19-Oct-2023 Source: HELP Appeal
Thanks to a £37,000 donation from the HELP Appeal, Bristol Royal Infirmary has become the second major trauma centre in the UK to benefit from a weather station which provides certainty and real time information for emergency helicopter pilots about weather conditions, ensuring that its patients are seen quicker and with more efficiency.
The weather station was requested by air ambulances in the South West as it measures live visibility and weather conditions around the Bristol Royal Infirmary site and helps air ambulance crews understand the next steps for critically injured patients, making sure they are air lifted to the most appropriate trauma centre avoiding bad weather conditions that can make flying difficult.
Robert Bertram, Chief Executive of the HELP Appeal, said:
“If we have the opportunity to enhance trauma care anywhere in the country, we will not hesitate to donate. As the weather station informs air ambulance crews of the conditions at Bristol Royal Infirmary, it can inform them if it’s safe to land on its helipad or if they need to be transferred to another hospital. With more inclement weather on the horizon as winter is fast approaching, this will save precious time – a must when a patient urgently needs specialist care to help save their life.”
The HELP Appeal funded the first weather station at University Hospitals of North Midlands Major Trauma Centre in 2019, and will also be funding weather stations at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth followed by Leeds General Infirmary.
