The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance has been scrambled to an emergency incident at Shide on the outskirts of Newport this morning (Thursday).
Paramedics from the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service (IOWAS) are on scene at Copse Lane, off Marvel Lane, where they have been joined by flying doctors from the Thruxton-based air ambulance.
Ambulance crews responded up Watergate Road shortly before 10:00, just before the air ambulance started circling in the skies above. An ambulance and operational commander remain on scene.
Having found a safe location to land, the green and yellow helicopter has touched down as close as possible to the casualty.
UPDATE @ 11:07 – The Isle of Wight Ambulance Service has conveyed the casualty to St Mary’s Hospital, accompanied by the air ambulance doctors.
The air ambulance itself has lifted off and has relocated to the helipad at St Mary’s.
UPDATE @ 11:34 – The air ambulance has flown from St Mary’s to Southampton General Hospital.
St Mary’s just down the road, why use an helicopter from the mainland??
You do realise there is more one incident at a time that Helicopters are required at. Multitude of reasons why Thruxton attend. For example, local helicopter committed on another medical emergency or out of service or pilot availability.
That makes sense…
because they have trauma doctors on board – maybe the patient needed sedating or stabilising before being moved.
The Isle of Wight does not have its own Helicopter, we share with Hampshire.
But, if you read the article, the air ambulance was bought in because the ambulance service requested assistance from doctors – so perhaps the patient was not stable enough to move without an assessment from doctors. The air ambulance would have then touched down at St Mary’s to hand over information to the A&E department with paramedics.
Sometimes you may question why the air ambulance was called if they don’t convey the patient, but, actually it’s about accurate assessment and intervention to ensure the patient is stable and does not need a higher level of care that our hospital cannot provide, I.e. major trauma.
Hope the person involved is OK, worrying time for family and friends.
Best wishes to all involved…
Thank goodness for air ambulance and all staff ..