Manx Care extends contract with Great North Air Ambulance Service

Manx Care has extended its contract with the Great North Air Ambulance Service by a further year.

The health board and the service first began working together last year, as part of a trial to deliver a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) for the Island. 

The service allows patients who are seriously ill or who have suffered a major trauma to be taken directly from the Island to the UK for emergency medical treatment.

GNAAS’ critical care team consists of a doctor and a specialist advanced trauma paramedic. 

They can perform complex critical care procedures, usually only carried out in an operating theatre, at the scene of an incident. 

Such procedures include pre-hospital anaesthesia, blood transfusions and advanced surgery.

Since the partnership began, GNAAS has responded by helicopter 22 times with 12 patients being transferred, most to specialist hospitals in the UK.