Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of helipad provision within NHS services in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Air ambulances form a vital part of the emergency response to patients in critical need. The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with NHS England and the Department for Transport on helipad accessibility for air ambulances across the country, including in Surrey.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve helipad access at hospitals in the Midlands Air Ambulance region.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Air ambulances form a vital part of the emergency response to patients in critical need. The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with NHS England and the Department for Transport on helipad accessibility for air ambulances across the country including the Midlands.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to help support Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not directly fund air ambulance services on a routine basis. Air ambulances in England operate as independent charities and are supported by the National Health Service through the provision and training of key clinical staff.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) safeguard and (b) improve hospital helipad access at all major trauma centres.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Air ambulances form a vital part of the emergency response to patients in critical need. The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with NHS England and the Department for Transport to ensure that there is appropriate helipad accessibility available for air ambulances across the country.
The Department of Health and Social Care is working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to support and promote the interests of the health and care system throughout the planning process, including improving the participation of all relevant health stakeholders in the creation of local plans to ensure that necessary service provision is maintained.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislative safeguards to protect existing hospital helipads from closure.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Air ambulances form a vital part of the emergency response to patients in critical need. The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with NHS England and the Department for Transport to ensure that there is appropriate helipad accessibility available for air ambulances across the country. However, there are no plans to make it national policy that all major trauma hospitals have access to 24-hour helipad facilities.
The Department of Health and Social Care is working with the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government to support and promote the interests of the health and care system throughout the planning process, including improving the participation of all relevant health stakeholders in the creation of local plans to ensure that necessary service provision is maintained.
Information on the proportion of major trauma hospitals that operate 24-hour hospital helipads in England is not held centrally.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that existing hospital helipads are protected from (a) planning and (b) operational restrictions.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Air ambulances form a vital part of the emergency response to patients in critical need. The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with NHS England and the Department for Transport to ensure that there is appropriate helipad accessibility available for air ambulances across the country. However, there are no plans to make it national policy that all major trauma hospitals have access to 24-hour helipad facilities.
The Department of Health and Social Care is working with the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government to support and promote the interests of the health and care system throughout the planning process, including improving the participation of all relevant health stakeholders in the creation of local plans to ensure that necessary service provision is maintained.
Information on the proportion of major trauma hospitals that operate 24-hour hospital helipads in England is not held centrally.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy that all major trauma hospitals to have access to 24-hour helipad facilities.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Air ambulances form a vital part of the emergency response to patients in critical need. The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with NHS England and the Department for Transport to ensure that there is appropriate helipad accessibility available for air ambulances across the country. However, there are no plans to make it national policy that all major trauma hospitals have access to 24-hour helipad facilities.
The Department of Health and Social Care is working with the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government to support and promote the interests of the health and care system throughout the planning process, including improving the participation of all relevant health stakeholders in the creation of local plans to ensure that necessary service provision is maintained.
Information on the proportion of major trauma hospitals that operate 24-hour hospital helipads in England is not held centrally.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how and what proportion of major trauma hospitals operate 24-hour hospital helipads in England.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Air ambulances form a vital part of the emergency response to patients in critical need. The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with NHS England and the Department for Transport to ensure that there is appropriate helipad accessibility available for air ambulances across the country. However, there are no plans to make it national policy that all major trauma hospitals have access to 24-hour helipad facilities.
The Department of Health and Social Care is working with the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government to support and promote the interests of the health and care system throughout the planning process, including improving the participation of all relevant health stakeholders in the creation of local plans to ensure that necessary service provision is maintained.
Information on the proportion of major trauma hospitals that operate 24-hour hospital helipads in England is not held centrally.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of helipad accessibility on patient outcomes in air ambulance transfers.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No such discussions have been held. Air ambulances form a vital part of the emergency response to patients in critical need. The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with NHS England and the Department for Transport to ensure that there is appropriate helipad accessibility available for air ambulances across the country.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with NHS Trusts on improving access to helipads for emergency air ambulance services.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No such discussions have been held. Air ambulances form a vital part of the emergency response to patients in critical need. The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with NHS England and the Department for Transport to ensure that there is appropriate helipad accessibility available for air ambulances across the country.