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New helipad

The Duke of York launches new HELP Appeal funded helipad

HELP Appeal Press Release | September 29, 2016

Estimated reading time 3 minutes, 16 seconds.

HRH the Duke of York has officially launched the opening of a new HELP Appeal funded state-of-the-art helipad, at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield, England.

New helipad
The state-of-the-art helipad at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield, England is now fully operational and can accept major trauma patients from across the region. HELP Appeal Photo

The £2 million (approx. US$2.6 million) site is now fully operational and can accept major trauma patients from across the region, with funding over £1 million from the HELP Appeal — the only charity in the country dedicated to delivering helicopter landing pads at all major trauma centers and key accident and emergency hospitals across England and Scotland.

The new site will save many lives, as patients will be air lifted directly outside and transferred into the accident emergency department within minutes. This will save valuable time and save lives.

The site will serve approximately 1.8 million people across four counties, covering South Yorkshire, parts of the Humber, Derbyshire and the East Midlands. It is this funding and the generosity of local people and businesses that have helped to raise the total cost to build the life-saving facility.

Since it opened four months ago, the helipad has already provided lifesaving treatment to 45 patients from across South Yorkshire who were brought into the major trauma center at the Northern General Hospital. The major trauma center is one of only 26 specialist centers in the country and treats around 1,200 patients each year, 500 of which have life-threatening injuries.

“When a critical injury or accident takes place, every second is vital in getting the patient to the often life-saving treatment that they require,” said Robert Bertram, chief executive of the HELP Appeal. “With this new onsite helipad right outside the ED [emergency department] in Sheffield, patients from across the South Yorkshire, Humber, Derbyshire and East Midland regions will receive the immediate and specialist attention required at those critical moments. Air ambulances will now have direct access to the hospital’s emergency department, significantly reducing transfer times, thus saving lives that can be lost through secondary road transfer.

“We provide the funding of helipads nationally because every second of every minute counts for serious accidents or medical emergencies,” continued Bertram. “It is the kind donations and support received from the public, and local businesses and organizations that really help to make this a reality; without whom we could not support these hospitals and help to provide immediate attention that will save many lives.”

Since 2009 the HELP Appeal has identified and helped to fund state-of-the-art new helipads or upgrade existing infrastructure at 14 major trauma centers and accident and emergency hospitals across the U.K. The HELP Appeal works directly with each hospital to drive the project, providing substantial grants assistance throughout the project including feasibility studies right through to launch.

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