to us means that together we are able to make a major contribution to Manchester’s Trauma Network and provide the very best outcomes for patients.”

Sean Hughes, Medical Director at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, said: “As the regional major trauma centre for Lancashire and South Cumbria, we are delighted to be providing a base for the North West Air Ambulance.

“This will enable us to take key members of our team direct to incident scenes, which will help us to provide the best possible care for major trauma patients by providing quicker access to the highest quality clinical skills.”

Source: Press release NWAA

July 2012

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 13:07:00 +0000

A Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) program being run by the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust (ARHT) and the Auckland District Health Board (ADHB) is showing better health outcomes for patients.

Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust

In a first the two-year pilot program, which began in September 2011, see Emergency Department (ED) Doctors on board emergency flight missions.

HEMS Medical Director Dr Christopher Denny says being able to perform hospital-level critical interventions means the patient’s path to recovery is accelerated. Rather than individual actions, he says it is the way paramedics and doctors working as a seamlessly integrated team which makes the difference for patients.

The HEMS Doctors work closely alongside paramedics on a voluntary basis to bring the hospital to the roadside, performing necessary critical interventions such as emergency anaesthesia and the reduction of limb-threatening fractured or dislocated joints.

Pauanui resident Ritchie Scott was grateful of the quick actions of the helicopter crew last month when they were able to sedate him and relocate his dislocated hip on the scene, saving him a painful four hour ambulance ride to hospital. Mr Scott says his hip had healed remarkably well, thanks to the swift treatment which minimized the harm to his hip joint. “I have not had one bit of pain since. I’m very thankful and appreciative,” he says.

In another case, a man critically injured by a gunshot after a homekill accident in Helensville earlier this year, is making a smooth recovery and hopes to return to work soon.

Thanks to the forewarning from the HEMS medical team on duty that day, a fully prepared trauma team was waiting for him at the hospital Emergency Department, when Simon Alex arrived close to death from his injuries. Effective teamwork between St John Ambulance, the ARHT and the ADHD helped to save his life.

Paramedics and HEMS Doctors train together at the Auckland Rescue Helicopter base in Mechanics Bay every day, using in-situ medical simulation with mannequins to practice new and challenging procedures, giving them a chance to work together, test processes and improve the system of care they provide.

In an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in April 2012 comparing Helicopter and Ground Emergency Medical Services, a study of more than 220,000 adult trauma patients showed that transport by helicopter was associated with improved survival after major trauma.

Clinical Director of Auckland City Hospital’s Adult Emergency Department, Dr Tim Parke, says: “The doctor-paramedic team, working with the crewmen and pilots, ensures patients receive advanced time-critical treatments at the earliest possible opportunity. Not only does this potentially improve their clinical outcome, it can also streamline hospital care on arrival allowing stretched emergency resources to be used more efficiently.”

Dr Parke notes that in some cases, like heart attack or serious haemorrhage for example, the emergency department can be almost bypassed altogether with the patient directed straight to definitive specialist care.

“The HEMS initiative has also been acting as a catalyst for us to further develop our safety culture in the D and look at news ways to expedite and improve care for patients who arrive at region’s hospitals by more conventional transport. The support of the St John paramedics on the ground for many of our missions has been a key part of the HEMS project working so successfully for patients and we have developed a very healthy respect foe the skilful job they do in stabilizing patients before the helicopter team arrives,” says Dr Parke.

ARHT chief executive Bob Parkinson says having emergency doctors on board has been a valuable addition to the helicopter’s services.

“We operated more than 750 missions in 2011, with this year looking to be even busier. It’s fantastic that we’re seeing the benefits of this program for our patients in their recovery times and overall health outcomes.”

News coverage of the HEMS doctor pilot scheme

May 2012

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:51:00 +0000

Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust Critical Care Paramedic Laurie Phillipson was surprised live on ITV’s Daybreak by Dr Hilary who presented him with a Health Heroes Award.

