Wiltshire Air Ambulance reaches target to fund flying doctor
The charity's been thanking supporters for their help
Wiltshire's Air Ambulance has raised enough cash to fund a flying doctor for the service for a whole year.
The charity's been taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge, where donations made are doubled.
They were hoping to raise £30,190 in just a week to keep Doctor Jonathan Holme working with them.
Jonathan began volunteering with Wiltshire Air Ambulance in April 2021.
The funding means he can continue doing two shifts a month there, as well as his regular job as an A&E doctor at the Royal United Hospital in Bath:
“By having doctors on board, Wiltshire Air Ambulance is offering additional skills and experience of working in an emergency resuscitation room and bringing that treatment about half an hour earlier to the patient.
“We can anesthetise the patient at the scene and understand the next stages of patient case in a hospital setting, ensuring we take the patient to the correct onward point.
“It’s a real privilege to work at the cutting edge of critical care with such a highly skilled team making a huge difference across the region. I can’t think of anything else I’d want to do more.”
Ben Abbott, air operations officer and critical care paramedic at Wiltshire Air Ambulance, said:
“Our critical care paramedics are very highly trained. However, some of the most complex emergency interventions at the scene now require a doctor to be present. These interventions can significantly improve outcomes. By flying with a doctor we can bring these vital top level skills to our patients.”