National consultation on air ambulance

Tue 5th January 2010 2.22PM

THE Scottish Ambulance Service has launched a national consultation that will inform the procurement of the next generation of the air ambulance service in 2013. The consultation will create an opportunity for the public and stakeholders to give their views on the way the air ambulance service operates. The consultation will be open for feedback until 31st January 2010 and respondents can give their views by letter, email or on our website. As part of the programme the service will meet with special interest groups and other relevant stakeholders. Once the consultation is complete and the responses have been analysed, the service will publish a set of patient service standards that the new air ambulance service will have to meet.

The last change in air ambulance provision was introduced on 1 April 2006. Since its introduction there has been a significant improvement in the service:Σ the percentage of responses across Scotland within 60 minutes has increased from 85 percent in 2005/06 to 96 percent in 2008/09; average response times are quicker by almost ten minutes from 39.7 minutes in 2005/06 to 30.93 minutes in 2008/09; patient travel time has been reduced from an average of 45.8 minutes in 2005/06 to 38.35 minutes in 2008/09. Currently the air ambulance service consists of two fixed wing planes (King Air 200c) based in Aberdeen and Glasgow and two helicopters (Eurocopter EC135) based in Inverness and Glasgow.

The service is unique in that the aircraft built to the specification developed by the Scottish Ambulance Service and are only used to transport medical patients. In Shetland they are supported by a Super Puma Search and Rescue helicopter operated by BP. Pauline Howie, the chief executive, Scottish Ambulance Service, said: “The current air ambulance service has delivered measurable improvements for patients across Scotland. Our total focus is on patient care and safety and ensuring that we continue to provide a high quality service that meets the clinical needs of patients across all of Scotland. “The consultation will inform our strategy for the procurement of the next generation of air ambulance resource, establishing a patient service standard that will be the benchmark for the procurement process.

Demand for air responses has increased by over 40 percent since the current arrangements were introduced in 2006 and the role of air ambulance continues to grow as we develop new clinical initiatives that improve the quality of care for patients.” The air ambulance service responds to more than 3,600 incidents every year that include life threatening emergencies and planned hospital transfers. Anyone who would like to contribute to the consultation should see the website at

www.scottishambulance.comm/airambulanceconsultation, e-mail: scotamb.airreprocurement@nhs.net or write to Air Ambulance Reprocurement Project, Scottish Ambulance Service, Project Support Department, Project Office, Units 7 & 8 Newbridge One Industrial Park, Cliftonhall Road, Newbridge EH28 8PW, telephone: 0131 344 5670.