The Great North Air Ambulance Service celebrates a decade of providing lifesaving blood transfusions, enhancing emergency care across the region.
Newcastle: The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) is celebrating a big milestone. They’ve been carrying blood products on their aircraft for ten years now. This has made a huge difference in emergency care.
Having blood on board means their critical care team can give transfusions right at the scene. This is a game changer for seriously injured patients. It really boosts their chances of survival.
So far, nearly 750 people in the North East, Cumbria, and the Isle of Man have benefited from their ‘Blood on Board’ scheme. Before this, getting blood outside a hospital was nearly impossible.
This initiative is a team effort involving Newcastle Hospitals, GNAAS, and volunteers from the Blood Bikes. Dr. Rachel Hawes OBE, who has a military background, came up with the idea after her time in Afghanistan.
She adapted her experiences to fit the needs of the North East and Cumbria. Dr. Hawes was honored with an OBE in 2018 for her work but credits her team for the success of the project.
She said, “It’s been rewarding to see the impact on our patients. But it’s a team effort, and they deserve the credit.”
Every day, volunteers pick up cool boxes filled with blood from the Royal Victoria Infirmary. These boxes keep the blood fresh for up to 48 hours. If not used, the blood goes back to the hospital for surgeries.
In case of a major incident, they can quickly ramp up their blood supply. They can send extra teams stocked with blood and plasma to the scene within an hour.
Dr. Hawes mentioned that treating nearly 750 people is a huge achievement and one of the highlights of her career.
Recently, GNAAS also took part in a national blood research trial. This study looks at whether using whole blood is better for trauma patients than separate transfusions.
It’s still in the analysis phase, but if it shows positive results, it could save lives in emergencies where every second counts.
Dr. Hawes expressed pride in being part of this research and is eager to see the results. They’re committed to improving emergency care for everyone.
