Children’s Air Ambulance

The Air Ambulance Service is a registered charity based in the United Kingdom. It delivers lifesaving care through two vital services. These are Your Local Air Ambulance and the National Children’s Air Ambulance. The charity does not receive any government funding. Its emergency missions and specialist transfers are paid for entirely by donations from the public.

The National Children’s Air Ambulance is a national service that operates across England, Scotland and Wales. It flies specialist transfers for critically ill babies and children between hospitals. The helicopters are flying intensive care units that are purpose built and clinically equipped. The service works in partnership with 11 NHS paediatric retrieval teams across the UK. When a child is too unwell to be moved, the crew flies the clinical team directly to the bedside. Speed is vital, as the helicopters fly around four times faster than a land ambulance.

Your Local Air Ambulance provides emergency critical care across five counties. These are Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland. Crews respond by helicopter and by Critical Care Car. They attend serious emergencies including road traffic collisions, cardiac arrests, strokes, and serious falls. The helicopters travel at 185 miles per hour and carry advanced lifesaving equipment. The Critical Care Cars support helicopter missions close to base. They also respond when weather grounds the aircraft and they operate the night car service.

The crews include doctors, critical care paramedics and pilots. They are trained to deliver hospital level care at the scene of an emergency. The charity publishes a mission log that lists recent calls and transfers. It also shares patient stories from families who have used the service. The website lists patient aftercare support for those who have been helped. There is also information for people who want to join the medical crew.

The charity raises money through a network of charity shops and a weekly charity lottery. It runs a charity raffle and accepts gifts in wills. Other ways to help include regular giving, corporate partnerships, and the Big Bases Appeal. Donations of pre loved items are accepted in charity shops. The news hub and newsletters keep supporters updated on rescue work and events across the region.

Services

• Emergency critical care
• Specialist helicopter transfers
• Critical Care Car missions
• NHS clinical team partnership
• Patient aftercare
• Charity lottery
• Regular giving
• Corporate partnerships