Is the hospital helipad becoming a thing of the past ?

[jackjack08]

At the 2006 Confederation of Air Ambulance Services conference www.chasuk.co.uk It was promoted by Sir George Alberti that more night medical inter-hospital transfers should take place nationally .
Professor Sir George Alberti, National Clinical Director for Emergency Access





Professor Sir George Alberti was appointed as the first National Clinical Director for Emergency Access in 2002. He is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Reforming Emergency Care strategy.



With more and more Primary hospital helipads been ripped out and made into car parking or sold for building land,

Is it time the Dept of Health stepped in and stopped it ?

All you HEMS pilot dudes, Your views would be appreciated

[Bertie Thruster]

Nice photo.

[Flaxton Flyer]

On the one hand you read that due to closing of lots of smaller A+E depts. the Air Amulance will need to play a vital role due to the increased distances between the patient and their treatment. On the other hand, as JackJack rightly states, the hospital helipads are being thrown away. Even some new build regional hospitals are not taking the opportunity to incorporate helipads sensibly.

Pinderfields (Wakefield) is one such. Currently has a secondary ambulance transfer. Massive new build, and have they incorporated a helipad at A+E?
Nope, in a field on the outer edge requiring an ambulance transfer.

[Helinut]

I am tempted to think that the NHS managers are happy for someone else (i.e. the public) to pay for a HEMS aircraft, but if they can extend their car park and increase revenue, then hang any benefit of having a helipad direct to A&E etc. It happens so often, it is difficult to come to any other conclusion.

HEMS regularly gets misused by Ambulance Trusts to try and get them to meet their targets (government defined numerical targets that rarely reflect a sensible measure of performance). It is a shame to see public donated funds misused.

[cyclicmick]

Rumour has it that Addenbrookes at Cambridge are in the process of building a night capable helipad in an adjacent field, which will be an improvement on the 10 minute ambulance transfer from the Gogs.

[jackjack08]

Thanks for your comments !!

CYCLICMICK

Comment ; night capable helipad

Do you think there would have to be further night ops training for the HEMS aircrew ? (Ie the paramedics and docs)

[SASless]

Now it is a funny thing that a hospital with a helipad does not have a helicopter BASED there. In the USA, hosptials use the helicopter service as a way of increasing revenue. They do that by being able to bring more patients into the hospital for medical care and not by the revenue the helicopter produces. At most hosptials the charges for the helicopter service only miitgate the loss incurred operating the helicopter service and is made up inside the hospital for charges for medical care, rehabilitation, and other theraputic services.

But then we are a "for profit health care system" in general.

[Fortyodd2]

The "new" Derby City Hospital has a fantastic, beautifully constructed, night capable rooftop pad with all the bells and whistles. What it does not have - until July 2008 - is an A & E department!! But at least someone decided to put it in right from the outset and not as an afterthought. Well done to the person in charge.

[206 jock]

Rumour has it that Addenbrookes at Cambridge are in the process of building a night capable helipad in an adjacent field, which will be an improvement on the 10 minute ambulance transfer from the Gogs.

I believe this to be true, although I also believe that this build is being financed by the East Anglian Air Ambulance charity.

Another rumour is that Addenbrookes will be the 'Super A&E' for Cambs, most of Herts and of Essex. So helos will be even more important in getting patients to hospital in 'the golden hour'.