Hospitals: Air Ambulance Services
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of requiring safeguarded 24/7 on-site helipads at a) Major Trauma Centres and b) specialist hospitals that receive emergency air ambulance patients.
Answered by Karin Smyth
The Government recognises the important role that hospital helipads play in supporting the transfer of critically ill patients and accessing specialist services. Responsibility for the provision and management of hospital helipads rests with local National Health Service organisations, working with relevant planning, aviation, and local authority bodies.
The Department continues to work with NHS England, the Civil Aviation Authority, and other partners to consider issues relating to hospital helipad access and resilience. While there are currently no plans to mandate safeguarded 24/7 on-site helipads through national requirements, the Government will keep this position under review in light of emerging evidence and operational requirements.
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