Frimley Park Hospital in the UK county of Surrey has given the go-ahead to a £20M project to build a new Accident & Emergency department including a roof-top helipad.  When completed, this facility will avoid the delays associated with the current arrangement where air ambulances have to land at Kings International College and complete the remaining distance by road.  Vital minutes at this stage can make a significant difference to both survival chances and how full a recovery patients will make.

When Surrey Heath Borough Council granted the hospital planning permission for the project in August, the helipad proved the most controversial issue with neighbours.  HeliHub.com never fails to be amazed by such objections where neighbours fail to see the balance between saving someone’s life and the relatively small number of helicopter movements.  One wonders if they would refuse a helicopter flight if they were involved in a road accident and needed urgent medical treatment.

Frimley Park Hospital is most often served by the Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance, an MD Explorer based at Dunsfold.