Salford Royal’s new trauma hospital – which is set to open in summer 2023 – has just completed a new lifesaving helipad.
The 26.4 metre squared helipad has been labelled a “game changer” by bosses as it will allow the North West Air Ambulance Charity to land directly on site and give patients immediate access to help.
Heather Arrowsmith, chief executive of the North West Air Ambulance Charity, said: “The helipad here at Salford Royal is a real game changer for us.”
Before this new build, helicopters with trauma patients landed in a nearby sports field and were then transported to the emergency department by road ambulance, taking around 20 minutes each journey.
Ms Arrowsmith told the Northern Care Alliance’s YouTube channel: “Landing directly at the helipad at the hospital saves time and time ultimately saves lives.”
The helipad at Salford’s stand-alone trauma hospital is anticipated to take 360 landings each year.
Robert Bertram, chief executive of the HELP appeal charity, said: “The golden hour is the 60 minutes between major trauma and getting somebody to the specialist treatment at the hospital.”
This charity played a vast part in getting the huge helipad built, with a donation of £2million to the cause.
The HELP appeal, which relies solely on charitable donations and says it does not receive any government funding, has helped create several helipads for NHS hospitals. It estimates 22,000 landings have already taken place due to its funds.
The £2m donation to the Salford hospital was welcomed by Dr Eimhear Quinn, an emergency department consultant and air ambulance doctor. She said: “It will have a huge impact on our ability to treat the most seriously injured patients from across the north west.”
The new helipad is a key part to the new £68m stand alone trauma hospital, which will be named the James Potter Building when it opens next summer.
It will have specialist consultants who are trained to deal with the predicted 90% of major trauma patients they will receive via road ambulance or air ambulance service.
The new hospital is part of the government’s health infrastructure plan which has vowed to deliver 48 hospitals across the country by 2030.
As well as the new helipad, the hospital will include a resuscitation area, five emergency theatres, inpatient beds and diagnostic imaging.
