Great North Air Ambulance Service to be the main beneficiary of funds raised by The Wainwright Society in 2018
The Wainwright Society is all about keeping alive the things that A. Wainwright promoted in his famous pictorial guides to the Lake District: fellwalking traditions, promoting the hills to a wider audience, and debate on landscape quality and quality of life in the British uplands. Each year, the Society selects an organisation to be its main beneficiary of funds raised during the course of the year.
They’ve selected the Great North Air Ambulance Service for 2018. The money raised will be used to purchase the latest ultrasound machines for use by doctors and paramedics in the helicopters owned and operated by GNAAS.
The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) is a charitably funded organisation that provides essential support for life-threatening incidents or potentially life-threatening incidents across north-east England, Yorkshire and Cumbria. This can include injuries sustained in places completely inaccessible by road or in adverse weather conditions, which can expose the patient to further danger or risk of exacerbating their condition.
The Great North Air Ambulance Service owns and operates three helicopters that can access patients in difficult locations and get them to hospital. However, it is the skills of the trauma team on board that really make the difference to the patient. With a doctor on board on 99 per cent of its shifts advanced treatments can be carried out on scene, well before the patient arrives at hospital. The specialist aircrew paramedics also bring a range of treatments with them that gives the patient the best chance of recovery.
Their ability to treat patients often depends upon using ultrasound. Currently, GNAAS uses first-generation ultrasound equipment and it is hoped that the funds raised by The Wainwright Society will be sufficient to supplement this with the latest ultrasound machines. The cost of three of these, one for each helicopter in the fleet, is approximately £10,000. Funds raised by the Society will have a direct impact upon their ability to carry out many critical procedures.
Grahame Pickering MBE, chief executive of GNAAS, said: “We are committed to driving forward the standards of pre-hospital healthcare, but we can only do that with the support of the communities we serve. Having the support of The Wainwright Society means we can introduce new technology which will improve patients’ outcomes. We look forward to working with members and showing them how their fundraising is making an impact.”
Money will be raised from donations by Society members taking part in the annual charity ‘Challenge’ together with sales of the 2019 Society calendar.
Find out more at wainwright.org.uk.
Image © Great North Air Ambulance Service