Air Ambulance Week 2023 begins

Air Ambulance Week 2023 has taken off across the UK, running from 4–10 September this year.

Air ambulances across the country are marking the week by promoting their lifesaving work. The charities are also raising awareness and funds for their operations, enabling them to continue saving people’s lives.

The event also highlights that anyone, anywhere can become a patient at any time. Air ambulance charities collectively make over 37,000 missions each year across the UK. There are 37 air ambulance helicopters in the country operated by 21 air ambulance charities, providing pre-hospital care support to the National Health Service (NHS) and forming an important part of the frontline emergency services.

Air ambulance crews bring the Emergency Department to patients who have suffered a life-threatening or life-changing trauma or medical emergency, providing specialist critical care to save lives. On average, an air ambulance can reach someone in urgent need within 15 minutes.

The UK’s 21 air ambulance charities receive no day-to-day government funding and depend almost entirely on charitable donations to deliver their care. Each mission by air costs on average £3,962, so fundraising efforts are vital to continue operations.

Simmy Akhtar, Air Ambulances UK’s CEO, said: “Air Ambulance Week is an important reminder of the vital work of air ambulance charities across the UK. Each day, air ambulance charities are collectively dispatched daily to over 102 lifesaving missions and each mission is funded almost entirely by the generosity of our local communities. The generosity of individuals and organizations make all the difference. It is your donations and support that enable air ambulance charities to continue to deliver advanced pre-hospital care to people with a sudden life-threatening injury or medical illness.

“By supporting Air Ambulances UK and your local air ambulance, you are directly impacting lives and improving patient outcomes. Your compassion and generosity play a crucial role in sustaining the invaluable service we provide to our communities.”