Training boost Wiltshire Air Ambulance running costs

Wiltshire Air Ambulance has revealed that its running costs have risen by about £500,000 to £3.75 million this year, mainly due to training costs for paramedics.

The increase in costs, mainly due to the increasing cost burden in staffing from the NHS, includes advanced training and masters degrees in critical care for the paramedics, as well as the ever-growing expense linked to the vast array of specialist medicines and painkilling drugs being administered by paramedics during emergencies.

Not funded by the government, the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS), which has been operating since 1990, relies on donations, and, in light of the latest figures, David Philpott, chief executive of Wiltshire Air Ambulance, has urged for donations.

Alongside the cost rise, the charity has also witnessed a 26 per cent increase in missions undertaken, with the charity’s helicopter and Rapid Response Vehicles (cars) being called to 1,103 incidents across Wiltshire and surrounding counties during 2018, a rise by 228 from 2017.

Philpott said: “The support we receive from the people of Wiltshire and beyond is truly outstanding and as a result of their donations, our highly trained aircrew are able to continue to save lives. It is a fact of life that costs rise and for Wiltshire Air Ambulance this will be 15 per cent this year. This is not an inconsiderable increase, but we hope people will understand and support us in our mission to carry on providing gold standard medical care to people who are critically ill or injured.

“No-one knows if they will ever need Wiltshire Air Ambulance but it’s reassuring to know that our aircrew, with their specialist skills, are able to respond to incidents such as cardiac arrests, road traffic collisions, strokes and sporting injuries.”