North West Air Ambulance announces plans to operate 24/7 (From Lancashire Telegraph)

North West Air Ambulance announces plans to operate 24/7

10:00pm Wednesday 3rd October 2012 in News

THE North West Air Ambulance has announced plans to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The charity made the announcement in its latest charter stating its commitment for the future.

It said it aimed to operate the 24/7 service to support North West residents during the hours of darkness by 2016, saying that if necessary it would increase its fleet of helicopters.

Currently the charity operates flights in daylight hours only.

Chief executive Lynda Brislin said: “While we help over 1,200 people who are in real need each year, there is still more we can do.”

The charity last month spent a quarter of a million moving its bases from airports at City Airport, Manchester, and Blackpool Airport to the University Hospital of South Manchester, Wythenshawe, and Royal Preston Hospital.

Doctors in each of the hospital’s A&E departments are now able to fly onboard the air ambulance to incidents where patients require specialist treatment.

Ms Brislin said: “Being based at key trauma hospitals and having expert clinicians on hand for serious incidents will help to further increase patients’ life chances.”

The service needs to raise in excess of £4.2m each year in order to keep its two air ambulances flying.