24/7 helipad planning welcomed

The region’s air ambulance charities have welcomed planning permission for a 24/7 helipad at Addenbrooke’s, the region’s Major Trauma Centre, to improve patient outcomes.

East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA), Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) and Magpas Air Ambulance currently have use of a temporary helipad at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. A recent planning application was submitted and approved by the Local Authority, Cambridge City Council, to extend the permitted hours of use from 07:00-21:00 to a 24/7 basis. This will ensure that patients can be transported quickly to emergency care facilities during these extended periods.

The 24/7 helipad at Addenbrooke’s, which became operational from 20 May 2024, is a huge, positive step for patients transferred by the air ambulance charities: It will reduce the need and time for additional transfers by land ambulance, ensuring critically injured and unwell patients from anywhere in the region can receive quicker treatment from the Major Trauma Centre, regardless of the time of day or night. This will also help to reduce discomfort for patients and pressure to an already complex medical emergency.  

From road traffic collisions to cardiac arrests to medical emergencies, the specialist doctors, critical care paramedics and pilots at the three air ambulance charities bring the advanced skills, equipment and medicine – normally only found in a specialist emergency department – directly to the patient’s side in the fastest time possible. This, combined with quick onward transfer to the most appropriate hospital, gives every patient experiencing a medical or trauma emergency the best chance of survival.

EAAA has been flying 24/7 from their Norwich base for almost three years. In the last 12 months, as well as seeing a 6% increase in daytime taskings, the charity, which has a base in Cambridge, has been significantly busier at night, with a 17% increase in callouts.

Alan Ward, Aviation Advisor at EAAA says: “We have been really pleased to work in partnership with Addenbrooke’s on the development of a 24/7 helipad, which will have a notable positive impact on patient outcomes in our region. The current location requires a secondary ambulance transfer to A&E or Papworth. The helipad time restrictions also require secondary ambulance land transfers if, for instance, the patient is landed at Cambridge Airport.

Alan continues: “East Anglian Air Ambulance has been operating 24/7 since June 2021, so this progress towards a 24/7 helipad to reduce time and secondary transfers at Addenbrooke’s is significant in giving everyone the best chance of surviving and recovering from a life-threatening emergency.”  

Mr Jai Rawal, Clinical Director for Major Trauma Centre at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Health emergencies are extremely frightening for patients and their loved ones.  As the Major Trauma Centre for the East of England, CUH provides surgery, critical care, inpatient, rehabilitation and discharge services. Fast access to our highly trained clinical teams and the right equipment can be the difference between life and death, and gives patients the best chance of recovery. CUH welcomes the extension of the helipad’s operating hours at Addenbrooke’s. It is anticipated that there will only be a slight increase in the number of flights to and from the helipad, but each flight will have an enormous impact for the patient. This is a major step forward in the provision of emergency care for our local population and we continue to work closely with our urgent care partners to improve services.”