Every day this week, Dr Hilary is surprising people with his Health Heroes Award; recognising and celebrating our unsung heroes of the health community.

Joined by Laurie’s family, friends, Dr Pamela Chrispin, medical director and other colleagues from partners East of England Ambulance Service Trust, plus two airlifted patients - 14-year-old Danny Williams and Jim Cox whose lives have been touched by Laurie and the air ambulance crew - Dr Hilary burst into the Crew Room at the air base in Earls Colne where Laurie and the on duty doctor and pilot were having their morning briefing, to surprise him with the award.

Jane Gurney, CEO of Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust (EHAAT), who nominated Laurie, said: “On behalf of everyone at EHAAT I nominated Laurie for his outstanding service as an Air Ambulance Paramedic and teaching in his local community.

“Laurie has completed over 10 years of continuous service with EHAAT, flying well over 1,000 missions in both Essex and Hertfordshire and has touched the lives of many individuals, helping hundreds of people when they needed it the most.

“He has often gone over and above by supporting many fundraising activities, helping the Charity to raise much needed funds. A father and husband to a young family, he still finds time to teach clinicians the life-saving skills he has developed.

“We are all so proud of Laurie and all of our dedicated Air Crew who help save lives every day.”

Doctor Pamela Chrispin, medical director for the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) said: “Our trust is very proud indeed of Laurie and he thoroughly deserves his recognition for his commitment to pre hospital care in the communities he has served for the last ten years, well done.”

Speaking of his award, Laurie said: “Up until Dr Hilary led me into the hangar and I saw all my family and friends I thought it was a wind-up and it’s all still sinking in!

“I feel very honoured to have received the award, the Essex & Herts Air Ambulances provide a first class critical care service and every member of the medical and charity team works extremely hard to keep the aircraft flying and making a difference to countless lives across the region.

“I’ve been very lucky to have played a small part in that service for such a long time; a privilege that few paramedics get to enjoy. I would like to thank all my colleagues for their support and the kind nomination.”

If you missed the surprise live on Daybreak check out EssexAirAmbulance.uk.com to view a clip from the programme.

May 2012

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:40:00 +0000

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has today announced a change to night flying regulations which will allow aircraft to operate under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) in the hours of darkness. Currently, all civil aircraft flying at night in the UK must comply with Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) but, from the 8 June 2012, this requirement will be removed allowing pilots to decide whether to fly VFR or IFR.

Visual Flight Rules are an internationally agreed standard set of operating rules designed to help prevent collisions between aircraft and the ground by ensuring that pilots fly in weather conditions that enable them to see a potential collision and take action to avoid it. Instrument Flight Rules are a more restrictive set of internationally agreed operating rules which include additional measures to help prevent collisions between aircraft particularly when flying in weather conditions where pilots may not be able to see other aircraft or obstacles (such as in cloud or poor visibility) and in areas with high volumes of traffic.The changes are being made to take into account new and emerging European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulations for pilot licensing and rules of the air.

The CAA said that the change will be an improvement on the current night IFR requirements which are unique to the UK and not fully understood by all pilots, especially those visiting from overseas. The CAA said that most of the requirements for VFR at night are similar to the existing Instrument Flight Rules, so UK pilots will be able to continue flying at night as normal provided they hold a valid Night Rating or Qualification. Pilots who hold an Instrument Rating or IMC Rating will continue to have the choice of flying IFR at night.

April 2012

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:36:00 +0000

NATIONAL DIRECTOR APPOINTED TO ASSOCIATION OF AIR AMBULANCES

The National Association of Air Ambulances (AAA) has appointed Clive Dickin as its new National Director. The Association of Air Ambulances has been established as a representative body for the Air Ambulance Services in the UK, which formally recognises the integral part that Air Ambulances play in the Medical Service provision. Previously Mr Dickin, 38, led two national organisations from the built environment, helping to improve performance as well as working closely with the Health and Safety Executive to launch the “Gas Safe Register”, the national safety programme for domestic gas safety. More recently he has established a charity to preserve the largest collection of vintage operational jet aircraft in Europe.

