Latest news with #traumacare
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Andrew Flintoff backs campaign to increase helipads at hospitals
Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff has backed a campaign to help more hospitals get helipads after his own experience of medical air support following his car crash at a Top Gear test track. In December 2022, Flintoff sustained severe injuries while filming at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey for an episode of BBC show Top Gear. The former international cricketer was airlifted to St George's Hospital in Tooting – a major trauma centre. The helipad at the hospital was funded by a campaign with the Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads (Help) Appeal. As he backed the campaign, Flintoff said: 'When I was airlifted, that helipad wasn't just a safe spot to land on the hospital roof, it was a vital step in giving me a second chance as I had immediate access to the specialist care which helped saved my life. 'As every cricket pitch has a wicket, every hospital that needs one should have a helipad.' The Help Appeal said that there have been 30,000 landings on the 32 NHS hospital helipads funded by the charity across the country. It has also funded 23 major upgrades at other hospital helipads. The charity is aiming to fund 40 new and upgraded helipads. Robert Bertram, chief executive of the Help Appeal, said: 'We are incredibly grateful to have Freddie's support, especially knowing that his life was saved thanks, in part, to a Help Appeal-funded helipad. His story highlights exactly why the charity's work is so vital – seconds count in a medical emergency and that helipad made all the difference. 'Freddie's backing brings invaluable awareness to the importance of rapid access to emergency care for everyone, everywhere.' Sir Keith Porter, emeritus professor of clinical traumatology at the University of Birmingham, said the charity plays a 'crucial part' in getting patients to the right hospital at the right time. He added: 'Helicopter Emergency Medical Services have the ability to deliver critical care teams at or close to the side of a patient and then to transport them to the most appropriate hospital for their clinical needs, in the case of injury, usually a major trauma centre. 'Minutes count, particularly for patients with life-threatening bleeding, where the extra journey time can make the difference between life and death. 'The Help Appeal, by funding on-site helipads, helps facilitate the prompt delivery of patients directly into the emergency department with a trolley-push from the landing site.' Flintoff also recently visited the NHS staff who cared for him after the accident at St George's Hospital. He praised health workers in the NHS as 'superheroes' and described the aftermath of the crash as the 'the lowest I've ever been'. The 47-year-old praised the 'expertise, love and compassion' shown by staff at the hospital during his time of need. During a documentary about the accident, Flintoff described how he used the split-second decision-making from his cricketing days to try to reduce the impact of the crash. He said he was 'pulled face-down on the runway' for about 50 metres under the car. The former England star said he thought he had died in the accident. For months after the crash, Flintoff disappeared from public view and would leave his house only for medical appointments His recovery has been documented in a documentary, Flintoff, streamed on Disney+.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Andrew Flintoff backs campaign to increase helipads at hospitals
Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff has backed a campaign to help more hospitals get helipads after his own experience of medical air support following his car crash at a Top Gear test track. In December 2022, Flintoff sustained severe injuries while filming at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey for an episode of BBC show Top Gear. The former international cricketer was airlifted to St George's Hospital in Tooting – a major trauma centre. The helipad at the hospital was funded by a campaign with the Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads (Help) Appeal. As he backed the campaign, Flintoff said: 'When I was airlifted, that helipad wasn't just a safe spot to land on the hospital roof, it was a vital step in giving me a second chance as I had immediate access to the specialist care which helped saved my life. 'As every cricket pitch has a wicket, every hospital that needs one should have a helipad.' The Help Appeal said that there have been 30,000 landings on the 32 NHS hospital helipads funded by the charity across the country. It has also funded 23 major upgrades at other hospital helipads. The charity is aiming to fund 40 new and upgraded helipads. Robert Bertram, chief executive of the Help Appeal, said: 'We are incredibly grateful to have Freddie's support, especially knowing that his life was saved thanks, in part, to a Help Appeal-funded helipad. His story highlights exactly why the charity's work is so vital – seconds count in a medical emergency and that helipad made all the difference. 