In recent months we have received several enquiries from our supporters asking if we are connected to a charity called ‘Helicopter Emergency Service Equipment’ (HESE) also known as ‘Stoke Air Ambulance’. For clarification, it is important to note that HESE/Stoke Air Ambulance is a separate organisation and is not connected to Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.
Midlands Air Ambulance Charity is the only operational air ambulance service based in, and dedicated to, Staffordshire. We are proud to serve the county with our air ambulance helicopter based at our Tatenhill airbase near Burton-on-Trent and our northern critical care car located in and around Stoke-on-Trent and Stone. Both are further supported by our additional helicopters and cars located within the six-county region we cover.
On average, Midlands Air Ambulance Charity currently attends eight missions per week in Stoke and the wider Staffordshire region. We attend all of the missions that we are tasked to by the statutory NHS 999 tasking body, West Midlands Ambulance Service, who endorse our lifesaving service and have provided the following statement:
“The Staffordshire area is one of the best served regions in the country for air ambulances, with West Midlands Ambulance Service able to access seven different aircraft from four different Helicopter Emergency Medical Service charities for incidents, most notably Midlands Air Ambulance Charity (MAAC), which is the primary air ambulance operator for Staffordshire … and we currently see no requirement for any further aircraft in the area as we are already always able to task a helicopter in a timely manner to cases in this area.” Chief Executive, Professor Anthony Marsh, West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust
Additionally, University Hospitals North Midlands at Royal Stoke Hospital has provided the below statement:
“It is fantastic that our region is one of the best served in the country for air ambulances. Midlands Air Ambulance Charity is the primary air ambulance operator for Staffordshire and many of our clinicians are part of the specialist aircrew, and actively support by raising funds.
“Our clinical team is clear that there is no requirement for any further aircraft for our region as there are three helicopters based only a few minutes flying time from Stoke-on-Trent already. We would encourage anyone wishing to donate to an air ambulances in our region to support the established Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, so that they can continue to deliver the exceptional service to our local population,” Tracy Bullock, Chief Executive of University Hospitals of North Midlands
For clarification:
In Staffordshire, you may also see this version, highlighting our presence in the county: