Northwich u3a monthly meeting - May 2025
This month’s speaker was Danny, who talked to members about the North West Air Ambulance Charity. This charity was set up 26 years ago and is one of 21 Air Ambulance charities up and down the country. Their vision – ‘to bring the hospital to the patient’. The North West Air Ambulance Charity covers 5,500 square miles and 8 million people. It operates every day of the year and requires £18 million per year to function.
When it was first introduced, it used to send a helicopter to a casualty and take the person straight to hospital. Nowadays, it operates very differently. These days, the helicopter flies in with a clinically trained crew and stabilises the patient at the scene and then takes them to the most suitable hospital to receive the treatment that they need.
On board is a pilot, a doctor and a paramedic (who is also trained as a co-pilot). The pilot has over 1000 flying hours before they join the charity, the doctor is a senior clinician and the paramedic has at least 5 years fully qualified experience. The doctor, typically, works 1 or 2 shifts a month with the charity and works their hospital job the rest of the time. The paramedic works 4 shifts on and then has 4 shifts off.
The vehicles (there are cars as well as helicopters) carry a great deal of equipment, including blood, plasma, a ventilator, a Lucas device (to carry out chest compressions) and much more. All of the equipment has to be paid for as the charity receives no funding from the Government or NHS. Danny gave members an idea of what some items cost: a video laryngoscope – £1,500, 2 units of blood - £427, 2 empty primary bags - £380, blood warmer - £3,500, 1 empty blood bag - £202.
As well as the life-saving equipment, Danny explained about the uniform and some of the cost – helmet - £1,800, flight suit - £700, boots - £160. The helmets have to be made specially for each person and the flight suits have to be fire resistant and all kit must be made according to strict safety regulations.
In 2024, the North West Air Ambulance flew 3,170 missions, including 693 traffic accidents, 120 sporting/leisure accidents, 1016 medical emergencies, 659 accidents and 17 hospital transfers.
Danny told the audience about the helicopters (EC135) and the cars (BMW) and how a helicopter can fly from the Trafford Centre to Northwich in 9 minutes – the Air Ambulance has priority in the sky. He also explained that only 30% of jobs are air lift to hospital outcomes as quite often, the patient needs the stability of a road vehicle. An Air Ambulance helicopter can land anywhere where there is a 50m by 50m space and if landing on a beach or motorway, keep the rotors moving so that they can move quickly.
Danny ended his presentation with ways in which people can become involved with the charity, e.g. by volunteering, donating, visiting their charity shops, supporting and fundraising.
This was a fascinating insight into a service which few people have experienced and members were amazed at the facts and figures involved. Danny’s presentation was interesting, fact-filled and interspersed with videos, anecdotes and humour.
Come and join us at the next meeting on 18th June 2025 at 2pm at Owley Wood Recreation Club, Weaverham, when Neil Sheldon will regale us with, ‘Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics’.