Speaking about his appointment, Mr Dickin said: “I feel deeply honoured to be invited to join one of the most distinguished associations in the country,”

“Thanks to its dedicated staff and volunteers, air ambulance charities are held in the highest regard and perfectly positioned to further enhance their reputation. And, needless to say, I am delighted to be appointed to this important role and look forward to working with the charities to help them realise their future ambitions.”

Speaking about the appointment, Anthony Marsh, AAA Chairman, said: “I am delighted to announce Clive’s appointment. He brings with him extensive strategic, financial and operational experience having worked across a range of sectors. Clive has a proven track record of achievement which will further strengthen the Association. “

The success of the Air Ambulance Services in providing a rapid response to life-threatening situations has been established over the past twenty-five years. The Association of Air Ambulances is the representative body for Air Ambulance Services and works to build on existing relationships between charities and the Ambulance Service to develop a continually improving emergency response network.

April 2012

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 08:49:00 +0000

Herts Air Ambulance has completed her 1000^th mission. The landmark call-out was on Thursday 12^th April where the aircraft was despatched to provide critical care to a patient in cardiac arrest. This is one of the many types of injury and illness that the HEMS Team bring their life-saving support equipment and skills to.

Once back at base the team were immediately called out again and Chief Pilot David Kerr-Sheppard flew the aircraft to the other side of the county to assist the East of England Ambulance Service in treating a patient with a life-threatening medical emergency. HEMS Doctor Marc Wittenberg and Critical Care Paramedic John McCusker administered a pre-hospital anaesthetic; a specialist treatment only afforded by having full time doctor and paramedic team on the helicopter, then made the important decision to airlift the patient to hospital where they received further expert clinical care.

Herts Air Ambulance is part of the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust, a charity responsible for operating two Air Ambulances and providing free life-saving Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) for Hertfordshire, Essex and surrounding areas. The people of Essex and Herts benefit from two helicopters as the Herts aircraft will fly into Essex and the Essex aircraft would, of course, respond to those in need of advanced pre-hospital care in Hertfordshire.

The Herts Air Ambulance is operational 5 days per week and attends on average 1-2 incidents per day. Working in partnership with the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) who task the helicopter mainly by receiving 999 emergency calls, the aircraft is dispatched to patients with serious illness or injury caused by such incidents as traffic collisions, falls from height, heart attacks, stabbings, cardiac arrests and strokes. Of the 1,000 missions attended by the life-saving helicopter based at North Weald Airfield; almost half were road traffic collisions, approx 16% were falls and 20% were medical cases.

Stuart Elms, Clinical Manager for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust, said: “The Herts Air Ambulance launched after a need was identified to provide the people of Hertfordshire with the same high performance medical team of experienced Pilots, Doctors and Critical Care Paramedics for serious injury and illness as found in Essex. On 5^th November 2008 the Herts Air Ambulance went live and yesterday, 3 and half years on flew its 1000^th mission to assist a patient in cardiac arrest. Working closely with its sister aircraft in Essex and the EEAST, the HEMS team have saved lives, reduced or prevented disability and suffering from critical illness or injury. Providing state of the art care and equipment to the people of Hertfordshire and beyond, this dedicated team of professionals completely rely on charitable funding to function.”

Dawn Easby, Herts Air Ambulance Senior Fundraising Coordinator, adds: “We’re thrilled to have reached this milestone thanks to the support of the people of Hertfordshire and local businesses, schools and organisations who have been behind us every step of the way, ever since we first started fundraising for the helicopter back in April 2007. The momentum just keeps on building with every day that passes, and it is thanks to you that we are able to keep raising sufficient funds to keep this vital life-saving service flying and saving precious lives.”

