23-03-2025
Air Ambulance charity needs £5m each year to maintain 'lifesaving service'
The Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance charity has revealed it needs more than £5m each year to maintain its "lifesaving service."
Last year, the charity responded to a record 1,343 missions, showing the crucial need for its critical care.
Doctors were present on over half of these missions, significantly enhancing the medical care provided.
However, this increased presence of doctors comes with additional costs, putting more pressure on the charity's finances at a time when it is already feeling the strain of rising utility bills, fuel costs and National Insurance contributions.
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Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance needs £5 million annually to operate (Image: Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance) Chief executive David Philpott said: "We know the demand for our medical expertise has never been greater and that puts understandable pressures upon the charity.
"Just like people across the country, we have been experiencing sharp rises in our utility bills, as well as fuel for our helicopter.
"To be able to attend the majority of our missions with doctors on board is amazing for the people of Wiltshire and Bath.
"However, that adds further cost pressures to deliver the enhanced clinical care a doctor brings."
Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance has included doctors in its crew since 2019, allowing them to perform critical procedures like repairing heart wounds, conducting caesarean sections and anaesthetising patients.
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Record 1,343 missions highlight rising demand for air ambulance service (Image: Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance) Medical director Maria Smith said: "Having doctors on board massively enhances the level of critical care we can provide, enabling us to carry out complex surgical procedures, advanced pain management and lifesaving interventions directly at the scene.
"Essentially, we can bring the hospital to the patient and every mission we undertake represents someone's loved one - a parent, child, sibling or friend.
"Ensuring we have the resources to deliver the best possible care is our priority."
The charity, which has been operating since 1990, is celebrating its 35th anniversary this month.
Mr Philpott expressed his gratitude for the community's support over the years, stating: "We are very fortunate that the people of Wiltshire and Bath have supported our charity for 35 years, digging deep to donate the necessary funds needed so we can continue to be there for those people who need us most."
However, he emphasised that the charity now needs the community's support more than ever to sustain its vital service.
