Southwark last year was the second highest borough for call outs for London’s two helicopter air ambulances – and now the charity is facing a huge funding gap as they have been unable to fundraising effectively during the pandemic.
The air ambulances, sent to help people in critical need, were called out 76 times in Southwark last year, three fewer than Haringey, with 79 callouts.
Attending a total of 1,494 incidents last year across the entire capital stabbings and shootings made up more than a third, at 529 incidents. Next were road traffic collisions, at 371 incidents, or a quarter of all callouts. There were 330 falls from height that required an air ambulance in 2020. Helicopters also attended 264 other events in London last year, including industrial accidents, rail incidents and drownings.
But the air ambulance charity is facing a £6 million funding shortfall over the next five years, as many of its fundraising events were halted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Both its annual abseiling event, which raised £132,000 in 2019, and the London Marathon, which had been expected to raise about £82,000, were cancelled last year.
“When London calls, our teams are on the front line, racing across the city to reach the capital’s most critically injured patients in need of life-saving care at the scene,” said the charity’s chief executive Jonathan Jenkins. “We need the support of Londoners now more than ever to keep our service flying.”
The air ambulance takes a doctor and a paramedic to each incident and can get to anywhere in London within eleven minutes. Bart’s NHS Trust gives some funding and lends doctors to the service. The helicopters also take off and land from its helipad. The London Ambulance Service provides paramedics and emergency care infrastructure.
Dr Tom Hurst, the London air ambulance service’s medical director, said; “Over 32 years the service has treated over 40,000 patients and we have learnt that trauma never stops. So as a service we were adamant that even during lockdown, it was our duty to make sure we were available to treat patients when their life was on the line. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we remained operational 24/7 for the 10 million people who live and work in London. Many were also helping with the frontline Covid response. Thanks to them when London called, we were able to answer.”
To donate go to: www.londonsairambulance.org.uk/donate