Critical care paramedic (CCP) teams at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance service faced a ‘staggering’ 40 per cent year-on-year increase in demand in 2024, resulting in the record number of deployments. Cardiac arrests, road traffic collisons, accidental injuries and medical incidents such as seizures and asthma attacks accounted for 80 per cent of the call-outs.

For the first time in its history, teams responded to more patients by road in its emergency response vehicles (53 per cent) than by its Airbus H135 helicopter (47 per cent), largely owing to an increase in call-outs for its CCP response: more than 800 in 2024 compared to just 239 in 2023.

CEO Richard Corbett says: “Every year demand for our service surges. While it can paint a desperate picture for all of those patients involved, the more patients we can get to the more chance they have of making it home to their friends and family. I am immensely proud of the response from our crew members, charity team and army of volunteers who continuously rise to the challenge. Not forgetting the enormous role everyone who has supported us plays; your generosity saves lives.”

The charity is currently aiming to raise £3.6 million towards its Operation Airbase appeal to help with the relocation of its airbase and headquarters to a site near Southampton Airport.