Northern Ireland

Air ambulance will happen, health minister confirms

An air ambulance at the scene of a traffic accident in England where it transported two young children to hospital. Picture by Press Association
An air ambulance at the scene of a traffic accident in England where it transported two young children to hospital. Picture by Press Association An air ambulance at the scene of a traffic accident in England where it transported two young children to hospital. Picture by Press Association
By Maeve Connolly

THE north is to get an air ambulance at an annual cost of £1.8 million with an initial spend of £2.38m, the health minister has announced.

Health minister Simon Hamilton said the "difficult financial climate" meant it would be necessary to secure "a robust and recurrent charitable funding contribution".

He welcomed "recent approaches from potential charitable sources who potentially could raise funds and provide other support".

The minister said a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (Hems) was a "key componet" of the Northern Ireland trauma network which icnludes the newly opened critial care building at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

The £152 million build has a helipad on its roof and concerns had been raised that it was not being used.

“Speed of patient transport to the specialist centre is a key requirement for an effective trauma network and I want to also take this to the next level by announcing today my commitment to the establishment of a Northern Ireland HEMS as a key component of the Trauma Network," Mr Hamilton said.

A public consultation will follow, he added.

Northern Ireland is the only region in the NHS that does not have a dedicated service. Instead patients are flown by police helicopters to Musgrave Park Hospital, which is a former military base in Belfast, and transferred by ambulance to the Royal Victoria Hospital, which is the regional 'trauma' centre.

The Republic's air ambulance service costs €2.6 million a year and is operated by the National Ambulance Service and the Air Corps.

The Irish News revealed last month that a high-level report had been ordered into the creation of a similar service in the north and would be presented to the minister within weeks.

There had been a groundswell of support for the introduction of a helcopter ambulance following the death of Dr John Hinds, an intensive care consultantc and road racing enthusiast who was killed in a crash while accompanying practice riders at the Skerries 100. Dr Hinds had campaigned for an air ambulance service and tens of thousands of people signed a petition supporting his goal since his death in July.

In a statement the health minister said he believed his announcement held the prospect of "implementing the vision for major trauma services which the late Dr John Hinds, and his colleagues, have highlighted".