Proud airborne medics seek your views on what they do 

In a brave move that should get the telephones ringing off the hook, Sussex Air Ambulance is asking the general public what they think about the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service. This week, nearly 2,000 glossy brochures will land on the desks of politicians, health commissioners and hospital leaders, as well as the charity's 170 volunteers, asking for their opinions on how the charity is performing.

 

The impressive Strategic Review update has been sponsored by Dunsfold Park.  With vivid photographs and simple facts, it charts the progress of the charity over the past three years, from being a traditional air ambulance service (simply an ambulance that flies) to a cutting edge, internationally acclaimed pre-hospital care service, operating over 6,500 square miles and serving a population of 4.2 million people, with its two state of the art helicopters.

 

The Helicopter Emergency Medical Service, which was established in Kent in 1989, is leading the way in pre-hospital critical care. It was the first Air Ambulance in England and Wales to switch from flying with a paramedic crew, to a specialist doctor and critical care paramedic, and last year opened a new base and launched a second helicopter to cover the counties of Sussex and Surrey.

 

Looking forward, the Strategic document considers whether the charity should now focus on organ transplant transport and critical care patient transfers at night, something currently not undertaken in the UK.

 

Speaking on behalf of the charity, Chief Executive David Philpott said:

 

"We are enormously proud of what we have achieved as an independent charity. This would not have been possible without the millions of pounds that ordinary people donate every year to keep our lifesavers airborne.  It therefore seems appropriate to us, to ask the people who fund and use our service, what they think we ought to be doing in the future."

 

To download the full 5 year strategic plan: review & update please click on the PDF icon or click on So far, so good. Air Ambulance 5 Year Strategic Plan.

For your say please email website@kaat.org.uk