New helipad at Bristol Royal Infirmary could save lives (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

New helipad at Bristol Royal Infirmary could save lives

4:49pm Thursday 20th September 2012 in News

A New helipad for air ambulances at Bristol Royal Infirmary which could potentially help save lives is planned following a £500,000 grant from the Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads Appeal.

The helipad, part of a project between HELP and University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, will be ready for use in 2014 and is part of a programme of improvements to Bristol Royal Infirmary.
 

The landing area will be located on the rooftop of the Bristol Royal Infirmary Queen’s Building and will connect directly to the adult emergency department while there will also be a lift linking to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.
 

Professor Jonathan Benger, consultant in emergency medicine at Uiversity Hospitals Bristol, said: “The funding for a new helipad at the hospital could not have come at a better time, as we are currently redeveloping Bristol Royal Infirmary and building an extension to the children’s hospital to accommodate specialist paediatric services moving from Frenchay Hospital in 2014.
 

“A helipad providing quick access to our adult and children’s emergency departments and specialist emergency services will save lives and give our patients, many of whom are children, a much better chance of survival and recovery.”
 

Currently, all airlifted patients brought in by air ambulance, with serious injuries must be released at a safe landing site near the hospital before being moved by road ambulance to Bristol Royal Infirmary or Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.
 

University Hospitals Bristol believe the new helipad will drastically reduce the time that it will take for seriously injured patients to be seen as transfers will no longer be necessary.
 

Work on the new helipad will start in November of this year.
For more information about HELP visit www.helpappeal.co.uk.