April 2012

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:10:00 +0000

A new website has been launched which will be of interest to anyone involved in the air ambulance community in the United Kingdom.

www.ukhems.co.uk is the new home of UK HEMS on the Internet. We hope that this site will act as a hub of information for anyone interested in helicopter emergency medical services and the provision of high quality pre-hospital care in the United Kingdom and around the world. UK HEMS is a registered charity in the United Kingdom that was set up in 2005 to promote discussion and the sharing of ideas and best practice within the air ambulance community. We passionately believe that helicopter air ambulance services are a vital part of the health care system that enhance survival and minimise disability for the most seriously ill and injured in society.

It is our hope that the information on these pages will stimulate discussion of some of the most important issues facing air ambulance services at a national and international level.

Key features of www.ukhems.co.uk

News Blog - stay up to date with the latest clinical and operational developments from the UK HEMS community of air ambulances
Find your local air ambulance - contact details, aircraft information, and typical crew configuration of every air ambulance unit in the UK
Clinical information - an extensive collection of standard operating procedures for download that are already in use by several air ambulances
Medical students - an entire section of the site dedicated to the next generation of air ambulance doctors and paramedics; information about electives and downloadable presentations written by experts in pre-hospital care
Careers - your starting point for development of a career in pre-hospital care and links to current vacancies
History - track the exciting history of the development of the air ambulance industry in the UK
Governance - the cornerstone of a safe and successful air ambulance operation, use this space to share governance ideas with colleagues nationwide

Visit the website now and interact with like-minded colleagues in the UK and internationally.

Visit us now: www.ukhems.co.uk

April 2012

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 09:48:00 +0000

People living and working in the East of England will again benefit from a unique partnership between the region’s two air ambulance charities this Summer.

Under the agreement, trialled successfully in 2011, the charities will collaborate with the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) to extend their service to cover the longer Summer days. The new arrangements take effect on Monday 2 April, ensuring that air ambulance crews are operational across the region from 7.00 am until sunset. Currently the aircraft go off line at around 5 pm. Between them, the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) and the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust (EHAAT), which each operate two aircraft, cover the counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk and Norfolk. From 2 April, one helicopter from the EAAA and one from the EHAAT will cover the early part of the day while each charity’s second aircraft will cover the end of the day. All four aircraft will be operational for the main part of the day.

This partnership follows a recent announcement by the EAAA that it hopes to become the first dedicated air ambulance operating in the UK to extend its service to cover the hours of darkness later this year. The charity will shortly be taking delivery of the first of two ‘night capable’ aircraft and is working with its operator Bond Air Services to secure Civil Aviation Authority approval to fly at night. The CAA has been cautious about allowing air ambulances to operate in the hours of darkness but the capability of the latest generation of helicopters, when combined with recent advances in both crew training and equipment, mean that this may now be possible for experienced organisations such as those that provide daytime cover in East Anglia.

EAAA Chief Executive Tim Page said: “We already work closely with the EHAAT and EEAST so, joining forces to ensure that an air ambulance service is available even across the longest days of the Summer, is an obvious way to increase the overall standard of pre-hospital care for people in the region we serve.”

“By the time the days are drawing in again, we hope to be launching another major enhancement to our service – our move to night operations. Accidents and medical emergencies, such as strokes and heart attacks, can happen at any time and the care provided by the EAAA and EHAAT is often instrumental in saving lives. For this reason, we are working towards being able to respond to the needs of those who need by day or at night.”

Cliff Gale, EHAAT Operations Director, said: “Building on the success of the initiative trialled last year, we are looking forward to working with the EAAA and the EEAST to, once again, provide a high class clinical service to the people in all six counties in the region for longer by using the crews and the four helicopters we operate. For the majority of the week the Essex helicopter will mirror the Cambridge aircraft shifts and Norwich the Herts operation. By varying each aircraft’s start time, the service will be available for longer.”

