Study highlights impact of air ambulance work

A new study by Sussex’s air ambulance and the University of Surrey has highlighted the value of the life-saving service provided by the charity.

The study looked at patients who experienced a sudden, unexplained loss of consciousness from a medical emergency and who were attended by Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) over a four-year period.

It found that in 65 per cent of these cases, KSS’s doctors and specialist paramedics were required to carry out hospitallevel emergency interventions at the scene.

Seventy-seven per cent of patients with an unexplained loss of consciousness also needed to be transported to hospital by KSS so that they could continue to receive hospital-level intensive care during transfer.

The findings showed that the world-leading emergency care provided by KSS was critically important for these patients.

Professor Richard Lyon MBE, associate medical director at KSS and professor in pre-hospital emergency care at the University of Surrey said: “We know specialist interventions, like emergency anaesthesia, when delivered at the scene of an accident can significantly improve the outcome for patients with traumatic brain injury. This study, which we believe to be the first of its kind, highlights how patients who suffer sudden medical emergencies, can also benefit from the air ambulance attending to rapidly deliver hospital-level intensive care.”

David Welch, KSS chief executive, said: “KSS is dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for its patients, and through our research we seek to save even more lives. But as a charity, we are reliant upon donations from the public and our local community to raise the £15million it costs each year to operate our life-saving service. I want to convey our sincere thanks to all our supporters for their continuing generosity during what continues to be an unprecedented time.”