Dismore attends Air Ambulance presentation
Andrew Dismore, Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden joined politicians from across London to pledge support for London’s Air Ambulance, the charity that delivers a 24/7 advanced trauma team to critically injured people.
MPs, peers and GLA members gathered in Parliament on Tuesday to congratulate the charity on winning the Pride of Britain Emergency Services award
Advanced trauma doctors and paramedics also attended and set up medical demonstrations so guests could try out life-saving medical treatment on realistic dummies.
Politicians were also able to meet the helicopter pilots, fire crew and former patients at the event, hosted by London MPs Rushanara Ali (Labour) and Boris Johnson (Conservative) – key supporters of the charity.
Welcoming guests to the event Rushanara Ali said:
“It’s wonderful to celebrate the tireless work London’s Air Ambulance does to support people across our city”
Rushanara explained to the guests that London’s Air Ambulance had been named winner at this year’s Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards, which were broadcast on ITV on Tuesday night. The charity was recognised for its use of a ground-breaking procedure on patient Vicky– known as REBOA (Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta) – to prevent patients from bleeding to death after major trauma. She introduced a video showing the procedure being performed on Vicky, her constituent, who also attended the reception.
Dr Anne Weaver, Emeritus Doctor with London’s Air Ambulance then spoke to the room of over 100 guests to explain why the charity plays such a crucial role, and what politicians can do to support;
“Trauma is the biggest killer in under 45s, even in children. So we deliver the hospital to the roadside, to our patients, when they need it most. We work alongside our NHS partners, Barts Health Trust and the London Ambulance Service to improve the outcome for so many people whose deaths are preventable.
London’s Air Ambulance is there for the 10 million people who live and work in London. As influencers in your constituencies please do what you can to help us serve London and spread the message we are a charity”.
Closing the speeches Boris Johnson urged politicians to support the charity in a call to action and said
“Thank you for everything you are doing to help save lives in London”
Speaking about the House of Commons event, CEO of London’s Air Ambulance, Charles Newitt said,
“This was our most successful Parliamentary Reception with a high turnout of politicians from across London and across the political parties. It was a pleasure to be able to meet with them, explain more about our charity, and receive their pledges of support”
Since the charity started in 1989, it has treated more than 35,000 patients. Some of those former patients met their local MP at the event to share their stories.
All London MPs and Assembly members were invited to the reception, as well as any politicians with an interest in health or charities.
ENDS
Enquiries
London’s Air Ambulance
Alexandra Beard-Gould (Media Liaison and Public Affairs Officer)
Tel: 07772 524602
Email: a.beard-gould@londonsairambulance.co.uk
Notes to Editors
About London’s Air Ambulance
London’s Air Ambulance is the charity that delivers an advanced trauma team to critically injured people in London.
- It was founded in 1989 and to date has treated over 35,000 critically injured people and attended most major incidents.
- It serves the 10 million people who live, work and travel within the M25.
- London’s Air Ambulance is a charity that operates in partnership with both Barts Health NHS Trust and the London Ambulance Service:
- Barts Health employs and remunerates the doctors who are seconded to the service, as well as providing some direct financial support and the helipad facility for the charity’s operations.
- London Ambulance Service similarly provide paid paramedics who are seconded to the service. An advanced trauma paramedic operates from the Service’s control room and is responsible for dispatching London’s Air Ambulance to the most critically injured people in London, 24 hours a day
Medical innovations:
London’s Air Ambulance was the first air ambulance in the UK to:
- Carry a doctor on board at all times
- Provide 24/7 service
- Perform open heart surgery (thoracotomy) on scene
- Administer anaesthesia on scene
- Administer blood transfusions on scene
