Sussex MPs show support for charity Air Ambulance
MPs from across Sussex attended a special Westminster reception held by Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS), to learn how their support can help the charity reach even more patients and save more lives in the years ahead.
Guests included Andrew Griffith MP (Arundel and South Downs), Mims Davies MP (East Grinstead and Uckfield), Jess Brown-Fuller (Chichester) and Alison Bennett (Mid Sussex).
Held in the House of Commons on 18 March, the event highlighted the lifesaving impact KSS makes every day across Kent, Surrey and Sussex. MPs heard first-hand how the charity brings world-leading advanced pre-hospital critical care to the most seriously injured or unwell patients in their communities, performing open heart surgery, blood transfusions and emergency anaesthesia, to help save lives when every second counts.
The charity’s leaders also shared a preview into some of the key enablers within its forthcoming ten-year strategy, outlining where MPs can help make a meaningful difference in their constituencies – helping to give even more people the very best possible chance of survival when the worst happens:
Three key areas were discussed:
• Empowering communities to act fast in a medical emergency
• KSS developing its aviation capability
• Improving and maintaining access to, and safeguarding of, hospital helipads across its region
KSS Chief Executive, David Welch, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to all the MPs who joined us at Westminster. Their support is essential in helping us drive forward these key enablers as we look ahead to the future of our lifesaving service.
“As part of our new strategy, we’ll be launching a transformational new community activation programme which will bring our lifesaving work right into the heart of our communities. This will include more community prevention, education and training initiatives, a lay responders programme plus important new volunteering opportunities.
“We will also be focussing on developing our aviation capability, looking at how we can reach more patients in low cloud and poor visibility by working closely with key stakeholders on important areas of regulation and technology. We’ll also be looking at the ways in which we can improve and safeguard access to hospital helipads to ensure the best possible hospital helipad infrastructure across our region.
He concluded: “Meeting with MPs this week has shown that by working more closely together, we can drive forward the key enablers that will help us reach more patients and save more lives in communities right across Kent, Surrey and Sussex.”
Sir Roger Gale MP said: “It was a pleasure to host KSS in Parliament and to bring colleagues together to hear more about their vital work. Their specialist teams deliver lifesaving care across our communities every day. It is essential we continue to support the charity so they can reach even more patients and save more lives across the South East.”
For over 36 years, KSS has treated tens of thousands of patients and kept countless families together by bringing the emergency department to the scene of the most serious medical emergencies. Last year alone, the charity responded to over 3,100 incidents, an average of nine a day across its region – serving around five million residents, plus over 90 million visitors and commuters every year.
KSS operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with two specialist doctor paramedic teams and specialist paramedic responders and has a fleet of three helicopters and five rapid response vehicles. It is an independent charity with 91% of its income generated through public support; meaning every lifesaving mission is almost entirely funded by its communities.
The charity is encouraging MPs to champion its vital work in Parliament and across their constituencies as KSS prepares to launch its new ten-year strategy later this year.