Flying doctors called out to thousands of emergencies
ALMOST 800 OF THE MISSIONS IN
AIR ambulance crews were called to more than 3,300 missions in the Midlands last year - including 772 in Leicestershire and Rutland.
The Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA), along with the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA), worked tirelessly around the clock over the past year.
Despite the lasting impact from the Covid-19 pandemic, the charity has continued to provide frontline, critical care around the clock across its five counties and further afield as well as excelling in clinical developments.
The dedicated crews, often including senior doctors, were tasked to 3,385 potentially lifesaving missions in 2021 via helicopter and critical care car, with DLRAA responding to 2,014 of the callouts and WNAA responding to the other 1,371.
The county with the highest number of call outs was Derbyshire with 785, followed by Leicestershire and Rutland with 772, Warwickshire 381 and Northamptonshire 375.
A further 421 incidents were responded to across the West Midlands, 451 across Nottinghamshire, and many more split across other neighbouring counties.
Similar to 2020, as a result of another lockdown, there were fewer cars on the roads again this year but both crews remained busy being tasked to more medical incidents (35 per cent of all call outs) than road traffic collisions (25 per cent).
The next category, “other”, consisting of assaults, self-harm, and mental health incidents accounted for 24 per cent of missions, falls 10 per cent, sports injuries 4 per cent and industrial incidents 2 per cent.
“Starting 2021 with another lockdown continued to impact our lifesaving charity’s funds as more fundraising events had to be cancelled, and our stores remained closed,” said charity boss Andy Williamson.
“Despite this, our 24/7 lifesaving service enhanced further as we brought on board two brand new replacement aircraft which, as you can see from our stats, continued to remain on the frontline, fully operational for those who needed us.
“As a charity, our mission is clear – to continue providing leading pre-hospital emergency care to our patients and to support the NHS.
“This year our vital service will again be there - 365 days a year - for those in their hour of need, but to do this we need the support of people within our communities now more than ever before,” Andy said.
The charity has plans to further develop this year through bringing blood on board and training its critical care paramedics in the use of ultrasound equipment, as well as upgrading its critical care cars and base facilities for the crews, among other improvements.
It is calling on the communities it serves to show support as the charity builds on the 45,351 missions it has attended since its launch in 2003. Anyone wishing to support the frontline service can call 0300 3045 999 for more details, or visit the website:
Our mission is clear – to provide leading prehospital emergency care and to support the NHS
Andy Williamson
■■The Air Ambulance Service (TAAS) is the umbrella organisation for the Children’s Air Ambulance (a national transfer service for seriously ill children and babies), and two local air ambulances: Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) and Derbyshire, Leicestershire &
Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA).
■■It receives no government funding.
■■It routinely carries senior doctors and consultants on board, in essence taking the hospital to the patient and allowing them to provide advanced treatment on scene.
■■Its AgustaWestland 109 helicopters have a top speed of 185mph and are the fastest civilian helicopters available.
■■WNAA and DLRAA work together on collaborative operations at major trauma scenes.
■■Each rescue mission costs approximately £1,700.