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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| 'We take A&E to the patient' | 'We take A&E to the patient' |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| By Nick Triggle Health reporter, BBC News Advertisement | |
| A look inside an air ambulance with "flying doctor" Derek Hicks | A look inside an air ambulance with "flying doctor" Derek Hicks |
| When it comes to trauma care, speed is of the essence. | When it comes to trauma care, speed is of the essence. |
| And you do not get much quicker than a 145mph flying ambulance. | And you do not get much quicker than a 145mph flying ambulance. |
| The Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance Service can reach any part of the region within 20 minutes. | The Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance Service can reach any part of the region within 20 minutes. |
| And once a patient is stabilised, the crew can transport them to one of London's major trauma centres three times quicker than a road ambulance can. | And once a patient is stabilised, the crew can transport them to one of London's major trauma centres three times quicker than a road ambulance can. |
| But what sets the service apart is that its helicopters are always staffed by doctors - rather than two paramedics as is standard across much of the country. | But what sets the service apart is that its helicopters are always staffed by doctors - rather than two paramedics as is standard across much of the country. |
| Stabbing | Stabbing |
| Emergency care consultant Derek Hicks said: "In the NHS we talk about the 'golden hour'. | Emergency care consultant Derek Hicks said: "In the NHS we talk about the 'golden hour'. |
| "Research shows that survival chances improve dramatically if a trauma patient gets medical attention within 60 minutes of sustaining an injury. | "Research shows that survival chances improve dramatically if a trauma patient gets medical attention within 60 minutes of sustaining an injury. |
| "Well we can do that by taking the emergency department to the patient. | "Well we can do that by taking the emergency department to the patient. |
| "What we are doing is taking a high-skilled team to the scene. We can anaesthetise patients and carry out surgery on the spot if needed and that is a big advantage. | "What we are doing is taking a high-skilled team to the scene. We can anaesthetise patients and carry out surgery on the spot if needed and that is a big advantage. |
| "For example, with a stabbing victim we may need to open up the chest to stem the wound. | "For example, with a stabbing victim we may need to open up the chest to stem the wound. |
| "Interventions like that can make the difference between life and death, between permanent harm and none." | "Interventions like that can make the difference between life and death, between permanent harm and none." |
| If your mother had cancer or your child had leukaemia you would want and expect them to be treated at a specialist hospital. So why should trauma care be any different? Derek Hicks, air ambulance doctor | If your mother had cancer or your child had leukaemia you would want and expect them to be treated at a specialist hospital. So why should trauma care be any different? Derek Hicks, air ambulance doctor |
| The team, which includes five doctors, four pilots and 14 paramedics, receives three calls a day on average. | The team, which includes five doctors, four pilots and 14 paramedics, receives three calls a day on average. |
| These can include everything from serious road crashes and major falls to shootings and stabbings. | These can include everything from serious road crashes and major falls to shootings and stabbings. |
| But as the service is not formally part of the NHS, it relies on raising the £3m-a-year running costs from public donations. | But as the service is not formally part of the NHS, it relies on raising the £3m-a-year running costs from public donations. |
| Super hospitals | Super hospitals |
| And in an era when the NHS is increasingly looking to create regional super hospitals, Mr Hicks said the "flying doctor" model was likely to prove ever more important. | And in an era when the NHS is increasingly looking to create regional super hospitals, Mr Hicks said the "flying doctor" model was likely to prove ever more important. |
| "If your mother had cancer or your child had leukaemia you would want and expect them to be treated at a specialist hospital. | "If your mother had cancer or your child had leukaemia you would want and expect them to be treated at a specialist hospital. |
| "So why should trauma care be any different? That is what the NHS is trying to do but it means in our region we have to take patients to London. | "So why should trauma care be any different? That is what the NHS is trying to do but it means in our region we have to take patients to London. |
| "If we pick someone up in Dover we can get them there in 45 minutes - a similar journey by road would take more than two hours." | "If we pick someone up in Dover we can get them there in 45 minutes - a similar journey by road would take more than two hours." |