Air Ambulance that operates in Wigan called out to record number of missions

The lifesaving charity provides enhanced pre-hospital care to the most critically ill and injured patients across the five-county region which totals 5,500 square miles.

The North West Air Ambulance Charity has released figures showing that 2023 was its busiest year to date. They have now surpassed 3,100 missions, this is a new yearly record with 300 more callouts than in the previous year.

In Greater Manchester alone, crews were called out to 1,148 incidents from January 1 to December 31 2023.

The charity’s confirmed figures showed cardiac arrest and medical incidents accounted for over 950 callouts for the year, with road traffic collisions at 780 and accidental injuries at 680.

Lead paramedic Andy Duncan said: “Our crew make a life-saving difference to those who need us most.

“The critically ill patients we treat are at the heart of everything we do, including every decision we make as a charity.

“Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, more patients than ever before have received enhanced pre-hospital care from our dedicated and highly skilled crew.”

Having launched in 1999 with just one helicopter, the charity now operates with three helicopters and four critical care vehicles. Two of the helicopters are based at Barton Airbase in Manchester, and the third is based at Blackpool Air Base.

Since the beginning of 2023, the North West Air Ambulance Charity has also become operational for 12 hours a day, while their “Night-car” service operates on Friday and Saturday nights from 6pm to 2am. Since the extension of operating hours there has been a significant increase in mission call-outs, with over 900 on the vehicles alone.

David Briggs, Director of Operations said: “Each year the number of missions we attend increases and 2023 was our busiest year yet.

“We remain ever grateful to our amazing supporters; without them, we wouldn’t be able to continue saving lives across the North West.

“The charity is solely funded by public donations; we receive no government funding and are not part of the NHS.”

2024 is an important year for the North West Air Ambulance Charity as they are celebrating their 25th Birthday. To find out more information about the charity and how you can support them, head to nwairambulance.org.uk.