London HEMS - Virgin sponsorship?

[cptjim]

Does anyone know why HEMS London is no longer sponsored by Virgin? That's gotta hurt the budget surely?

[Hedski]

Probably cos the miser thought he could slash his contribution year on year but maintain the name on the side and actually make people think he provided far more than he did.........:=

[surely not]

Clearly Hedski has been providing so much more money than Virgin and keeping quiet?

Why do people have to be so small hearted about these things. No one sponsors for big money without asking for some recognition and just because Virgin sponsored for awhile doesn't mean they have to keep going forever. The Daily Express (?) used to sponsor it at one time I think, did anyone get so het up when they stopped?

Time for some other person/company to step up for awhile because the taxpayers are too miserly to pay for the service................

[griffothefog]

And that's why Cornwall will always be the first air ambulance. :p

No sponsorship, no gimmicks, just the heart of the people of Cornwall.

Est 1987.

[206 jock]

But the trouble is that Virgin never sponsored more than half the cost, yet insisted that the helicopter was red and no other logos could be on the a/c. So the people of London thought...hang on, don't need to contribute coz that nice Mr. Branson pays up.

Anyway, things can't be that tight in London.. News - Parliamentary Event (http://www.londonsairambulance.co.uk/news/519-news-parliamentary-event)

Quite why they would need a second one when there are plenty based around and regularly flying into London is another question though.

[homonculus]

Because this particular NHS Trust is in desperate straights and using this to divert attention from its dreadful financial record, the fact that doctors are voting with their feet, and the local population are being poorly served

Of course hems should be fully integrated into healthcare and paid in the same way, but politicians are not going to do this when others will pay

[Hedski]

Surely Not,

I think you're missing the point. My name is not on the side of the most visible helicopter in London. Virgin expect to have a massive advert flying around the capital 365 yet continue to reduce the amount contributed. Commercial realities or not it's taking advantage of a charitable organisation for their own ends and trying to squeeze the pennies down. I think it was down to 50k last year!!!! :=

And yes there is a belief amongst Joe Bloggs in London that Virgin pay for the air ambulance. Detrimental to fundraising.

What about pilot salaries, the most poorly paid multi-crew operation in the country yet the expertise and competence required equals that of many multi-crew setups and other better paid air ambulances. :ugh:

[homonculus]

Surely not what?

Richard stood in when the future was in doubt and in a very short time put his hand in his pocket when I suspect financial advice was to walk away. Since then I have been amazed at how hands off he has been. IMHO there is no room to criticise him on this score

The Trust gains significantly from the helicopter both in terms of salaries and income for treatment. As one of the largest Trusts in the UK it should be able to properly manage the finances of what is just a tiny proportion of its overall business. There should be no charitable status involved in this instance

[cptjim]

Thanks for all the replies!! :ok:

[Bob the Doc]

There are benefits of staying relatively independent. Buying kit is a hell of a lot easier not having to go through the NHS procurement process

[206 jock]

Buying kit? I'm sure it's one reason why, but there are many others why most air ambulances prefer to remain charities.

Just imagine that tomorrow the NHS announced that all air ambulances were henceforth being run with NHS funding - much celebration by the public that finally a wrong has been righted. A year later a highly paid consultant on a performance-related bonus conducts a 'review' of air ambulance funding with a view to reducing costs. His conclusion is that there is absolutely no proof that air ambulances save lives (it's true. There is no proof) and that the NHS can save £xxx billion by reducing the number of cabs to 3 nationally.

Far fetched? Or an inevitable outcome. I know which I believe.

Keep the charitable status.

[Helinut]

Also have a look at the NPAS thread.............

[griffothefog]

I agree, let the government touch anything successful and it will be poisoned and squeezed till it looks like a withered prune :=

Hands off Cameroon and co, power to the people :ok:

[PANews]

This morning I guess Richard B [him with the big wallet] will echo those thoughts about poison.

He struggled hard to get his train set to work properly [and it jumped the points a few times over the years] and it has just been snatched from him by a commercial decision taken by government officials [and since when do government officials ever take commercial decisions!] who have been seen Jerusalem in by an apparently ramped up golden story of growing customer numbers from another company.

Wish them well, I suspect they may need it.