Dept of Health do partially fund HEMS - £2.4 million in the next financial year after negotiations by (Gen) Sir Christopher Airey, Chairman of the National Air Ambulance Association.
The Scottish Exec fund Scottish Amb Svc HEMS (and fixed wing).
London Health Authorities contribute to funding of the HEMS based at the Royal London.
Due to recent interpretations of charity funding regulations, ambulance trusts now have to pay for the paramedic salaries on the heli, rather than the charity.
County, based in the Midlands, in fact runs 3 helis - Helimed 03 (RAF Cosford), Helimed 06 (Strensham) and Helimed 09 (Derby). No cover at night.
Paramedic aircrew training - obviously already need to be paramedics. For County, they also need to be Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (Royal College of Surgeons, England) trained, and do a two week air-crew course, covering CRM, navigation, etc.
Helimed Essex (think is 07) used to run with one para and one tech - not sure if they still do or have moved to two paras.
Anton
