WATCH: Helicopter makes first test landing at Royal Victoria Hospital new helipad

by Gráinne Connolly

More lives could potentially be saved in Northern Ireland with the launch of a new helipad at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast for the region's Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS). 

The Air Ambulance carried out its first successful test landing at 8.30am this morning, at the site's Critical Care Building. 

Further tests will be carried out this week and if all goes well, patients will be taken, by the HEMS directly to the RVH site.

🎥 The first test landing on the long awaited helipad at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast has taken place this morning. @NIAS999 @AirAmbulanceNI @BelfastTrust pic.twitter.com/FcAIhLtuMB

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) February 18, 2020

🎥 The Air Ambulance went off again about an hour ago, following its inaugural landing at the RVH Belfast. More test flights will be carried out this week and if all goes well, it will be fully operational by the end of the week. @NIAS999 @AirAmbulanceNI @BelfastTrust pic.twitter.com/e2IvOIVGzG

— Gráinne Connolly (@grainne555) February 18, 2020

At the moment, patients are currently taken to the helicopter landing site at Musgrave Park Hospital before being transferred to RVH by ambulance.

The direct landing site will reduce patient travelling time by approximately 25 minutes.

Once the patient is ready to be transferred from the air ambulance, he/she can be in the Emergency Department in just over two minutes.

The HEMS service, since its inception in 2017, has attended more than 1300 calls and is delivered in partnership by Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and the charity, Air Ambulance Northern Ireland.

Health Minister Robin Swann was there to witness the significant moment. 

🎥Health Minister @RobinSwannMoH says it’s a “monumentus” day for patients in NI, after witnessing the first landing of the @AirAmbulanceNI @NIAS999 helicopter at the RVH’s new helipad this morning. pic.twitter.com/KBuNogbyNS

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) February 18, 2020

Minister Swann continued, "HEMS greatly benefits people with life-changing injuries, whose lives are at risk following significant trauma, by bringing skilled clinicians to the scene to deliver advanced critical care and rapidly transporting the patient to the regional trauma centre for ongoing emergency care. 

“My Department continues to provide significant recurrent funding of approximately £1 million each year to enable the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service to cover the medical aspects of the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service, including staff, training and equipment.

"And I am committed to the partnership-funding relationship with Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, who raise charity funds, including public donations, to sustain the aviation side.”

Meanwhile, Glenn O'Rourke, Operational lead for the Air Ambulance, HEMS says the new helipad will be a "game changer" for patient care in Northern Ireland. 

🎥 Glenn O’Rourke, @NIAS999 Operational lead for Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) says the new helipad at the RVH in Belfast will be a “game changer” to potentially save more lives in NI. It’s after the first test landing was successfully completed earlier. pic.twitter.com/P5DtSq52Op

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) February 18, 2020

NIAS Chief Executive, Michael Bloomfield, welcomed the opening of the helipad saying;

“The commissioning of the new helipad represents another step forward in trauma care for the population of Northern Ireland.

"The HEMS service has undertaken over 1300 calls over the past two and a half years, with many seriously injured patients receiving advanced on-scene care from our medical team before being transferred directly to Belfast for specialist treatment.

"By landing on this pad we will be able to further reduce the journey time for these patents by around 25 minutes by avoiding the need for a secondary transfer by road ambulance. I commend the work of all involved in this project which will, undoubtedly save lives.”

Cathy Jack, Chief Executive of Belfast Trust, highlighted the benefit to patients of a fully operational helipad close to the Emergency Department:

“We are absolutely delighted that air ambulance test flights have now begun at the Royal Victoria Hospital and once the helipad is fully operational it will help ensure we can work faster to save lives.

"Air Ambulance NI and Northern Ireland Ambulance Service play a key role in the treatment of critically ill patients.

"Every minute saved in the transfer of a patient maximises their chance of a successful recovery and having a helipad close to the Emergency Department (ED) at the Royal Victoria Hospital – where we have skilled teams ready to receive them – means the outcomes for these patients improves."

Q Radio spoke to Kerry Anderson, Head of Fundraising at Air Ambulance who welcomed the latest phase in the charity's journey.

The charity raises £2 million required annually to sustain the service. 

🎥 Kerry Anderson, Head of Fundraising @AirAmbulanceNI says today is a “massive day”, as it launched the new helipad at the Royal Victoria Hospital. The landing site means patients can be transferred from the helicopter, to Emergency Department in around 2 mins. pic.twitter.com/S8WziNAsv2

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) February 18, 2020 ">

🎥 Kerry Anderson, Head of Fundraising @AirAmbulanceNI says today is a “massive day”, as it launched the new helipad at the Royal Victoria Hospital. The landing site means patients can be transferred from the helicopter, to Emergency Department in around 2 mins. pic.twitter.com/S8WziNAsv2

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) February 18, 2020