The Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance Charity has undertaken a record number of missions in 2024, including 49 in Westbury.
Overall, missions reached an all-time high of 1,343, marking a 15% increase on the previous year and surpassing the previous record of 1,238 incidents attended in 2020.
Recently, the charity officially rebranded to include ‘Bath’ in its name, reflecting its expanding role across both Wiltshire and the city of Bath. The rebranding coincided with the charity’s 35th anniversary.
In 2024, a total of 341 patients were transferred to local hospitals (up from 292 in 2023), with the majority taken to the Royal United Hospital in Bath (109), Southmead Hospital in Bristol (82), and the Great Western Hospital in Swindon (72).
The charity’s dedicated aircrew, consisting of pilots, critical care paramedics, and doctors, remain operational up to 19 hours a day throughout the year. In 2024, they attended, on average, four daily missions. Of these, 619 missions (46%) were attended using the charity’s helicopter, while the remaining 724 incidents were dealt with by critical care cars.
Cardiac emergencies accounted for the highest number of callouts (326), representing around a quarter of all missions. Other incidents included 287 medical emergencies, 190 road traffic collisions, 72 sporting incidents, and 58 assaults. A total of 182 incidents involved children, and 32% of all missions (438) took place at night.
Doctors were on board for more than half (51%) of all missions, an increase from 33% in the previous year. Additionally, the aircrew delivered 68 pre-hospital emergency anaesthesias, 32 blood transfusions, and 55 procedural sedations. The LUCAS CPR machine was used 80 times throughout the year, and 12 regional nerve blocks were administered.
Chief executive David Philpott said, “It’s sad to report that demand for our medical expertise rose significantly across Wiltshire and Bath during the past year. None of this vital work would be possible without the incredible generosity of the public and local businesses, and we are extremely grateful for their ongoing commitment and support.”
To find out more about the Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance Charity, visit wiltshirebathairambulance.org.uk.
