Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance needs to raise £10m as it prepares for 'busiest year yet'

So far this year, LNAA’s crews have responded to 1,162 missions, signalling 2023 will be the busiest year on record.

At the same time last year, they were called to 1,074 emergencies, the year before 1,007 missions and three years ago 616.

Chris Bailey, LNAA head of operations, said: “The rise in missions LNAA now responds to is two-fold.

“Firstly, we have increased our ability to reach incidents and now fly the air ambulance at night, the only helicopter emergency medical services unit in the region to do so.

“We have also increased the number of highly skilled and qualified doctors and paramedics we have on the LNAA team, and this year we will cover more than 900 12-hour shifts”.

“Secondly, we have given our teams additional equipment and training to do more for the critically unwell patients they treat.

“We have provided our crews state-of-the-art patient monitors, increased the amount of blood we can carry – and have so far transfused 90 units of blood products this year – and are constantly developing and using high-end prehospital interventions such as invasive blood pressure monitoring.

“All this results in LNAA being able to reach more patients, both day and night, and ultimately we are able to save more lives.”

This increase in life-saving capabilities comes at a cost and with missions on the rise, the charity needs to raise £10 million this year.

People can donate now to the LNAA at ambucopter.org.uk

Across Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, the crew is called to the most seriously ill and injured patients, taking the hospital to the scene, whether that is at the roadside, in remote countryside or along the coast.

Whether by air or by road, the doctor/paramedic team carry state-of-the-art equipment to perform a range of procedures, from anaesthetics to surgery – all at the scene of the incident.

All of this is made possible by donations from supporters of all kinds, of all ages and from a range of backgrounds.

To encourage people to find out more about LNAA’s work, the charity will take over roadside billboards and supermarket billboards across Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

Karen Jobling, LNAA chief executive, said: “Our vision to be by the side of more patients delivering world-class care, is underpinned by our values of teamwork, respect, innovation and compassion.

“To this end, we strive to continually innovate to make that happen.

“We hope this awareness campaign, along with Air Ambulance Week, will encourage people to find out more about our work.

“We need to raise £10m this year. It is a daunting figure for anyone, but every donation helps us to get to that target.

“You don’t have to be a member of the crew to help save lives and we are so thankful to the people who support us.”

LNAA receives no regular direct funding from the Government and relies on the the generosity and goodwill of supporters throughout the area so it can provide its service.

The current cost of funding to keep the service operational each year is £10m and its helicopter – presently a top-of-the-range AgustaWestland 169 helicopter which allows the crew to carry blood on board – has flown 25,755 missions since the service began operating in 1994.

The average cost of each mission is £4,000 and it flies, on average, four missions a day.

LNAA provides a 24/7 service over an area of 3,500 sq miles, providing support to 2.5 million people across Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire

The aircraft can reach a top speed of 216mph and has a cruising speed of 180mph – three times faster than a land ambulance, meaning it can reach the furthest point anywhere within its catchment area within 20 minutes.