We pride ourselves on having an outstanding Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (known as HEMS). Our team of highly trained doctors, paramedics and pilots use their knowledge and specialist skills to save lives every day.
Our cohort of clinicians include a mixture of Senior Emergency Physicians, Intensive Care Consultants and Anaesthetists, Specialist Paramedics (Critical Care) and a small number of Paramedics and a Nurse who are working towards the ‘Specialist’ qualification. All form part of the air operations crew and as part of their role assist the pilot with navigation and operation of some of the aircraft systems. We aim to provide a Critical Care Team, consisting of at least a Doctor and Specialist Paramedic, for each mission. The doctors are drawn from NHS Hospital Trusts across the region and the paramedics are from the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASfT).
Our aircraft, its pilots and maintenance support are provided by Specialist Aviation Services Ltd. The pilots are carefully selected because Air Ambulance flights are typically more challenging than regular non-emergency flight services. They have a great deal of experience in low level operations and instrument flying.
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