Whoate - only a little nibble though
We do all know the writing is on the wall - that is what is so depressing. No matter how well the contract is written, the contractor will only just fulfill that contract and no more.
As for the pipe dream about AA doing the patient transfers that we do - you may aspire to it but there is never going to be the money to fund it - unless central govt dig deep and they are broke thanks to Gordon and Alastair.
I know that both our local AAs are red - does that make me an expert?
Homonculus - thanks for the medical input - I know from the severity of the cases that we transport that the last thing the doctors want to do is start decanting the patient from trolley to stretcher, back to trolley the other end. It is difficult enough just lifting the whole shebang into a Sea King without upsetting the patient's often minimal chance of survival - cramming them into the back of a 135 or similar would be worse I am sure.
Unfortunately many hospitals seem happy to build on HLS areas suitable for large helos and many either have LS only suitable for small helos or have to use alternate sites such as playing fields which is less than ideal (wet, muddy fields and trolley wheels don't mix well)