The HELP Appeal has provided a total of £2,267,000 non-repayable grants in September to hospitals across the United Kingdom, including £700,000 donated to hospitals in Scotland, to assist with the construction of new and upgraded hospital helipads.

In September they contributed towards the construction of new and upgraded emergency landing pads at eight hospitals throughout the UK, including Liverpool, Luton, Leeds, London and Nottingham.

The HELP Appeal (Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads) is run by the County Air Ambulance Trust, and work to identify where helipads or base infrastructure are needed the most and offer assistance throughout the project, such as feasibility studies. As the only charity in the UK providing hospital helipad funding they rely entirely on individual and organisational donations to provide the funding required.

Golden Hour
After an accident, 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.

Robert Bertram, CEO of the HELP Appeal, said: “As the only charity in the UK providing funding for hospital helipads, we are delighted to have been able to provide funding to fifteen hospital projects over the past year. It is something we could not have achieved without the kind donations we receive from individuals and organisations.”

“After a serious accident, an air ambulance can often be the difference between life and death for critical patients. Every second is vital, so to be able to land on a helipad instead of requiring a land transfer will potentially save lives.”