Dr Pam Chrispin, EEAST Medical Director, said: “Our focus is always on the delivery of best possible care for patients and the partnership with our two regional air ambulance charities affords consistent and high quality specialist treatment to those most seriously ill and injured. This initiative proved very successful last year and will again provide an invaluable additional service across the East of England.”

March 2012

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:39:00 +0000

On Wednesday 28^th March 2012, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust (EHAAT) hosted the third Aeromedical Case Study Conference at Ford Dunton, near Basildon, the largest automotive technical centre in the UK, which houses the main design team of Ford of Europe. This year’s conference was titled ‘The Human Contribution to HEMS Patient Safety’ and the theme was Crew Resource Management (CRM) and Team Resource Management (TRM) within the HEMS Team – ‘Getting it right when things go wrong’.

The aim of the conference was to give like-minded professionals the opportunity to meet and examine key aspects of aeromedical clinical governance. Speakers from various Air Ambulances from the UK and Europe plus other helicopter emergency medical services were invited to present their own case study providing a critical look at different issues faced and lessons learned in the complex arena of immediate medical care.

Chaired by Dr Gareth Grier, EHAAT Clinical Lead and Stuart Elms, EHAAT Clinical Manager; this year’s conference saw keynote speeches from eminent experts in CRM including Phil Smith, Critical Team Performance Ltd and guest European speaker Dr Peter Temesvari, Hungarian Air Ambulance.

Dr Gareth Grier, Chair and EHAAT Clinical Lead, said: “Now in its third year, this successful conference has become a key event in the Air Ambulance calendar. I am extremely proud to Chair this national event in pre-hospital care which brings together Air Ambulances from all over the UK to share ideas, common practices and strategies. There is some truly amazing work going on every day by Air Ambulance Teams; putting patient care at the forefront of what they do and delivering a high-class emergency medical service before the patient has reached the hospital.”

March 2012

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 17:41:00 +0000

UK HEMS has hit Twitter! Follow us now @ukhems

March 2012

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 11:38:00 +0000

The helipad at Peterborough City Hospital has been formally opened. The East Anglian Air Ambulance completed a trial run and then became the first operational aircraft to use the new helipad with a patient on board the following day. The helipad is a trolley push from the emergency department and negates the need for a secondary transfer and the inherent delays in definitive patient care. The East of England Trauma Network will go live this year and it is expected that Peterborough will be designated a Trauma Unit, receiving critically injured patients for stabilisation prior to transfer to the region's Major Trauma Centre.

March 2012

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:26:00 +0000

East Anglian Air Ambulance intends to extend operating hours with the aircraft flying during the hours of darkness from the Cambridge base from September 2012.

Chief executive Tim Page said air ambulances in Germany and the Netherlands which had introduced night flying had been able to attend around 30% more cases.

He said: “We have got the aircraft on order and that’s been a big part of the battle. We have to get Civil Aviation Authority approval but we are pretty confident of all the aircraft providers in the country that Bond has the greatest existing capability in this area.”

In December 2011, the charity signed a new helicopter contract for the next seven years with operator Bond Air Services, which will mean it will get two new state-of-the-art helicopters by the end of 2013. These aircraft will be fitted for night flying. Bond, as the aircraft operator, has submitted a detailed plan to the Civil Aviation Authority on how it plans to train staff and operate safely at night.

Night operations will allow the EAAA doctor-paramedic team to attend seriously ill and injured patients in the East of England, regardless of time of day, and may also provide an inter- hospital transport service for critical patients who need care at specialist hospitals.

December 2011

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:29:00 +0000

Since its launch in November 2008 this vital Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) has flown over 900 life-saving missions.

The landmark call-out was on Tuesday 13^th December to a road traffic collision involving three vehicles on the QE2 Bridge in Thurrock.

