I thought such plans had been shelved before because they couldn't train HHO unless they were OEI capable in the hover - do the newer helos like the 145 have more power and better OEI capability?
As we have discussed on this forum before - taking a paramedic and turning him into a winchop or winchman takes lots of training to be safe - are the charities so flush with punter's cash they can waste it on such a little-needed capability.
SAR helicopters have an excellent and well practised capability and are there for a reason - ambulance authorities need to be regularly reminded of that.