Government wants public to 'buy into' lifesaving medical service

Could public donations support GNAAS airbridge in future? 

Manx Care says it hopes a lifesaving Helicopter Emergency Medical Service will be funded by charitable donations from the public in the future.

The health body currently pays for the lifesaving ‘airbridge’ – operated by the Great North Air Ambulance Service – which was launched in April 2022.

It sees medical experts bring pre-hospital care to the scene of serious incidents to help severely injured or ill people.

They can then be transported, via helicopter, to hospitals in the United Kingdom.

GNAAS has been called on once already over TT week following a road traffic collision near Corrany.

It took the doctor-led team 32 minutes to fly to the scene; once there they were able to work on treating the patient alongside the Isle of Man Ambulance Service.

GNAAS responded to emergencies across the United Kingdom 2,216 times in 2023/2024.

The service costs £28,000 a day to run and £8.5 million annually.

Manx Care says it hopes the public will ‘buy into’ the idea of having the service and support the Great North Air Ambulance through charitable donations although admits there is ‘no rush’ for that to happen.

Gordon Ingram is a critical care paramedic, and head of operations, for the charity and Oliver Radford is the executive director of health services for Manx Care:

You can find out more about the Great North Air Ambulance Service HERE.