EMRTS Cymru

Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service Cymru
Established	2015; 10 years ago (2015)
Budget	£2.8 million
Website	emrts.nhs.wales

The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service Cymru (EMRTS Cymru) is a pre-hospital critical care service in Wales. It is partnership between Wales Air Ambulance, Welsh Government and NHS Wales.

Dafen (Llanelli)

Welshpool

Caernarfon

Cardiff

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Helicopter bases in Wales

History

In September 2014 the Welsh Government announced a service that would be capable of reaching around 95% of the population within 30 minutes, operational for 12 hours of the day. [1] Capital funding of almost £2 million was allocated in 2014–15 to set up the service, with almost £3 million a year expected from the following year to support it.[2] In November 2014, up to eight consultant doctors were to be recruited.[3]

In March 2015, the service was set to start within a few weeks using military and civilian personnel travelling in helicopters and four-wheel drive road vehicles. The service was to operate from two bases, located at Swansea in South Wales and Welshpool in Mid-Wales.[4] This was based on the Australian flying doctor model.[5]

In August 2017, the service was extended with a further crew operating from a base at Caernarfon Airport, North Wales.[6][7]

See also

• Emergency medical services in the United Kingdom

References

1. Clarke, Owain (29 September 2014). "Consultants to join Welshpool and Swansea air ambulance". BBC News. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
2. Morris, Steven (29 September 2014). "New Welsh air ambulance service to help patients in remote areas". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
3. "NHS to recruit consultant doctors for air ambulance". BBC News. 2 November 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
4. Morris, Steven (16 March 2015). "Flying doctors service staffed by military medics to be launched in Wales". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
5. "New Welsh emergency service fleet unveiled". BBC News. 16 March 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
6. "'Flying doctors' service extended to cover north Wales". BBC News. 14 August 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
7. Smith, Mark (2 October 2017). "A bleed on the brain, a child in a car crash, a heart attack – a day in the life of a Welsh flying doctor". Wales Online. Retrieved 5 January 2019.

External links

• Official website