'Freddie's backing brings invaluable awareness to the importance of rapid access to emergency care for everyone, everywhere.' Sir Keith Porter, emeritus professor of clinical traumatology at the University of Birmingham, said the charity plays a 'crucial part' in getting patients to the right hospital at the right time. He added: 'Helicopter Emergency Medical Services have the ability to deliver critical care teams at or close to the side of a patient and then to transport them to the most appropriate hospital for their clinical needs, in the case of injury, usually a major trauma centre. 'Minutes count, particularly for patients with life-threatening bleeding, where the extra journey time can make the difference between life and death. 'The Help Appeal, by funding on-site helipads, helps facilitate the prompt delivery of patients directly into the emergency department with a trolley-push from the landing site.' Flintoff also recently visited the NHS staff who cared for him after the accident at St George's Hospital. He praised health workers in the NHS as 'superheroes' and described the aftermath of the crash as the 'the lowest I've ever been'. The 47-year-old praised the 'expertise, love and compassion' shown by staff at the hospital during his time of need. During a documentary about the accident, Flintoff described how he used the split-second decision-making from his cricketing days to try to reduce the impact of the crash. He said he was 'pulled face-down on the runway' for about 50 metres under the car. The former England star said he thought he had died in the accident. For months after the crash, Flintoff disappeared from public view and would leave his house only for medical appointments His recovery has been documented in a documentary, Flintoff, streamed on Disney+.
CBS News
26-06-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Violence prevention program works with trauma care to connect gunshot survivors to services
Recent gun violence has some in Minneapolis rallying for change, while doctors say they are seeing a troubling trend — one that is putting them ahead of schedule and threatening hopes for another year of decline in shootings. So far this year, HCMC has cared for 72 gunshot victims, including 12 children. "The trend in the past few weeks or month or two has been more concerning," said Dr. Derek Lumbard, Hennepin Healthcare trauma surgeon. "In the past few weeks alone, there's been an increase in number of firearm injuries coming through our hospital door." A rise in gun violence is putting doctors on edge after several years of decline. Lumbard says the numbers they are seeing so far this year are putting us ahead of schedule, and if this trend continues, there will be no decline in shooting victims. The solution is already in motion, with trauma care working together with violence prevention programs. "We get a page from the hospital saying that somebody is coming to the hospital with a gunshot wound," said Kentrl Galloway. Galloway is the Director of Next Step Program, a hospital-based violence prevention program connecting survivors to services. "Just making sure we give them a path of healing, a path of positivity on how to restart and rebuild their lives," Galloway said. Since 2016, the program has served over 900 participants. They are reminding everyone to Be Smart: S ecure your firearm by removing the ammunition and locking both the firearm and ammunition ecure your firearm by removing the ammunition and locking both the firearm and ammunition M odel responsible behavior around guns. odel responsible behavior around guns. A sk about unsecured guns in other homes. sk about unsecured guns in other homes. R ecognize the role of guns in suicide. ecognize the role of guns in suicide. Tell you peers to Be SMART.
CBC
10-05-2025
- CBC
15-month-old child seriously injured by OPP officer in a vehicle
Social Sharing A 15-month-old child was hit and seriously injured by an Ontario Provincial Police officer Friday near Oxford Mills, Ont., according to the OPP. Police issued a statement on the situation Saturday morning, explaining that just after noon on May 9, an on-duty OPP officer was "moving a personal vehicle in their driveway" when they struck the child. The child, whose age and gender were not disclosed, was taken to a regional trauma centre to be treated for "serious injuries," police wrote. Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU), which investigates cases where police injure civilians, has taken over the case and OPP could not comment further, the statement said. SIU told Radio-Canada they could not provide further information at this time. "Our thoughts are with the child's family, and everyone impacted by this tragic incident," wrote police in the statement.
