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| Hospital opens 'crucial' helipad | Hospital opens 'crucial' helipad |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A helipad goes into operation at Wales's largest hospital today and health managers hope it will cut valuable time in efforts to save lives. | |
| Until now, the Wales Air Ambulance has had to land in a park before casualties could be transferred to the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff. | Until now, the Wales Air Ambulance has had to land in a park before casualties could be transferred to the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff. |
| Health managers say the new landing point will "help avoid critical delays and additional ambulance journeys". | Health managers say the new landing point will "help avoid critical delays and additional ambulance journeys". |
| The helipad has been built above the accident and emergency department. | The helipad has been built above the accident and emergency department. |
| Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust, Wales Air Ambulance and pilots from the helicopter operator Bond Air Services ran test exercises on Friday. | Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust, Wales Air Ambulance and pilots from the helicopter operator Bond Air Services ran test exercises on Friday. |
| Complex process | Complex process |
| Although the £250,000 platform was built in 2006, hospital staff have needed training - including fire safety instruction - to comply with the Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) extensive requirements. | Although the £250,000 platform was built in 2006, hospital staff have needed training - including fire safety instruction - to comply with the Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) extensive requirements. |
| The trust said this was "a complex process that has taken a great deal of planning and comprehensive training for staff". | The trust said this was "a complex process that has taken a great deal of planning and comprehensive training for staff". |
| It is hoped the helipad will help improve responses in the so-called "golden hour" following a 999 trauma incident. | It is hoped the helipad will help improve responses in the so-called "golden hour" following a 999 trauma incident. |
| This improves the chances of recovery by emergency patients by ensuring they get the right care within the first 60 minutes. | This improves the chances of recovery by emergency patients by ensuring they get the right care within the first 60 minutes. |
| An exercise was held on Friday to test the hospital's procedures | An exercise was held on Friday to test the hospital's procedures |
| The air ambulance, based in Swansea, has had to land at parkland near the Cardiff hospital, before patients complete the rest of their journey by road. | The air ambulance, based in Swansea, has had to land at parkland near the Cardiff hospital, before patients complete the rest of their journey by road. |
| Chief executive of Wales Air Ambulance, Angela Hughes, said: "Every second counts in any life-threatening situation. Well placed landing sites and helipads are crucial to our operations." | Chief executive of Wales Air Ambulance, Angela Hughes, said: "Every second counts in any life-threatening situation. Well placed landing sites and helipads are crucial to our operations." |
| Chief executive of Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust, Hugh Ross, said the helipad would play a key role in supporting the hospital's role as a regional trauma centre. | Chief executive of Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust, Hugh Ross, said the helipad would play a key role in supporting the hospital's role as a regional trauma centre. |
| "This is the only facility in Wales which will provide direct and immediate access into the accident and emergency unit for both routine and major trauma incidents," he said. | "This is the only facility in Wales which will provide direct and immediate access into the accident and emergency unit for both routine and major trauma incidents," he said. |
| "This will avoid critical delays and additional ambulance journeys." | "This will avoid critical delays and additional ambulance journeys." |
| The Wales Air Ambulance has three helicopters operating from Swansea, Welshpool and Caernarfon. | The Wales Air Ambulance has three helicopters operating from Swansea, Welshpool and Caernarfon. |
| The charity has run 9,000 missions since launching in 2001. | The charity has run 9,000 missions since launching in 2001. |