Hospital in Fukuoka Prefecture opens new helipad

The helipad, built on the site of the hospital’s former car park, will provide air ambulance helicopters with better and more direct access to the hospital’s emergency facilities.

It was opened on 1 September, at a ceremony attended by officials from local air ambulance and firefighting providers.

Akira Taketomi, the Administrator of Iizuka City Hospital, speaking to Japanese national broadcaster NHK, said: “In the event of a disaster, we will be able to transport patients, and accept doctors and supplies, without being affected by traffic jams or disruptions on the road, which we believe will lead to the enhancement of regional medical care.”

Good helicopter landing sites at hospitals are vitally important to ensure that patients receive timely access to emergency care. In Wales, plans for two new helipads at the Gwynedd Hospital in Bangor were recently approved by the local council’s planning committee.