Air Ambulances UK calls on new government to improve helipad access and safety

As I reflect on the success of the 2024 Air Ambulances Annual Parliamentary Reception and contemplate the key issues raised, I am filled with a deeper enthusiasm and passion in urging the next UK government to take immediate action. It reinforces my commitment to raising awareness of the lifesaving work undertaken by air ambulance charities across the UK, and the significant challenges faced by the air ambulance community.

The four key areas that were central to the reception, and of which require urgent attention from the next UK government, are access to and safeguarding of hospital helipads and community landing sites, safe secure access to patient data, increased demand and increased cost, and the statutory levy for lotteries.

Access to, and safeguarding of, hospital helipads and community landing sites

Firstly, the issue of hospital helipads and community landing sites is one that cannot be overstated. The statistic that only 17 out of 33 Major Trauma Centres in the UK have an on-site primary helipad available at night is alarming (but not all of the 17 are in operation 24/7 due to planning constraints).

The lack of 24/7 accessible on-site primary hospital helipads means that many critically ill or injured patients must endure secondary land transfers, delaying their access to vital care – this situation simply needs action.

Air Ambulances UK’s (AAUK) call for the Department of Health and Social Care to ensure that all Major Trauma Centres and specialist hospitals have round-the-clock on-site primary helipads is not just a logistical necessity; it can be the difference between life and death for many seriously ill patients in need of optimum speed to treatment. The ability to land directly at hospitals can significantly cut down response times and save countless lives.

Moreover, this year’s reception highlighted the precarious position of hospital helipads, which are classified as unlicensed heliports and aerodromes, lacking formal safeguards and statutory consultation requirements. This puts essential operations at risk due to potential adverse effects from nearby planning and developments.

AAUK is urging the Department for Transport and the UK Civil Aviation Authority to advocate for all UK Local Planning Authorities to engage with regional air ambulance charities and/or helicopter operators to establish a specialised safeguarding pathway.

This pathway should include consultation in decisions affecting hospital helipads and community landing sites, ensuring that the air ambulance community is informed and involved in planning discussions. Ultimately, we need a system where the lifesaving capabilities of these helipads are not compromised without prior warning or fitting engagement.

Increased demand and increased cost

Increased demand and rising operational costs presented itself as the second issue at the reception. The reception highlighted the surge in dispatches to patients, compounded by fundraising difficulties due to the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. The rising costs of fuel and essential medical equipment, such as medical monitors, further strain air ambulance charities.

A select few figures to point out, in 2021, UK air ambulances collectively attended over 30,000 missions, while in 2023, they responded to over 46,000 missions, showing an approximate 53% increase. Similarly, the average cost of an air ambulance helicopter mission rose from £3,962 in 2021 to £4,110 in 2023, marking a 4% increase.

For me, these numbers underscore the pressing need for increased support from the Department of Health and Social Care – not through direct funding – but by helping to identify opportunities to secure grants and capital funding sources. Without such support, air ambulance charities’ ability to meet growing demand and maintain their critical lifesaving services is at risk.

Safe access to patient data

The third issue raised during the reception was securing safe access to patient data. Currently, air ambulance charities often do not have access to this data once a patient is transferred to a hospital. This lack of information makes it difficult to fully understand patient outcomes.

AAUK’s request for government support in facilitating safe secure access to patient data, as well as ensuring that air ambulance charities have a seat at their Integrated Care System Board is vital. With access to comprehensive patient data, air ambulance charities can further refine their protocols with a view to providing even greater treatment and care.

Statutory levy for lotteries

Last but not least, the fourth key issue raised at the reception detailed the proposed 0.1% statutory levy on lotteries, for which poses a threat to the funding of charities, including air ambulances. AAUK is calling on the Department for Culture, Media & Sport not to make lotteries pay the statutory levy tax at 0.1%.

Instead, we want lotteries to continue to donate to good causes, like air ambulance charities, on a voluntary basis. Lotteries play a distinctive role in helping charities, and we want to keep it that way. For the sake of air ambulances and countless other charitable causes, we must advocate for a zero rate of statutory levy and uphold the current voluntary contribution model.

Nicola (Niky) Crooks, parent of Jasmine-Owen Crooks, a former patient, shared an emotional testimony, which vividly illustrated the critical role that air ambulance charities play in saving lives each and every day.

Parents Niky and Ryan’s lives were turned upside down on the morning of 31st October 2019, as any parents’ worst nightmare became a reality. Their four-year-old daughter, Jasmine, had stopped breathing – she was unconscious suffering a respiratory arrest and in need of emergency care, fast.

Great Western Air Ambulance Charity’s Critical Care Team were dispatched to the incident in Gloucestershire with Critical Care Doctor and Senior Consultant, Scott, Critical Care Doctor, Andrew, and Specialist Paramedic in Critical Care, Jack, arriving on scene in less than 20 minutes.

Jasmine was very unwell – she had stopped breathing and needed an emergency anaesthesia – an intervention that their specialist crew can deliver on scene. They put Jasmine into an induced coma, taking over her breathing and preventing any further complications, before airlifting her to Bristol Royal Children’s Hospital.

Jasmine spent almost two months in Bristol Royal Children’s Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a very rare syndrome, ROHHAD – of which there are only 12 cases in the UK and 100 worldwide. She has been described as a ‘whirlwind of positivity’, taking life each day as it comes and fighting on through her recent diagnosis.

Niky’s firsthand experience of the swift and lifesaving response provided by Great Western Air Ambulance Charity during the medical emergency stressed the urgency and importance of supporting these vital services. Niky’s heartfelt gratitude for the timely treatment and care that Jasmine received served as a poignant reminder of the invaluable impact these services have on individuals and families facing medical crises.

To watch Jasmine’s full story visit: Jasmine’s Story: Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (youtube.com)

Furthermore, it was extremely pleasing to hear from Minister Helen Whately MP, who addressed the sector as Minister of State in the Department of Health and Social Care. Alongside Minister Whately, Pete Wishart, MP for the Scottish National Party and Chair of the APPG AA, echoed the sentiment, underscoring the vital importance of the lifesaving work carried out by the UK’s air ambulances.

In conclusion, the key issues highlighted at this year’s reception are not just administrative concerns but fundamental matters to the efficiency of air ambulance operations across the UK. I strongly urge the next UK government to recognise the indispensable role of air ambulance charities and take decisive action to support them.

By addressing these four key challenges, together we can ensure that air ambulance charities continue to save lives and remain at the forefront of pre-hospital care. As a nation, we owe it to these lifesaving crews and the patients they serve to support them in every possible way.

To read similar articles, check out our