Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance has responded to some 2,000 emergency missions so far this year.
The charity’s doctors, dispatchers, pilots and paramedics respond to an average of seven critically ill and injured patients every day, bringing hospital-level treatment directly to patients at the scene.
Cardiac arrests, road traffic collisions and severe medical emergencies are the most frequent mission type the crews see on a day-to-day basis, however the charity reveals this year there has been a rise in response to assaults and intentional self-harm incidents across the region.
Of those 2,000 dispatches, 40 blood transfusions were administered and almost 200 pre-hospital emergency anaesthetics were performed (patients who were put into an induced coma). This can be done by a helicopter emergency medical services team to take over a patient’s breathing or to protect vital organs from further damage.
Southampton, Portsmouth, Eastleigh, Andover, Basingstoke, Fareham, Havant, the Isle of Wight and Winchester were the most frequently called to areas.
July 2025 was the busiest month on record for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, with 274 dispatches logged.
Current projections reveal the charity is on course to surpass 2024’s record number of dispatches (2,544). Since its first flight in 2007, the air ambulance service has responded to more than 22,000 emergencies by air and road.
Richard Corbett, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance CEO, said:
“Each year our dedicated teams deliver exceptionally high levels of care to desperately ill and severely injured patients across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The ever-increasing demand on our service means more patients have hope of making it back to their friends and families in the best possible state.”
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Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance is currently raising money towards its Operation Airbase appeal – a £3.6 million campaign to relocate its airbase and charity headquarters to a site near Southampton Airport. The move will dramatically improve response times for the majority of patients throughout the region. Currently, £2.27 million has been raised.
Visit www.hiowaa.org for more information.