Chief Pilot David Kerr-Sheppard was unable to land the helicopter straight away due to the live carriageways below and remained hovering overhead until the bridge was closed to traffic. Due to difficult weather conditions it was a challenging landing for David in 40 mph winds, putting his extensive skills and experience to the test. David said: “The strong wind made an otherwise straightforward landing slightly more challenging and with great teamwork inside the aircraft we made a safe landing in what were fairly tough conditions.”

Cliff Gale, Operations Director for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust, adds: “All Air Ambulance Pilots have to have a minimum of 1000 hours flying experience in helicopters. This requirement means the majority of Pilots are ex military who are well versed in flying in poor weather, reduced visibility and landing in small areas. We are lucky that our current Pilots come from RAF Search & Rescue and Royal Navy backgrounds who, day in and day out, call upon their skill and expertise to help the most seriously injured and ill people in the region.”

Critical Care Paramedic Dave Tamarro, explains: “Once on the ground we established that the incident was not as serious as first thought and after a quick assessment of the scene and liaising with the Ambulance Crews, Police and Highways Agency we quickly made our way back to the aircraft so the road could be re-opened as soon as possible.“

November 2011

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:23:00 +0000

The East Anglian Air Ambulance has awarded a seven-year contract to Bond Air Services for two new aircraft which will provide the region with the most advanced air ambulance fleet in the UK.

Both aircraft will also, for the first time, be capable of night flying, bringing the prospect that the life-saving air ambulance service could in future be extended to cover the hours of darkness.

The EAAA operates the only dedicated air ambulance service across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire, with aircraft based at both Norwich and Cambridge airports, and has been operating interim helicopters provided by Bond since its previous operator, Sterling Aviation, had its fleet grounded by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Commenting on the announcement, Tim Page, the charity’s Chief Executive, said: “The arrival of our new aircraft marks a big step forward in emergency care in East Anglia and will give people in our region the benefit of an air ambulance fleet which is unmatched in the UK. As with our current aircraft, they will be fully medically equipped and each will carry aboard NHS doctors highly trained in emergency medicine, and critical care paramedics from the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

We already operate a dedicated dawn-to-dusk service, bringing the skills of our highly trained crews to the sites of accidents and medical emergencies anywhere in the region in around 20 minutes. With the NHS increasingly reliant on a smaller number of specialist hospitals, we’re also often being tasked to convey patients not just to the closest hospital but to the hospital best suited to treat their condition.

We’re continually looking to enhance our service, however, and the capability of our new aircraft to fly at night represents a major opportunity to help people in our region in their hour of need – whenever that may occur.

Under the terms of the new agreement with Bond, the charity’s Cambridge Airport base will take delivery of an EC135 P2 aircraft in December 2011. This is a similar model to that being used by the EAAA at Norwich Airport and is the most widely used helicopter for air ambulance work in the UK because of its size, performance, reliability and cost.

Following this, in July 2012, it will receive an EC135 T2e to upgrade the aircraft at Norwich Airport. This aircraft will be ‘fully night-capable’, meaning it can be used for missions after dark – a development that the EAAA is actively exploring.

Finally, in December 2013, the charity’s Cambridge Airport base will take delivery of an EC 145 T2, a more spacious aircraft with enhanced operational capabilities, offering the capability to carry more people over longer distances and at greater speed.

The EAAA selected Bond Air Services, a Gloucestershire-based company with a strong track record in the air ambulance sector, after a detailed tender process during which it evaluated four suppliers.

Tim Page continued: “We’re delighted to be working with Bond Air Services and have good relationships with the company already, as they stepped in to help us as part of our contingency plan earlier this year. I’d also like to thank Cambridge Airport, which generously hosts Anglia Two and its crew and which has supported us for many years.

Finally, I salute the many people, groups and businesses which fundraise on our behalf. The delivery of these new aircraft is testament to their huge efforts and I ask them to keep up the good work. We’re still completely reliant on donations and fundraising to operate our service and can only continue with the help of our supporters. The cost of these new aircraft will mean that we need a little more support from our donors, but we will provide a great deal more in return.”

