North West Air Ambulance backs hospital helipad campaign

The national campaign, led by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Air Ambulances, is calling for all major trauma centres and specialist hospitals to have guaranteed 24/7 on-site helipad access.

Without this critical infrastructure, air ambulance patients often face delays as they are transferred by road from nearby landing sites.

Dr Andy Curran, medical director at NWAA, said: “When someone is critically ill or injured, every minute matters.

The national campaign is being led by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Air Ambulances (Image: Supplied)

“Our crews bring advanced lifesaving care directly to patients, but the journey doesn’t end there.

“Patients need seamless access to specialist hospitals.

“Where on-site helipad access isn’t available, avoidable delays can occur at one of the most critical points in a patient’s journey.”

NWAA covers more than eight million people across the North West, from Carlisle to Crewe, operating three helicopters and four critical care cars around the clock.

The lack of consistent hospital helipad access affects major trauma centres in the region, including Manchester Royal Infirmary, Salford Royal Hospital, Aintree University Hospital, and Royal Preston Hospital.

The campaign argues that hospital helipads should be recognised as essential NHS infrastructure.

It calls for national action to make 24/7 on-site helipad access standard across major trauma centres and specialist hospitals, alongside improved planning and policy to safeguard future provision and ensure consistent safety standards.

Dr Curran said: “Our crews are here for patients in their most critical moments, often when time is the difference between life and death.

“In a region as large and diverse as the North West, fast access to specialist hospitals is vital.

“By improving hospital helipad access, we can help ensure patients are transferred directly into the further care they need, without unnecessary delays.”

Research supporting the campaign found that more than half of major trauma centres, children’s hospitals, and other specialist sites across the UK do not have reliable 24/7 on-site helipad access.

The charity is encouraging people across the North West to support the campaign (Image: Supplied)

In these cases, air ambulance patients must be transferred by road from nearby landing sites, losing valuable time.

Additional figures show that 37 per cent of hospitals either lack an operational helipad or do not have 24/7 access, while more than a quarter of existing helipads are not fully operational or safe for round-the-clock use.

NWAA, which responds to an average of 11 missions each day, receives no government or NHS funding and relies entirely on public donations to raise over £18 million annually.

The charity is encouraging people across the North West to support the campaign and raise awareness of the vital role helipads play in emergency care.