More than 56,000 missions completed since first flight in 2001
THE WALES Air Ambulance is celebrating 25 years of delivering critical care across the country, marking a major milestone for the charity and the communities who continue to support it.
Formed on St David’s Day in 2001, the service began as a paramedic-led operation running a single helicopter five days a week. A quarter of a century later, it has developed into one of the UK’s most advanced air ambulance services.
Now consultant-led, with four helicopters and a fleet of rapid response vehicles, the charity delivers 24/7, hospital-standard treatment wherever it is needed in Wales. Often described as a mobile emergency department, the service has carried out more than 56,000 missions since its first flight.
Dr Sue Barnes, Chief Executive of the charity, said the anniversary was an opportunity to reflect and give thanks.
“Wales Air Ambulance was created by the people of Wales, for the people of Wales. You are a big part of this Welsh success story, helping us grow into the world-class service it is today,” she said.
“It costs £13 million each year to keep our helicopters in the sky and rapid response vehicles on the road. We cannot do what we do without your generosity and kindness.”
She added that the silver anniversary would be marked throughout the year, while also looking ahead to the future.
“Our silver anniversary deserves a moment of reflection, but equally it is an opportunity to look forward. We have a duty to the people of Wales to improve our service and ensure its security for future generations.”
From one aircraft to a national 24/7 service
Mark Winter, Operations Director for the charity’s medical partner, the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS), was a medic on the very first mission in 2001.
“There have been many milestone moments during the past 25 years,” he said. “Being on the first aircraft to take off, and the camaraderie among the first crew to make it work, is among my highlights.
“If anyone had said at the launch event that in 25 years we would have four aircraft covering the whole of Wales, working overnight with the most advanced interventions, I wouldn’t have believed them.”
The service operates through a unique partnership between the third sector and the public sector. The charity raises the £13 million required annually through public donations, fundraising, its lifesaving lottery and retail shops, while EMRTS provides highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners to work on board the aircraft and vehicles.
Advanced treatments delivered at the scene include administering anaesthesia, performing blood transfusions and carrying out minor surgical procedures before patients are transferred directly to the most appropriate hospital.
A lifesaving difference for patients
Lead Consultant Dr Ami Jones, who was awarded an MBE in 2017 for her contribution to military and civilian pre-hospital critical care, has worked with the service for more than a decade.
“As a doctor, you often treat one patient at a time,” she said. “But being part of the team that helped develop the consultant-led service in 2015 was a great privilege.
“You touch every single patient via your colleagues because if the service had not been put in place, no one would be receiving the care.”
For past patient Joanna Hicks, the service made the ultimate difference. She was on holiday in Pembrokeshire when she was caught in a rip current while swimming at Newgale Beach.
Given just a one per cent chance of survival after being rescued, she spent 10 days fighting for her life in hospital.
“I cannot thank these amazing, truly impressive people enough,” she said. “Without the Wales Air Ambulance, I really would not be here today to tell the tale.”
As the charity celebrates 25 years in service, it says the continued backing of communities across Wales will be vital to ensuring it can keep saving lives for decades to come.
