UK National Health Service trust adds air ambulance option
A UK National Health Service (NHS) trust – NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly – has added a helicopter option to residents needing urgent healthcare on the mainland.
Responding to islanders’ requests, NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board (ICB) has commissioned Penzance Helicopters for the Patient Transport Service, which is operated by Health Transportation Group UK (HTG UK). This will now offer helicopter flights for treatment alongside Skybus and the Scillonian ferry.
NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB acting chief executive Susan Bracefield said: “This is great news for islanders, and I’m delighted that we have been able to add the helicopter as a travel option for appropriate healthcare appointments, which meet the relevant criteria. This additional mode of travel will help make journeys simpler, more reliable and less disruptive for those who need to attend hospital appointments or access specialist medical care.”
Robert Francis, chairman of the Council of the Isles of Scilly, said “The council welcomes the addition of the Helicopter as another option for islanders to use in accessing crucial health services on the mainland. This will help deliver a more robust service and reduce the worry for those who live on the Islands, often at a time when they are facing a period of concern and anxiety.”
Catherine Fuller from Healthwatch Isles of Scilly said: “We are so pleased to hear that the voices of our local community have been heard, and access to medical services on the mainland will now be even more accessible and reliable to those most in need. We would like to thank all services involved in making this happen.”
Naomi Page, contract manager from Health Transportation Group UK, said: “By working closely with NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly and Penzance Helicopters, we’re ensuring that patients can travel for medical care in a way that is timely, coordinated, and responsive to their needs.”
Penzance Helicopters operates Sikorsky S-76 helicopters for its scheduled service to the Isles of Scilly and also operates a Leonardo AW139.
