Mixture, you appear to have a clear reference to what the rule books state, and a lot of computer experience, but you are seriously misled as to what happens in real life out there
in practice.
Not really wishing to be drawn into the general debate about turning back vs proceeding to destination that's going on here.....
Suggest some of you re-read CAP 413.
A PAN would probably be justified and appropriate in order to try to get you priority routing and medical assistance on the ground. (ref: definition of "urgency" in CAP413).
Use of MAYDAY for pax emergencies is less clear and probably would be less justified in this scenario.
P.S. I believe you'll also find that PAN and MAYDAY are internationally recognised and should always initiate ICAO prescribed procedures.
You need to understand very few parts of the world have any recognition or knowledge of Pan.
I believe the practice (particularly for the larger NHS wards, such as London) is that if the phone operator is satisfied that your situation is serious enough (as would be the case with a heart attack), they will send out a FRU with an ambulance to follow.
So yes, you will get your ambulance, but the FRU system is the NHS's way to buy themselves more time to find an available ambulance and/or allow the ambulance to fight through traffic (because FRUs are generally just converted cars, they are smaller and more agile than an ambulance).
You are wrong. We were repeatedly told
not to request an ambulance 'to meet the aircraft on arrival at London' because we wouldn't get one. I'm not sure where you get your references for such positive statements, but you are seriously misled if you think that is how it is out there in practice! Reading and quoting CAP 413 or the whole Air Navigation Order will get you precisely nowhere. I wouldn't want to sit in Court being sued by relatives and being asked by Learned Counsel 'so Mr. Smith was mortally suffering whilst you were airborne.....and you chose not to even declare an emergency?' What exactly is one to do when Pan is not recognised or known?
Guppy,
Simply telling ATC what you have, what your intentions are, and then getting it done will suffice.
Wrong! Maybe in the US in your type of ops. Maybe some other parts of the world. I believe the UK response (and Aus as well from what I have seen) will be simply 'are you declaring an emergency?' Airline ops are different to yours.