Crab,
I don't really want to be drawn into a 'no we don't, yes we do' argument with you, which would detract from the discussion topic. But the facts should be stated correctly.
In Scotland, and I make no comment about anywhere else in the UK because I don't know the facts about anywhere else in the UK, MOD charges to the Scottish Ambulance Service run to circa £1million per year for air transfers. Please check with your northern colleagues before you jump down my throat on this.
I have a huge regard for the work done up here by MOD and MCA aircraft. Their availability for AA type tasking is invaluable when the Scottish Ambulance Service aircraft are not available or the weather is out of CAA limits for them.
However, the vast majority of work up here is done by the Scottish Ambulance Services own fleet. 2 x EC135 and 2 x Beach 200 KingAirs. The ambulance service simply could not afford to do the work by MOD assets. A large amount of the this work as I have already stated is done at night and the ambulance service do not do transfers at night by air unless there is an urgent clinical need. Of note the helicopters average about 100hrs per month with about 70% transfers to 30% HEMS.
Back to the discussion point. On the transfer side although everybody would want a bigger aircraft there are inevitably financial constraints. But it should be noted that MOD aircraft are used for weather reasons generally not cabin size reasons. While I understand Wombats comments, everything stated about the incubator including integrated oxyen, syringe drivers, monitors etc is available on the airtransport incubator used by the specialist Neonatal transfer teams used in Scotland. The incubator has it own trolley that fits in a land ambulance and a bespoke floor in the EC135 means in rolls into the cabin from the rear doors and locks in place. Two midwives and a paramedic are also carried and the Neonatal teams seem very happy with the setup. For specialist paediatric or adult retrieval the only additions required to the aircraft are the brackets to secure addition monitors, ventilator and syringe drivers. Again the teams that use this setup seem very happy with it.
Also an ECMO transfer system is being developed at this time.
So does the UK need a specialist paediatric helicopter?. Maybe. Could this work be done by existing Air Ambulances? Yes. The concept and equipment needed has been proved in Scotland. If you look at the hours flown by AA in England and Wales then yes there would seem to be the availability also. Do they need to extend to night time operations. Yes, but again concept proved up here. Would this type of work detract from local HEMS tasking. Yes. So maybe a joint Neonatal/Paedatric/Adult retrieval helicopter would be of use or better regional tasking of HEMS assets.
A Chinook, yes please but I really don't think it would look good in yellow!