Roundagain - Sorry but "Changing to combined SAR/EMS operations" would make no more sense in this country than combining road ambulances with fire engines! Sure, there are loads of occasions when you require both at an incident but there are loads when only one or the other is required.
While I have always believed that there 'might' be a case for a small number (probably no more than three or four throughout the UK) of multi-role onshore helicopters -winch, stretcher, cutting gear,medic etc. for some remote areas, combining these into a HEMS helicopter would seriously curtail the role that they currently have. Firstly, according to current rules, for every 1 metre increase in helicopter length you inflict on us we have to find a landing space that is 2 metres larger diameter - so we have to land at a location more distant from the scene. Secondly, if you select your medium sized helicopter for us, and it is twice as heavy, then we are going to produce twice the downdraught -hence we have to find a landing site further away from everything.
The reason the Australian system works, I suspect, is that the distances involved make walking the Penine Way seem like a stroll to the local shops.
Regards
TeeS