UK W Mids Air Ambo increased hours of coverage

[Thud_and_Blunder]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/6400961.stm
Many congratulations to the folk who've made this possible - good news for those living (or passing through) that part of the UK.
I was interested to note a comment in the 3rd paragraph from the end, in which the Chief Exec of the region's Ambulance Service states:
This is a very significant move and builds on national best practice
Nothing to do with this particular region, but I wonder if that's the "best practice" that might lead to another county not too far south losing its locally-based, all-year, 17 hrs 30 mins daily air ambulance coverage in favour of something based further west and only available for some of the daylight hours. Hmm?

[quichemech]

I take it you're refering to those new boys down at Coventry Thud, don't forget that their paramedic staff were mostly originally on the county team.

Shame that the Guys from the county team at east mids don't get a mention for some longer hours as well, more availability more lives saved:D

[Thud_and_Blunder]

No, quiche - I'm referring to the Air Ambulance which provides a day/night service using a Police AOC to another county altogether. No vague promises of "Night Ops just around the corner/ jam tomorrow", just a professional air ambulance service up 'til 0300.

[What Limits]

As one of the people who may possibly benefit from the increased duty hours and a contributor to the charity concerned, this is very welcome and well done to all concerned.

This has been done before and some interesting things came out. There was very little trade before 9 am and after 9 pm, and of course there are only a few months of the year where you can get the full 16 hours. Certainly we found that the 12 hour shift would be the best practice.

What concerns me about this operation is the abuse by the ambulance service and particularly the way that they can cheat the ORCON targets by writing off a job, normally in a remote area, to the helicopter. This results in an increase in activations but a sharp fall in the number of patients carried as a proportion of call outs.

[fkelly]

Is it any different anywhere else in emergency services air support? Not when I last did it..

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

Following on from the above, is there any word on expanding the ability of Air Ambs to include bad weather/night-time call-outs?

[Bearintheair]

I presume this is summer only as they can't do night HEMS or are they planning to be available for transfers only after dark ???