Saving Lives Helipad Appeal

Following the recent announcement about the plans to redevelop Queen’s Medical Centre over the next two years, Nottingham Hospitals Charity is launching an appeal to raise £3m to build an on-site helipad at the hospital.

QMC took on the important responsibility as the East Midlands region’s major trauma centre in 2012, where the best talent and expertise has already saved the lives of 115 people who would not have been expected to survive due to their serious injuries. The team wants to transfer seriously injured people as quickly as possible to them, but currently, there is no helipad on-site at QMC. This means the air ambulance lands nearby at the University. Patients are then transferred to an ambulance and brought to QMC’s Emergency Department, which can take up to twenty minutes. Having an on-site helipad will reduce this journey time to less than 5 minutes.

Adam Brooks, Director of the East Midlands Major Trauma Centre, said: “Our world-class, expert team in Nottingham has saved the lives of over one hundred patients who wouldn’t otherwise have survived, since we became the region’s Major Trauma Centre in 2012. An on-site helipad will ensure our most seriously injured patients, particularly those from remote areas, are transported to our Emergency Department even faster, giving them the very best chance of survival”

The first 60 minutes following a severe injury is known as the ‘golden hour’ and is critical to favourable clinical outcomes. Fast access to treatment is vital to give patients a fighting chance.

Nottingham Hospitals Charity is asking the public to help save a life by supporting the appeal; the building of the helipad is entirely reliant on charitable donations.

The Charity is challenging people from across the East Midlands to raise money for the helipad at QMC through the ‘Get going for the golden hour: what will you do?’ fundraising initiative.

Barbara Cathcart, Nottingham Hospitals Charity Chief Executive, said: “The idea is that people can support the appeal and help save more lives by doing something challenging for just 60 minutes, or by giving something up for 60 minutes. They can choose their own challenge: active or otherwise; and ask friends, family and colleagues to sponsor them.”

Barbara is taking part in a challenge of her own: “I will be doing a mini triathlon in 60 minutes: swimming, running and cycling. I want to get going for the ‘golden hour’. Anyone in my family might need the helipad one day.”

Nottingham Hospitals Charity’s Saving Lives Helipad Appeal will ensure that more patients are treated within the critical ‘golden hour’.

When the £3m target is reached, the helipad will form part of the major redevelopment of QMC between 2014 and 2016, which will provide a new medical research facility (Medipark), new tram and associated tram stop and a new multi-storey car park, with a helipad located on top of the car park building.

You can find out more about ways to support the Saving Lives Helipad Appeal by contacting Nottingham Hospital Charity on 0115 9627905, visiting their website www.nottinghamhospitalscharity.org.uk or following them on Twitter @NUHCharity #savetimeandlives