The region’s air ambulance charities have welcomed planning permission for a 24/7 helipad at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. 

East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA), Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) and Magpas Air Ambulance currently have use of a temporary helipad at Addenbrooke’s Hospital

A recent planning application was submitted and approved by the Local Authority to extend the permitted hours of use from 7am-9pm to a 24/7 basis.

This will ensure that patients can be transported quickly to emergency care facilities during these extended periods.

The 24/7 helipad at Addenbrooke’s, which became operational from 20 May, is a positive step for patients transferred by the air ambulance charities.

It will reduce the need and time for additional transfers by land ambulance, ensuring critically injured and unwell patients from anywhere in the region can receive faster treatment from the Major Trauma Centre.

EAAA has been flying 24/7 from its Norwich base for almost three years.

In the last 12 months, as well as seeing a six per cent increase in daytime taskings, the charity, which has a base in Cambridge, has been significantly busier at night, with a 17 per cent increase in callouts.

Alan Ward, aviation advisor at EAAA says: “We have been really pleased to work in partnership with Addenbrooke’s on the development of a 24/7 helipad, which will have a notable positive impact on patient outcomes in our region.

"The current location requires a secondary ambulance transfer to A&E or Papworth. The helipad time restrictions also require secondary ambulance land transfers if, for instance, the patient is landed at Cambridge Airport.”

He added: “East Anglian Air Ambulance has been operating 24/7 since June 2021, so this progress towards a 24/7 helipad to reduce time and secondary transfers at Addenbrooke’s is significant in giving everyone the best chance of surviving and recovering from a life-threatening emergency.”  

Natalie Church, director of operations at Magpas Air Ambulance, said: “At Magpas Air Ambulance, we believe that every hospital should have a permanent, immediately accessible helipad, particularly the major trauma centres in any region, that is available 24/7, just as many air ambulance charities are.

“We’re pleased Addenbrooke’s has made a great step towards this and will continue to work collaboratively with the other air ambulance services in the East of England to ensure all hospitals in the region prioritise a helipad in their building’s infrastructure plans.”