Air ambulance bosses are appealing for help from the public because of soaring fuel costs resulting from the conflict in the Middle East.
The Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) said that more than 90 per cent of its £21 million a year costs were funded by the public through donations and fundraising.
Earlier this month, KSS said: “We’re increasingly concerned about the financial impact on our life-saving service with the cost of aviation fuel rising by 63 per cent since the beginning of the current Middle East conflict.
“The continued rise means our charity is now facing increased costs of £25,000 a month to operate our air ambulance helicopters which bring life-saving pre-hospital emergency care to the most seriously injured and unwell people 24 hours a day across the south east of England.
“As one of the largest and busiest air ambulance charities in the UK, we are concerned that the continued dramatic increase in aviation fuel cost will place even more pressure on our financial sustainability in an already very challenging fundraising environment.
“We currently respond to around nine of the most serious medical emergencies a day across the south east including to people critically injured in road traffic collisions or experiencing a sudden illness such as a cardiac arrest.
“Our highly skilled clinicians deliver specialist interventions at scene – once only available in hospital – including blood transfusions, general anaesthesia and open-chest surgery to give every patient the best possible chance of survival when every second counts.”
KSS chief executive David Welch spoke about the challenges at the official opening of the new helideck at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, in Brighton, on Friday (22 May).
The hospital, which is undergoing an £860 million modernisation, is a regional trauma centre, serving a population of about two million people.
Mr Welch said: “As a charity, and the only air ambulance for the south east of England, we’re growing increasingly concerned at the continued significant increase in the cost of aviation fuel which presents a huge challenge for us financially.
“While we have mitigation plans in place, the unprecedented 63 per cent rise in the cost of aviation fuel means that we now need to raise even more funding from within our communities, where so many people are also facing an increasingly difficult financial climate, to help keep us flying.
“Our helicopters are a genuine lifeline for people within our communities and that’s why we want to ensure we can be here for the millions of people living, working, visiting or travelling through the south east, ready to respond and ensure the best possible patient outcomes when the very worst happens.”
Mr Welch added: “Every lifesaving mission we make is almost entirely funded by the kindness and generosity of our communities.
“That’s why ongoing and increased public support for KSS during these challenging times is more vital than ever in helping us to reach patients and save lives.”
KSS said: “As well as encouraging crucial public support, we are actively working with Air Ambulances UK, the national organisation representing air ambulance charities across the country.
“This work is aimed at ensuring government and policy-makers recognise the vital frontline emergency service provided by air ambulance charities like KSS and take action to protect us from further aviation fuel cost rises.”
To support KSS with rising fuel costs, got to aakss.org.uk/donate.
