The London Air Ambulance charity (LAAC) treated a record number of patients last year, new figures have revealed, amid soaring demand for life-saving care in the capital.
Emergency workers from the LAAC treated a total of 2,058 patients across London throughout 2024 - an increase on the record figure from the year before.
The figures reveal that assaults, road-traffic collisions, and falls from height remain the leading causes of critical injuries in the capital.
Tower Hamlets (104), Westminster (104), Lambeth (102), and Southwark (101) were the busiest boroughs, but incidents were recorded in every part of the city.
Air Ambulance medics perform life-saving treatment for patients who are critically injured, and their helicopters help to transport doctors to the scene as soon as possible. They also carry out advanced procedures such as open chest surgery and blood transfusions.
In 2022, the charity launched its Up Against Time appeal to help replace its ageing helicopter fleet. The campaign has raised £15 million.
The LAAC said the investment would “ensure the sustainability of the service for years to come” but stressed that ongoing funding was “critical” to maintaining cutting-edge skills and technology.
Jonathan Jenkins, Chief Executive of the LAAC, said: “It is sobering to look at the new mission data and realise that once again, the number of patients we treated has risen. 2,058 patients is not just a statistic – behind this figure are people like us, with networks of friends, families and loved ones who will all have been affected. We know that trauma never stops. But neither do we.
“Thanks to your support, we can be there for you or your loved ones should the worst happen.
“The people of this city came together to secure the future of our helicopter fleet—now, we ask for their continued support to ensure we remain at the forefront of saving lives and shaping global clinical practice.”
A survey conducted by the LAAC in 2017 found that 63 per cent of Londoners do not know that the service is funded by donations.
Dr Tom Hurst, Medical Director at the LAAC, said: “Every patient we treat is facing one of the worst moments of their life. Our new vision places hope at the centre of our work—hope that our intervention will give each patient the best possible chance of survival and recovery.
“These latest figures reaffirm the need for our service, and our responsibility to continuously innovate and improve outcomes for critically injured people in London.”
