Quote:
Originally Posted by delta
Good news Gordon.  You mentioned Air Ambulance Grant well this year the Stoke Row Festival of Speed will be raising money for that charity as the local school now have a shiny new Mini Bus with a healthy contribution of money raised from last years show. |
Well done Iain!
I have to say I am a little, shall we say, 'concerned' about the growing use of Air Ambulances.
Clearly there are circumstances where the things are just about the only option if people are to be successfully rescued and and transported for medical care.
However the number of times 'ours' flies each day - that I can see as it departs and returns and there will be many flights that I don't see - suggests they have a lot of funding. These craft are not cheap to fly let alone provide with a number of operational crews.
A few years ago an elderly chap fell of his moped at a roundabout over the A50 dual carriageway about a mile or so from the Air ambulance base. I happened to drive past as plod had closed part of the road to let the chopper land on the grass verge. From memory a couple of police cars and a road ambulance were in attendance and the chap was sitting on the kerb taking oxygen. He was quite large - I was surprised about the moped as a means of transport.
Now what puzzled me is why the Air Ambulance should be called to that incident. Indeed I quite frequently see it leaving at speed and then return more slowly a few minutes later. Presumably a shout that has been called off.
It makes me wonder whether the primary NHS trust ambulance services are calling the chopper out, some (most?) of the costs covered by donations, in order to save on their own budgets or overcome weaknesses in their operations.
I don't know and I have not so far found a way check the finances via the internet - though I would guess it should be possible. Maybe I need to look harder.
I anticipate that this will be a rather contentious comment. It isn't meant to be. But knowing the way our lords and masters like to find ways of saving their tax take for other purposes than publically stated I do wonder if this burgeoning area of 'public service' that seems only to survive through money raising activities is yet another example the authorities relying on the blind faith of the populace to hide governmental avarice.
Can anyone here set me straight about this?