London’s Air Ambulance treated almost 2,000 people last year, making it the highest number of patients ever recorded in the charity’s 30-year history.
Most patients, 34 per cent, needed pre-hospital care at the scene by either helicopter or car crews for “penetrating trauma” such as gunshot and stab wounds, the charity has revealed.
A quarter of patients needed treatment for road traffic collisions and 22 per cent had suffered a fall from height.
Other injuries included those from rail incidents and industrial accidents, and medical injuries.
A total of 1,977 patients were treated in 2022, up from 1,714 the previous year. That’s an increase of 15 per cent, making it the busiest year ever for crews.
The increase in numbers is largely driven by the introduction of another medic team that can reach patients by road.
Westminster was the busiest borough in London ,with 113 callouts, followed by Lambeth, 111, and Tower Hamlets, 103.
Patient Steve Blake said: “It is because of London’s Air Ambulance and the speed at which they arrived that I am alive today.”
Mr Blake had been out running on New Year’s Day in 2021 when he was hit by a car. An onlooker called for an ambulance and sat with him until emergency services arrived.
“When you realise the depth of the treatment and the skills they bring to the scene – and the fact they’re a charity – it’s astonishing. Anything I could do to thank them, I would,” Mr Blake said.
London’s Air Ambulance medics perform treatment at the scene for people who are critically injured with life threatening or life changing injuries.
They carry out life-saving procedures such as open chest surgery, blood transfusions, putting patients into an induced coma and reinflating collapsed lungs.
It’s the only helicopter emergency medical service caring for almost 10 million people that live in London.
London’s Air Ambulance is a charity that operates in partnership with both Barts Health NHS Trust and the London Ambulance Service.
The helicopter can fly anywhere in London inside the M25 within 11 minutesâ¯, with an average flight time of 7.5 minutes.
The charity is aiming to raise £15 million by 2024 to replace two helicopters that have become “increasingly difficult to maintain”.
Two Airbus H-135 T3H helicoptersâ¯have been selected as replacements. The aircraft is in service in more than 60 countries.
Chief Pilot Captain Neil Jeffers said: “Last year we attended more missions than ever before, and when we’re up against time, our helicopter fleet and rapid response cars enable us to get to our patients quickly, wherever they are in London.
“We’re asking Londoners to help us fund the new fleet – we need their support now more than ever.”
