Air ambulance says fuel costs will not affect patients

The Midlands Air Ambulance says rising fuel prices will not change its priority of getting life-saving care to patients, even though it is now paying around 60 per cent more for fuel than before the war involving Iran.

The charity's helicopters and critical care cars respond to serious emergencies across a large area, including Birmingham, the Black Country, Coventry, Solihull, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire and Worcestershire.

"Our priority remains unchanged"

Julian Spiers, associate clinical operations director, said: "Despite that, our priority remains unchanged. We're going out to patients to provide the lifesaving pre-hospital care that they need and when they need it."

He said each case was assessed individually to decide the most appropriate response, whether a helicopter or a road vehicle.

The cost of keeping flying

The charity has three helicopters and a fleet of critical care cars, and carries out more than 4,000 missions a year on average. It costs around 20 million pounds a year to keep the service running.

The rise in fuel costs comes as the average price of diesel in the UK passed 2 pounds a litre for the first time last week, according to the RAC. Aviation fuel has also risen sharply since the conflict began at the end of February.

Funded by the public

Like most air ambulances in the UK, the Midlands Air Ambulance is a charity and receives little or no direct Government funding for its day-to-day running costs. It relies on donations, fundraising events, its lottery and its charity shops. The NHS provides the paramedics who work alongside the charity's doctors and pilots.

What the air ambulance does

The air ambulance brings a senior doctor and critical care paramedic to the scene of serious incidents, such as road crashes, falls, cardiac arrests and serious injuries. They can carry out procedures usually only done in hospital, such as giving blood transfusions and anaesthesia, before flying patients to specialist hospitals.

Many patients are taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, the region's major trauma centre for adults, or to Birmingham Children's Hospital, the major trauma centre for children.

Night flying

Air ambulances increasingly fly at night as well as during the day, helped by night vision equipment. Where conditions do not allow helicopters to fly, crews use rapid response cars to reach patients.

How to help

The charity says every donation helps keep its helicopters in the air. People can support it by donating, playing its lottery, shopping in its charity shops or taking part in fundraising events, such as sponsored walks and runs.

Calling for help

Air ambulances are sent by the ambulance service's control room. In an emergency, always call 999, and the ambulance service will decide what help is needed.

Fuel costs across the NHS

Higher fuel prices also affect road ambulances, patient transport services and community health teams who drive to see patients at home, adding to the pressures on NHS budgets this winter.

A charity with deep roots

The Midlands Air Ambulance began flying in 1991 and is one of the oldest and largest air ambulance charities in the country. Its helicopters are based at airfields across the region, and its critical care teams have helped tens of thousands of patients since it was founded.