Royal Preston Hospital secures £720,000 for lifesaving helipad upgrade
This investment aims to enhance patient safety and ensure faster, more reliable emergency access for years to come
Royal Preston Hospital in Lancashire, northern England, will begin a major refurbishment of its on-site helipad, thanks to a £720,000 donation from the HELP Appeal.
The current helipad, which no longer meets modern legislative requirements, will be closed to allow the installation of a brand-new landing surface, helipad lighting, safety fencing, barriers, signage, drainage, and a weather station.
The HELP Appeal, a UK charity that funds hospital and air ambulance base helipads, has provided the full £720,000 required.
A temporary air ambulance landing site has been arranged at Fulwood Barracks in Preston to ensure patients can continue to be transported safely during the works.
Robert Bertram, Chief Executive of the HELP Appeal, said: “This new replacement state-of-the-art helipad will ensure that critically ill and injured patients can be transferred directly to hospital safely and quickly, day or night. It replaces the old and worn-out helipad and will support the incredible work of air ambulance crews and NHS staff, and, ultimately, help save lives.”
The total amount the HELP Appeal has donated to the Royal Preston Hospital now stands at £875,000.
The HELP Appeal recently donated £600,000 for a new helipad at Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital.
Chloe Fox
Chloe Fox is an Senior Editorial Assistant for Voyageur Group, joining in 2024. She writes for AirMed&Rescue and ITIJ, covering a range of topics including international travel and health insurance, medical assistance provision, and air medical transportation. Chloe holds a BA (Hons) in English and an MA in English Literature from the University of Bristol.