Air ambulance.

[mustang51]

I dont know if this has already been mentioned on the forum somewhere else but confirmed tonight aircraft will be based at the maze prison site.

Northern Ireland Air ambulance to be based at Maze site - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-38008383

[Sneaky_Nikon]

Well, they had to do something with it....

Edit:- Both the BT and the Irish News are rather less certain about the result.

[mustang51]

Im reading and hearing that egaa still in with a shout so seems like the bbc may have jumped the gun on this.

[The Gaffer]

It appears that the fees to operate from BFS are a significant consideration in deciding not to go there?

The Maze also offers better rapid access to the road network for the specialist crew to respond when the aircraft can't fly for weather etc reasons!

Interestingly, neither NIAS or the AANI official feeds are confirming the story?

[Dr Draken]

Hopefully they won't need rapid road access when the Balmoral show is on 

[Merlin]

It appears that the fees to operate from BFS are a significant consideration in deciding not to go there?

The Maze also offers better rapid access to the road network for the specialist crew to respond when the aircraft can't fly for weather etc reasons!

Interestingly, neither NIAS or the AANI official feeds are confirming the story?

I'll be honest this did surprise me when it was announced. Long Kesh was way down my list of possible sites, but then I assumed they'd base the service at an airfield/airport.

I'm not sure about rapid road access though. Granted Lagan Valley is only a few minutes away but there is only one road to & from the Balmoral site. There were plans to add a link from the M1 to the site. Not sure if this is still planned.

The article refers to plans to convert a building previously used to check vehicles. I think it might be this one which would put it just inside the main gate.

[rookie]

As somebody mentioned in another post why can't they consider the hangers the mod are selling of in ards?

[Angry Turnip]

The Maze site does seem a peculiar choice of base for the helicopter.
Surely an airfield site would be a much better option with all the infastructure required already in place,ie hangers,fuel,ATC etc.
Road access to the Maze site isn`t great especially during Balmoral Show times,is the Maze site still secure?

[Jimi182]

It appears that the fees to operate from BFS are a significant consideration in deciding not to go there?

The Maze also offers better rapid access to the road network for the specialist crew to respond when the aircraft can't fly for weather etc reasons!

Interestingly, neither NIAS or the AANI official feeds are confirming the story?

I know someone that works for NIAS and they said no one from the air ambulance or otherwise has been in contact at any stage about the whole thing! Typical 

[The Gaffer]

The AANI charity are responsible for all aspects of the aviation side of this project and have to demonstrate that they can sustain it in the future so they will be balancing all cost aspects against the other considerations?  It is rumoured that the fees at BFS were a big factor?

The balmoral show traffic problems, while very significant, are only 4 days per year and in spring when there is a possibility(!) that weather problems are less likely in NI???   (Yes I did write that lol)

Don't know about the progress (or otherwise) with the road link to motorway from maze site but this can only increase the pressure to get it sorted?  Remember the motorway slip road saga at Antrim Hospital?

[breney]

As somebody mentioned in another post why can't they consider the hangers the mod are selling of in ards?

A HEMS would need to be able to respond quickly. I.e a central location. Ards is right out on the east coast, would disadvantage those in the west. Maze is actually quite central - the ambulance rapid response etc... Is based just over the road at spruce field

[Tango Tango Fanta]

The real reason they are using the Maze is because the giant "H" is already marked out

[Paultojo]

 

[casper]

Okay I'm going to ask a really stupid question - why have so many of you questioned or mentioned road access to the Maze site? Why is that a factor? Surely if the helicopter is based there it will respond to a call out, fly to the accident/incident, deliver the patient to the nearest suitable hospital and then return to the Maze. Confused

[Tango Tango Fanta]

 

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[The Gaffer]

Hi Casper, the road access is important so the specialist doctor & paramedic can still respond to an incident when on duty if the helicopter can't operate for weather, daylight, technical etc reasons.

The key life saving element of this is getting those skills to a patient in a timely fashion, the return flight to hospital is secondary and not even always done if aircraft is available as once stabilised at scene, some patients may need road transport to a closer hospital?

That's why it's so important to get the crew right at this stage

p.s. There is no such thing as a stupid question . . . . . .

[casper]

Thanks Gaffer. But surely if the helicopter can't operate, for whatever reason, the closest asset to the incident would be used. If the incident was 40 miles away and the helicopter couldn't make it then the closest hospital/ambulance base is going to dispatch assets? Not being awkward just trying to understand the need for the roads for an aerial asset.

