Sadly today after more than 30 years of uninterrupted service the contract between the Scottish Ambulance Service and Bond (now Babcock) will finish. Helimed 2 was the first Scottish HEMS aircraft based in Dundee for a 6 month trial in 1989. It was joined by Helimed 5 on a full contract in 1993 and led the way in UK HEMS operations providing 24/7 cover.
The paramedics have been the backbone of the service all those years. Their professionalism and skill is humbling to watch and many many lives have been saved by them. However, the skills and contributions by the Bond pilots, engineers and admin staff over the years should not be underestimated and there is no doubt that their efforts too have contributed to saving lives.
Unfortunately over the years Bond were burdened by, with only a few exceptions, incompetent Ambulance Service management and in the latter years an underhand and unscrupulous contract partner and for those reasons, I expect few to acknowledged todays events. Its a sad testament that none of the current Helimed pilots with decades of experience between them operating 24/7 in Scotland have taken the opportunity to join the new contract, having worked alongside that contract partner for several years.
To the new very inexperienced team starting tomorrow I wish you only safe flying and give you one piece of advice. New ideas and innovation are always good but don't try to reinvent the wheel and above all listen to those paramedics. They have been there, seen it and done it and many have been doing for many years. Listen and learn from them.
In my 10 years there I was proud of the small part I played. It provided the most challenging but without doubt the most rewarding flying of my career which had previously included 16 years in the military.
It was all summed up to me on one job. At a major RTC in a remote location, in the aftermath, one of the road crew paramedics said to me. "I always breath a sigh of relief when I hear you guys overhead, I know then its going to be OK"
Very proud to have been part of the mechanism that delivered those paramedics to where they were needed most and helped get the sick and injured to hospital.
Babcock (Bond) continue to provide the 2 charity helicopters in Scotland Helimed 76 and Helimed 79 and I hope to see them back with the Scottish Ambulance service in a few years
