MP Urges More Backing for 'Invaluable' Air Ambulance Service
Ruth Cadbury says 87 people treated in and around her constituency last year
Air Ambulance lands in Chiswick. Picture Ian Wylie
London’s Air Ambulance has been praised by local MP Ruth Cadbury after figures were released showing that it came to the aid of ten injured people in the borough last year and 87 to areas in and around her Brentford and Isleworth constituency.
The charity that delivers an advanced trauma team to critically injured people in London, treated 1,826 patients last year. The charity has released its mission statistics for 2015, to continue raising awareness of the work that it does 24/7 to help save lives in the capital.
- Key statistics include:
10 patients were treated in Hounslow last year - Top three busiest boroughs include Westminster (115 patients treated), Lambeth (113 patients treated) and Hackney (111 patients treated)
- Busiest postcodes include N1 (38 patients treated ), W1 (32 patients treated), CR0 and SE1 (31 patients treated in each)
Of the 1826 patients treated, the cause of injury was:
33% (601) Road traffic collisions
29% (528) Stabbings and shootings
24% (433) Falls
14% (264) Other (including incidents on the rail networks, hangings and drownings)
The release of these statistics comes after the charity’s much needed second helicopter became operational for London last month. The G-LNDN registered MD902 Explorer is available to deliver its advanced trauma team to critically injured patients and became operational in time to cover for the charity’s first helicopter (G-EHMS) when it went offline for its annual maintenance.
Ruth Cadbury MP for Brentford and Isleworth said, ‘The London Air Ambulance is an invaluable service which helps people at their greatest hour of need. Here in Brentford and Isleworth and adjacent post codes the ambulance helped 87 critically injured people and that is why it is so important that donations continue for the charity so that they can continue to save lives all across the capital."
Graham Hodgkin, CEO of London’s Air Ambulance, said, “The charity is here to serve everyone in London. While our statistics show that we were busier in some areas of the capital than others, trauma can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Trauma doesn’t have a postcode and neither do we. By releasing these statistics we are hoping to raise awareness of that fact.
“Now with two helicopters to maintain, and the extension of our daylight flying hours in the summer months, the cost of providing our service to London has increased to £6 million each year. Donations are needed now more than ever to maintain the delivery of our advanced trauma care to London, and I am urging people to please continue to support the charity, whether that’s donating, volunteering, taking part in an event or asking the organisation you work for to support us.”
March 4, 2016