[The Gaffer]

The closest road assets will also always go.

There are some conditions where the skills of a specialist doctor are essential and life saving, those patients currently die enroute to hospital as those skills are not available.

Bringing the skills to the patient is key, the sooner the better thus helicopter when possible, but the road response of that team is the next best option.

Severe head injury, severe blood loss, specialist pain relief and sedation to prevent further injury are some of the key issues only a specialist doctor can address.  Many such patients are trapped at scene so there is often time to get the resources there.

It's not awkward, there is a common misunderstanding that all a patient needs is a rapid move to hospital, often perpetuated by poor PR and the media.  Modern medicine brings the treatment to the scene to save life and stabilise before going to hospital.

[Angry Turnip]

Okay I'm going to ask a really stupid question - why have so many of you questioned or mentioned road access to the Maze site? Why is that a factor? Surely if the helicopter is based there it will respond to a call out, fly to the accident/incident, deliver the patient to the nearest suitable hospital and then return to the Maze. Confused

For my part I wasn`t sure if the HEMS copter site would be manned 24/7,that`s why I mentioned road access,I see what you mean now.

[Skyscout]

Indeed I must agree that bringing the appropriate skills to the patient is the way forward in pre hospital care.
However to suggest that there is currently no specialist doctors skills available is inaccurate.
BASICS Doctors are on call throughout Northern Ireland. They can be tasked to calls by the ambulance service or by Paramedics at the scene. For example at an RTC with an entrapment or serious trauma call. These highly skilled clinicians can sedate patients, administer specialist pain relief amongst a plethora of other skills. They often will accompany the patient enroute where the need arises.
For me the road access is already covered. Being able to fly the appropriate skills to the scene will massively reduce the time to patient this will be a game changer and ultimately save life.

[The Gaffer]

Sorry I wasn't trying to suggest there are not BASICS doctors available currently, I am good friends with several and know the skills they bring, BUT they operate on an ad hoc voluntary capacity and so are not always available in any given area or at all times. 

As an example, I attended the first HEMS consultation approximately a year ago, the night a car hit several pedestrians in the Boucher area of Belfast, and when that call came in, there were several BASICS pagers going off in the Ballymena venue!

A HEMS doctor, very likely drawn from their ranks, will be rostered on duty and therefore known to be available when the call comes in.

I was trying to explain why there will be a need for a road based response option in reply to the question posed, it will always be preferable to fly to the scene for speed of deployment, but NI weather and aviation safety will always be an issue and so the good road access from the base is a vital consideration.

The HEMS is one vital cog in a bigger system but won't operate in isolation

[Merlin]

Seems that there are concerns the service will not have a doctor onboard and instead only carry paramedics.

BBC News Article

[Angry Turnip]

Oh dear,I hope this doesn`t turn into yet another gurning match.

[The Gaffer]

AIR AMBULANCE NI DELIGHTED HELICOPTER EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE APPROVED

Air Ambulance Northern Ireland (AANI) is delighted that the Minister for Health, Michelle O'Neill, has approved Northern Ireland’s first ever Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS).

The primary helicopter will be based at Maze Long Kesh, following an announcement by First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness on November 17th, 2016, making land available.  A secondary helicopter will be based at St. Angelo Airport, Enniskillen. 

The primary helicopter will provide the main service while the secondary helicopter will be kept on stand-by to ensure minimum down time. The service will be Doctor-led and operate seven days a week for up to 12 hours a day during daylight hours.

Ian Crowe, Chairman of AANI, said:

“We’re delighted the Minister has approved Northern Ireland’s first HEMS service. The service will bring us into line with other regions in the UK and Ireland, and may save between 18 to 50 lives every year.  AANI is continuing to work with our partners in Health and Social Care and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, and we expect to commence this lifesaving service within the coming months.

“The support we’ve received from the public and local businesses has been fantastic, and I want to take this opportunity to say thank you and encourage others to get involved.  Annual running costs for the service will be £2m and we are relying on the generosity of local people to help us raise these funds.”

Ray Foran, AANI Trustee, added:

“The EC135 Airbus helicopters and pilots will be supplied by Babcock Mission Critical Services, the leading provider of HEMS across the UK. Operating from more than 20 bases Babcock responds to hundreds of emergency calls every week. The medical staff and equipment will be provided and funded by Health and Social Care services.”

[Merlin]

A secondary helicopter will be based at St. Angelo Airport, Enniskillen. 

That doesn't sound suspicious at all