Hospital to unveil life-saving air ambulance helipad
Facility will cut 25 minutes from journeys
A potentially life-saving helipad is set to open at King’s College Hospital – shortening transfer times for Kent patients.
The new facility is built on top of the London centre’s 10-storey Ruskin Wing, and will dramatically cut the time it takes to transfer critically ill and injured patients into the care of trauma teams.
Prior to last week’s helipad launch, Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance Trust aircraft would land in nearby Ruskin Park with patients transferred to the Southwark hospital by road – adding up to 25 minutes to the journey time.
Dr Malcolm Tunnicliff is clinical director for emergency medicine at King’s and also works with the air ambulance trust carrying out shifts as a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service doctor.
In 2013 he treated two-year-old Louis Parvin at the scene of an accident at his grandparents’ home in Barming, after a heavy wardrobe fell on to him, leaving him fighting for his life.
Louis suffered a fractured skull and was placed in an induced coma by paramedics, before being airlifted to King’s for further treatment.
Three years on, Kaylie Parvin, Louis’ mum, said: “I am delighted to hear about the new rooftop helipad at King’s. This is great news for the community as none of us ever know when we might need the help of this amazing charity. I will always be so grateful to them for what they did for Louis.”
Dr Tunnicliffe said: “We are incredibly pleased the helipad at King’s is ready to be operational. It’s very exciting for King’s, the patients we treat, and our staff, who go above and beyond every single day to save lives.”
The launch was attended by dignitaries including former Labour leader Harriet Harman, who is MP for the Camberwell and Peckham constituency in which the hospital is based.
The helipad has been made possible thanks to a £2.75 million donation from the County Air Ambulance Trust’s HELP Appeal as well as the efforts of hospital fundraisers.
In addition to contributing towards the cost of the helipad, the HELP Appeal has also covered the entire cost of the deckintegrated firefighting system, totalling £500,000, negating the need for a team of firefighters.