The Air Ambulance Northern Ireland

Public benefits

Public Benefit Northern Ireland has a population of c1.8 million people across an area of approximately 14,000 square kilometres. This places an annual demand of over 154,000 emergency calls to the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service. Of these calls c32% are classified as Category A – life threatening and of these between 5% and 10% will be a

critical injury or illness in nature. There is clearly a need to provide a fully effective and integrated road and air response emergency medical system that meets best patient response standards and outcomes for patients. Our Mission To meet this need through the relief of sickness and injury by the operation of a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) throughout Northern Ireland to deal with trauma, medical and emergency hospital transfers. The objective of the Charity is to fund all aspects of the aircraft including fuel, airbase cost, pilots, pilots equipment and aircraft maintenance and repairs. In addition to the funding of the Charity employees and facilities to operate the Charity and ensure sufficient fund raising to operate the Charity. Northern Ireland is now the only part of the UK not served by a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service. Given the population of NI, between 18 and 50 lives a year will be saved through the operation of a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service. (Dr John Hinds HEMS NI Report) Current Air Ambulance Operations demonstrate significantly better outcomes for patients attended by HEMS. (Dr John Hinds HEMS NI Report).

What your organisation does

Provision of an air ambulance service in Northern Ireland to deal with trauma, medical and emergency hospital transfers.