Charity releases 2018 mission data

In a move to educate people and raise awareness of the service’s work, UK-based London’s Air Ambulance Charity has released 2018 mission data that reveals where Londoners are most likely to be critically injured in their city.

The data revealed that Londoners are most likely to need London’s Air Ambulance trauma team in Southwark or Islington on a Saturday in April between 22:00 and 23:00 hrs. The data also showed that the team was dispatched to 1,656 cases and of these, the most common were stabbings and shootings (485 incidents) – though the charity notes that the percentage of these has dropped from 31 per cent in 2017 to 29 per cent in 2018.

When it comes to the ‘other’ category of incidents, this remains the lowest of the four categories but has ‘risen most significantly’ from 16 per cent in 2017 to 22 per cent in 2018. The injuries in this category include people hit by trains, hangings and drownings.

London’s Air Ambulance also revealed that for incidents of road traffic collisions and falls from height, the numbers were 469 and 346 respectively, and that callouts to patients suffering blunt trauma injuries from a fall from height are the lowest in seven years – as are callouts to children.

The top three busiest boroughs were revealed to be Southwark (90 patients treated), Islington (85 patients treated) and Tower Hamlets (82 patients treated).

Dr Gareth Grier, Lead Clinician, said: “These statistics show that every day in London five people of all ages and backgrounds are so critically injured that, without urgent intervention, they could die. Thanks to the generous support of Londoners and our partners Barts Health National Health Service Trust and London Ambulance Service, London’s Air Ambulance can be at the side of these critically injured patients within minutes.”

The charity is now celebrating its 30th year of operation – with the support of His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge, who is Patron of its 30 Years Saving Lives campaign – and asks that people continue to support the charity, allowing it to continue its life-saving work. Jonathan Jenkins, CEO of London’s Air Ambulance Charity, said: “With our annual costs at £10 million, and an ambitious vision to save even more lives, we have never been more reliant on the generosity of London. I urge people to continue to support our charity as we mark 30 Years Saving Lives in the capital. Your help allows us to be there for those who need us most.”

“The service needs to continue to innovate to ensure that we are delivering the most cutting-edge care available,” added Grier. “We are grateful to all of those who support our work and hope that people in London will continue helping us achieve our mission to save more lives. With their help we can make sure we continue to be there for our patients wherever and whenever they need us – and however they have been critically injured.”