§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the areas of the country(a) which have been supported by an air ambulance service in the last 12 months, (b) which are currently supported and (c) where services are planned in the near future. [41494]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 8 March 2002]: There are currently 12 charitably funded air ambulance services operating in England. These are:
- Cornwall
- Kent
- West Midlands
- Devon
- North East England
- Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire
- Essex
- North West England
- Thames Valley
- Dorset and Somerset
- West Yorkshire
- East Anglia.
In addition, the helicopter emergency medical service covers London within the M25 motorway. There are also helicopter air ambulance services provided in the form of joint operations with the police in both Sussex and Wiltshire.
The charities are responsible for the number of aircraft provided.