Wiltshire Air Ambulance says it needs help to fund a flying doctor this Christmas – with donations being doubled between 29 November - 6 December 2022.
The local charity has once again linked up with the ‘Big Give Christmas Challenge’ to help secure £30,190 for the funding of Doctor Jonathan Holme.
Wiltshire Air Ambulance has secured matched funding from David Haydon’s Wiltshire Match Fund, with further pledges from MFS, Kingston’s Estate Agents in Trowbridge, Melksham Insurance Brokers, Medical Wire, Excalibur Communications, Mia Regan and the Andrew Smiley Trust.
Collectively they will match fund every pound raised up to £15,095 – meaning the doubling of donations would achieve the required tally of £30,190.
Dr Jonathan Holme began volunteering with the charity in April 2021 and the Christmas Challenge is aimed at securing enough funding for him to work two shifts per week for a period of one year.
He says: “By having doctors on board, Wiltshire Air Ambulance is offering additional skills and experience of working in an emergency resuscitation room and bringing that treatment about half an hour earlier to the patient.
“We can anesthetise the patient at the scene and understand the next stages of patient case in a hospital setting, ensuring we take the patient to the correct onward point.”
Jonathan works as an Accident and Emergency Doctor at the Royal United Hospital in Bath - as well as working two shifts per month with Wiltshire Air Ambulance.
He added: “Through my work at the Royal United Hospital, I had seen first-hand some of the fantastic work that Wiltshire Air Ambulance carries out across Wiltshire, Bath and surrounding areas.
“I came to realise that being able to achieve that service in a pre-hospital environment really epitomised to me what it means to provide critical care to patients.
“It’s a real privilege to work at the cutting edge of critical care with such a highly skilled team making a huge difference across the region. I can’t think of anything else I’d want to do more.”
Ben Abbott, air operations officer and critical care paramedic at Wiltshire Air Ambulance, said: “Our critical care paramedics are very highly trained. However, some of the most complex emergency interventions at the scene now require a doctor to be present.
"These interventions can significantly improve outcomes. By flying with a doctor we can bring these vital top level skills to our patients.”
The Christmas Challenge begins at midday on 29 November and members of the public can make a donation – which will be doubled from the match fund – by visiting www.wiltshireairambulance.co.uk/biggive.
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