Air ambulance

[ryanshelton]

I'm watching 'an hour to save your life' , I'm always fascinated by the work of the air ambulance but still cannot understand why they are not part of the nhs? I.E state funded?

Has anyone here ever had the misfortune of meeting the crew of an air ambulance?

 

[chrig]

I've raised money for them on several occasions, in my youth I used to drive like a lunatic around the lake district in a classic mini so it seemed like a good thing to invest in at the time :lol:. I've never had the miss fortune of needing their services but they do a damn good job with the money they do get.

 

[joe1002]

I'm watching that too.

I have been very close to the Essex Air Ambulance when it landed outside my mates while we were doing his patio.

Amazing work they do.

 

[Aleman]

Has anyone here ever had the misfortune of meeting the crew of an air ambulance?

I've met several crew of Helimed 8, the Lancashire Air Ambulance . . . fortunately in a professional capacity and never as patient, although we have handed over patients to them. Generally when we provided cover at Motocross events, it would be fairly certain we would have to call them out to collect someone that we didn't feel we could transport by road because of the rough terrain.

I do find it difficult to understand why something that saves lives isn't part of the NHS

 

[dennisking]

My nephew was involved in a bad RT in Lincolnshire nearly 2 years ago. He was so badly injured and because of the state of his car the police though he he was dead when they arrived but because there was signs of life they called the air ambulance. Without that call he would not be alive today. The first few days in hospital we were told to expect the worst but after a week in an induced coma he came round. Although still not 100% he has spent a lot of time fund raising for the air ambulance that saved him even though he lives here in Essex.

 

[Runwell-Steve]

I've been in the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. I fell off of Malham Cove and had suspected concussion and spinal injuries. My god that's a noisy experience and quite bumpy too.

Turns out as I suspected at the time I was just bloody sore having fallen about 20 foot. Not a completely unbroken fall so probably two 10 foot falls slowed in the middle by a bit of climbing gear that subsequently popped out of the rock.

They were brilliant. I was very lucky not too be seriously injured but if I had been I would have been in excellent hands. The Mountain rescue teams were excellent as well.

I've done well I've used the Air Ambulance, Mountain Rescue and the RNLI when the boat I was on caught fire in the Thames estuary just off Queenborough.

My wife won't let me out anymore as I am a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[peelman]

Yes I had a short spin in the South Wales air ambulance a few years ago after a motorcycle accident and a suspected broken back (it wasn't BTW) they were fantastic and I've been supporting them ever since.
There's quite a spooky tale that goes with this event.
The date of the accident was the 9th of September 2009 my mate who was riding his bike with me that day said he never expected to be dialing 999 on the 9th of the 9th 09. The number plate of my bike had 666 on it and the bike was found upside down at the bottom of the ravine where I crashed, so the number read 999! Too many coincidences so I sold that number plate! :twisted:

 

[Will12283]

I have never needed them but they helped save the life of a friend of mine.

He fell while claiming in Porthcawl, fell on to the rocks below. At one point they had to hold his head above the incoming tide (. No mean feat he is a lump of a guy).

Have been meaning to help raise money but nothing yet. Have donated a few £ but nothing substantial

 

[Pakman]

I suspect they are not part of the NHS because the peeps who make the decisions on what funding goes where believe they can achieve much better returns for the £2k per hour the helicopter costs to operate. The medical staff are provided by the NHS. No other reason that I can think of.
Graham

 

[bobsbeer]

It all comes down to money. In years gone the service was provided by the Air Force, especially in the Lake District. But with military cuts the service has had to be replaced by charities. Strange how the police helicopters are state funded. :hmm: :whistle:

 

[morethanworts]

I suspect they are not part of the NHS because the peeps who make the decisions on what funding goes where believe they can achieve much better returns for the £2k per hour the helicopter costs to operate. The medical staff are provided by the NHS. No other reason that I can think of.
Graham

If the priority is to save as many lives as possible, then there is a good argument that the money be spent on land ambulances. That said, I like the idea that if you fall whole climbing a mountain, or have a crash somewhere remote, you've got SOME chance of survival. It allows us to live life a little more fully than we might otherwise.

 

[Aleman]

It all comes down to money. In years gone the service was provided by the Air Force, especially in the Lake District. But with military cuts the service has had to be replaced by charities. Strange how the police helicopters are state funded. :hmm: :whistle:

Mountain rescue service was (and still is), but not ambulance service.

London was the first to get a Air Ambulance IIRC . . .and I think that was with European funding . . .and will like all the county services now be provided via Charities.

Of course the medical personnel are provided and funded buy the NHS (except where the ambulance service has been outsourced . . . and yes that has happened).

We actually did have access to the police helicopter, if it wasn't being used by the police . . . although that was strictly a snatch and run job with no trained paramedic on board. even though no part of Lancashire is more than 30 minutes from Blackpool (where Helimed 8 is based), East Lancs are funding their own now, which means that it is easy to get to critically ill/injured patients within the 'Golden Hour', and lots more do survive.

 

[graysalchemy]

I suspect they are not part of the NHS because the peeps who make the decisions on what funding goes where believe they can achieve much better returns for the £2k per hour the helicopter costs to operate.

Don't get me started on the NHS. When my son was in Neonatal when he was born, 6 senior managers turned up to discuss the colour of a small office which ad just been repainted, they were un happy with the colour of it :evil: :evil: evidently the wrong shade of magnolia. By the time they had deliberated over it I could have had it painted and even if they got someone professional in to paint it it would have cost less than their wages for a hour debating it.

I agree though the government should pick up the tab for it as they should with the ambulance transfer service of very sick children as that too is run by charitable donation.

 

[TRXnMe]

It's in the same league of insanity as the RNLI. For an island nation with a strong maritime industry and heritage, it beggars belief that the principle sea recue group is a charity.

They fight like hell not to be part of the Government funded mob....

The beaurocracy involved in Govt organisations would kill the RNLI spirit in weeks so every time they are approached by Govt they firmly refuse the offer.