Woodgate to fly patients in Northern Ireland and Isle of Man
Woodgate Aviation is set to begin two multi-million contracts to provide air ambulance services in Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man from 1 April.
Woodgate Aviation is set to begin two multi-million-pound contracts to provide air ambulance services in Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man from 1 April. The business, which is based at Belfast International Airport, Northern Ireland, UK, said it won the contracts in the face of stiff competition. The deals both run for three years, with the ability to extend the services by a further year.
To deliver the services, Woodgate has purchased a second Beechcraft King Air and will have a third aircraft as back-up, the firm said. The Northern Ireland contract is a renewal of service from its purpose-built hangar and will safeguard 19 aeromedical posts, stated Woodgate, while the Isle of Man contract is new service for the firm. The company will operate the Isle of Man flights from both its Ronaldsway Airport hangar on the island and its Belfast facility, offering a vital link for patients who have to receive treatment in hospitals in Great Britain. Around 350 patients make the journey each year, said the company.
Woodgate reported that 2016 was its busiest ever year, seeing it transport 431 patients out of Northern Ireland for specialist treatment not available in local hospitals. In all, 2,500 patients have used the service since Woodgate began operating these air ambulance flights 11 years ago.
Woodgate Aviation general manager David Shaw commented: "It's a major boost for the company to win these two very significant air ambulance contracts, and an endorsement of the quality of the services we provide. We are expanding facilities along with our fleet of aircraft, which will enable us to deliver the most cost-effective, professional and dependable service possible for patients from both the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland.”
Competition for the contracts was intense, said Shaw: “We had to demonstrate competitive pricing and quality of service to get across the line, and it’s clear we were able to satisfy the rigorous scoring criteria.”