Hayden Newton, Chief Executive of the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “The EAAA provides a vital service, working alongside the Ambulance Service in often difficult and challenging circumstances, providing emergency care to patients at the incident scene. We welcome the arrival of the new aircraft which will increase its capabilities still further and we look forward to continuing to work with the charity in delivering pre-hospital emergency care to those in need across the region.”

Chris Greenhill, Managing Director at Bond Air Services, said: ‘We’ve enjoyed a successful partnership with the EAAA for the past six months, and we’re looking forward to developing the highest quality care model in our relationship with such a highly regarded and well respected charity. We specialise in providing a total solution, which includes the provision of back-up aircraft and crews which translates into achieving in excess of 98.7% availability for all of our customers which we are delighted to confirm will now include the EAAA.”

February 2012

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 11:07:00 +0000

Cornwall Air Ambulance have begun operations from a new airbase. The base is located on Trevithick Downs, on the southern boundary of Newquay Airport, includes a 492 square metre hangar for the EC135 and 335 square metres of high quality office space. With the charity’s headquarters and office staff previously based at Roche, the new accommodation brings the charity and operations team together for the first time. The construction of the new base was made feasible by an investment of £949,760 from ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) Convergence.

January 2011

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 10:32:00 +0000

Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey is to build a £20 Million Emergency Department which will include an elevated helipad. Currently, air ambulances land at Kings International College and complete the remaining distance by road. Vital minutes could be saved for time critical patients. Frimley Park Hospital is a Trauma Unit and part of the London Trauma Network.

March 2011

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 21:31:00 +0000

Members of the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust and London’s Air Ambulance teams were invited to Hungary to speak at a pre-hospital and emergency care conference organised by former EHAAT and London’s Air Ambulance doctor Peter Temesvari.

Following Peter's time with EHAAT, he went to London HEMS for six months before returning to his homeland and taking up the role of managing director for an organisation providing seven air ambulances within Hungary. Consultants Gareth Grier and Anne Weaver, both of whom lead on clinical governance in EHAAT, Dr Adam Chesters who also flies with EHAAT and London, critical care paramedic Laurie Phillipson, joined fellow London HEMS doctors and paramedics who were guest speakers at the event. Over 100 delegates from the specialities of emergency and pre-hospital medicine attended this inaugural national HEMS conference.

Find out more about the Hungarian Air Ambulance here

September 2011

noreply@blogger.com (ukhems) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 19:55:00 +0000

The Department of Transport of the United Kingdom has released the annual report of casualties on the roads in Great Britain for 2010. This publication presents detailed statistics about the circumstances of personal injury accidents, including the types of vehicles involved, the resulting casualties and factors which may contribute to accidents. In addition to detailed tables there are six articles containing further analysis on specific road safety topics.

Most of the statistics in the publication are based on information about accidents reported to the police. However, other sources such as mortality, survey and hospital data are also used as well as population and traffic data to provide a wider context.

Key findings include:

There were a total of 208,648 casualties of all severities in road accidents reported to the police, 6 per cent lower than in 2009.
There were 1,850 people killed, 17 per cent lower than in 2009 and 22,660 were seriously injured, down 8 per cent.
The number of fatalities fell for almost all types of road user, with a fall of 21 per cent for car occupants, 19 per cent for pedestrians, 15 per cent for motorcyclists. Pedal cycle fatalities rose by 7 per cent.
Around 9,700 reported casualties (5 per cent of all road casualties) occurred when someone was driving whilst over the legal alcohol limit.
Not all non-fatal accidents are reported to the police. Our best current estimate is that the total number of road casualties in Great Britain, including those not reported to police, is within the range 660 thousand to 800 thousand with a central estimate of 730 thousand.
For 2010, the economic welfare cost of reported road accidents was estimated to be around £15 billion.

Access the full documentation here