Crab,
This is true but you'll also note that it happens very very seldom. The additional cost to go that extra mile is not in the view of our client worth the cost plain and simple. They prefer to spend the money on hospital equip to make sure the ones we do bring in from <200 nm are well looked after.
I am no SAR antique but I do watch carefully the inland taskings we get. At times we will attempt night mountain evacs etc though its a secondary role. I cannot remember one instance in the last ten years when the time benefit of getting a casualty out by helo would have saved a life. As a matter of fact more often than not its difficult to justify the risks taken by day. If our client was really serious about mountain rescue then they should provide us something like an EC145.... like Swiss Rega use. They seem to have that stuff really figured out and guess what...they're a civvie op.
Now back to the pub to wave at the Seakings flying by!!!!