4 days ago
Tokyo temporarily halts medical helicopter operations due to staff shortage
Tokyo has temporarily halted the operations of its emergency medical helicopter, also known as a doctor helicopter, in the capital since Thursday, due to a shortage of staff.
The suspension began on Thursday and will continue through Sunday. The helicopter will also be out of service between Aug. 24 and Aug. 26.
Doctor helicopters, or doctor-heli for short, are used to transport emergency medical patients in cases when transport is more efficient via air than with a typical ambulance.
According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo runs its doctor helicopter program in cooperation with Kyorin University Hospital, which entrusts the operation of the aircraft to Kobe-based air training institute Hirata Gakuen.
Hirata Gakuen was unable to secure mechanics during the upcoming periods of suspension due to a shortage of staff caused by multiple mechanics leaving their jobs at the same time. The institute is in the process of hiring more staff and is set to resume a full operating schedule by next month.
Although the helicopter can be deployed all across the capital, it is primarily used in the mountainous Tama district in western Tokyo, in places where it is deemed that air travel is more practical. According to the latest data released by the metropolitan government, it was deployed 1,360 times in fiscal 2023.
During the temporary suspension, Tokyo will utilize ambulances to ensure that patients are able to receive medical attention as soon as possible in close cooperation with the fire department, an arrangement that is also in place during normal operation and when bad weather hampers flights.
The staff shortage at Hirata Gakuen causing these suspensions is temporary. However, the metropolitan government says it has noticed a chronic shortage of mechanics for services such as doctor helicopter maintenance and operation, not just in Tokyo but around the country. Each prefecture typically relies on a single organization to operate its doctor helicopters, and in some cases, retired staff have had to extend their retirement age to fill in.
As demand for services like doctor helicopters continues to increase, especially with the frequent natural disasters in the country, the transport ministry has been working to increase the number of pilots and train more mechanics in the aviation industry, with an expert panel having issued a final report on future plans earlier this year.
