This week, the HELP Appeal, the only charity in the U.K. to fund the infrastructure for hospital helipads, has donated the final instalment of £350,000 (approx. US$444,000), of its £1 million (approx. US$1.2 million) pledge to the state-of-the-art helipad at Northern General Hospital, in Sheffield – serving approximately 1.8 million trauma patients in the North East, which opened in September this year.
This final instalment was provided by the HELP Appeal, a charity that identifies where helipads are needed the most all over the country.
As the only charity in the U.K. dedicated to hospital helipads, the HELP Appeal relies entirely on individual and organizational donations to provide the funding required to delivering helicopter landing pads at major trauma centers (MTCs) and key accident and emergency hospitals across England and Scotland.
Golden Hour
When an accident occurs, the first 60 minutes are vital. Known as the ‘Golden Hour’, if a trauma patient receives medical attention in these 60 minutes their chances of survival increase significantly. Helicopter helipads reduce transfer time and ensure critical patients receive the immediate and specialist medical attention they need.
“We understand the incredible value of these helipads, and it is a great honor to help fund another helipad to ensure critical patients are given the immediate and best possible care needed,” said Robert Bertram, chief executive of the HELP Appeal. “It is the kind donations and support received from the public and local businesses that really help to make this a reality. We will continue our support to hospitals across the U.K. with this essential funding as we enter into 2017.”
Since 2009, the HELP Appeal has identified and helped to fund state-of-the-art helipads or upgrade existing infrastructure at 14 MTCs 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.
