EAAA now able to offer blood transfusion on every mission
The charity has improved essential partnerships with local groups to make it possible.
The East Anglian Air Ambulance will now be able to carry blood on every single mission they fly in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire.
The charity has confirmed that following an urgent fundraising appeal, they are now able to carry packed red blood cells and freeze-dried plasma on every mission, which could potentially save lives.
It says blood transfusions ensure that the most gravely injured patients suffering major bleeds have the best chance of getting to hospital through increasing oxygen delivery and clot production.
The project involved raising over £90,000 and creating essential partnerships between two of the region's hospitals, Addenbrooke's and the Norfolk and Norwich, and two volunteer-driven blood biker charities: SERV Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, and the Norfolk Blood Bikes.
Together, these organisations ensure EAAA has a daily supply of the red blood cells needed to help save lives, to each of its operational bases (at Cambridge airport and Norwich airport), every day of the year.
The hospitals are key in sourcing, checking and providing the red blood cells and the blood bike volunteers are essential in getting the blood cells from the respective hospitals to EAAA every evening, and returning any unused blood cells back to the hospital.
Richard Hindson, Head of Operations at EAAA said: "This entire project has been successful thanks to the generosity of the public and the fantastic partnership working between Addenbrooke's, NNUH, SERV Suffolk and Cambridgeshire and Norfolk Blood bikes.
"I'm hugely grateful and really proud to know that going forward we will have two vital blood products available on every mission for the patients where these treatments might be the difference between life and death. It is a privilege to work alongside other charities and hospitals whose main aim is to save lives and achieve the very best outcomes for our patients."
CUH blood transfusion laboratory manager, Katherine Philpott, said: "We are delighted, thanks to the generosity of donors, to be able to prepare and package blood stocks to help EAAA save the lives of people treated at short notice and in difficult conditions. We wish them continued success with this service, which often results in the transportation of patients back to Addenbrooke's for further care."
Cindy Dickerson, Chair of SERV Suffolk and Cambridgeshire (The Bloodrunners) said: "Our volunteers will be supporting our EAAA colleagues by delivering blood products to them every day, enabling them to carry blood on board each time they attend a seriously injured or sick patient. We are absolutely thrilled to be part of this exciting initiative."
Carol Harvey, EPA Network Blood Transfusion Manager, said: "I am really pleased that we are doing this and we are delighted that the team can play such a vital role in helping to save patient lives. There has been a lot of work and paper work that has gone into getting this off the ground, but it is all worthwhile to help save lives. I want to thank the teams at EAAA and NBB for their dedication to ensuring this project is able to take place."
Sean Moore, Chairman of Norfolk Blood Bikes, said: "Norfolk Blood Bikes are proud to be resupplying the EAAA crew based at Norwich. The team at NBB have been very keen to restart the blood on board after the trial finished in December, and hope that our nightly resupply will assist in saving those patients who need it. Our moto is we'll go no matter what, yes that even means that we will still resupply the EAAA in all weathers."