Air Ambulances which cover Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid Wales today welcomed an upgrade of the helipad at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH).

The upgrade, which will take about seven weeks to complete with work beginning from today (18 August), will allow some of the newer larger air ambulances to land on the site if needed, while the lighting is also being improved.

While the work takes place, a temporary helipad will be used on a field at the end of Somerby Drive, near to the hospital from today for around seven weeks.

Arrangements have been put in place to ensure anyone using the field is given adequate notice and safeguards are in place while the helicopter lands.

Ian Roberts, Acting Air Operations Manager for Midlands Air Ambulance, said: “We are very much in support of the refurbishment works to the helipad site at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. As the new helipad will be lit, it will complement our plans to extend our operating time into the hours of darkness, which we are proposing to start from this winter. This will enable us to deliver the very best patient care to a greater number of people in the region.”

Jason Williams, National Clinical and Operations Manager at Wales Ambulance Service Trust/ Wales Air Ambulance, said: “The development of a new helipad at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital will greatly assist some of the work carried out by the Wales Air Ambulance. Suitable night lit helipads are crucial to the advancement of air ambulance services in the UK and this is a great step forward.”

The upgrade to the helipad at RSH, follows a similar recent upgrade to the helipad at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.

The Midlands Air Ambulance and Wales Air Ambulance are funded by public donations.