Air Ambulance called more than 100 times to Swindon area in first half of year

Wiltshire Air Ambulance carried out its lifesaving work in the Swindon area a total of 113 times in the first half of 2022.

The charity carried out 93 missions and transported 20 patients to Great Western Hospital between the beginning of January and the end of June.

This means the service was operational in Swindon and nearby places including Royal Wootton Bassett, Cricklade and Highworth at least four times per week on average.

Swindon was the charity’s most visited area, with 18 percent of all incidents taking place in the town, followed by Trowbridge with 40 missions and Bath with 38.

There were a total of 515 incidents in Wiltshire. Of those calls, 353 were responded to in the charity’s helicopter, with the other 162 in the Rapid Response Vehicles. 

The vast majority of call-outs - 169 - involved cardiac emergencies, followed by people suffering other medical issues such as strokes, collapses and respiratory problems - together totalling 85.

There were 75 road traffic collision incidents and 71 falls.  

Wiltshire Air Ambulance airlifted patients or assisted them to hospital by land on 148 occasions. There were 63 incidents involving children.

Across the county, there were 87 call-outs in January, 78 in February, 83 in March, 85 in April, 94 in May and 88 in June.