London's Air Ambulance

About us

Londons Air Ambulance - about us

London’s Air Ambulance is a registered charity which runs London’s only helicopter emergency medical service, providing life saving care to victims of serious injury throughout London - serving the 10 million people who live, work and commute within the M25.

Based at the Royal London Hospital and founded in 1989, the service is unique in that it operates 24/7, with the helicopter running in daylight hours and rapid response cars taking over at night. The Team, which at all times includes a senior trauma doctor and a specially trained paramedic, attends an average of seven missions every 24 hours.

London’s Air Ambulance has an international reputation for clinical excellence and delivers pioneering procedures which have been adopted across the world.

London’s Air Ambulance was the first air ambulance service in the UK:

with a doctor and paramedic team;
to deliver high standard pre-hospital anaesthesia;
to have a clinical governance programme;
to perform a thoracotomy (open heart surgery) at the roadside;
to perform thoracostomy (to drain collapsed lungs);
to use check lists to improve patient safety;
with air & land based response; and to provide 24 hour cover.

The Helicopter

Londons Air Ambulance - the helicopter

London’s Air Ambulance operates an MD902 Explorer twin engine helicopter, one of the most identifiable in the world. This is one of a new generation of aircraft chosen for its safety features which include no tail rotor, important in an urban environment. It has been specially adapted for its purpose, to enable patients to be treated to the standard of an intensive care unit in flight.

The Rapid Response Cars

Londons Air Ambulance - the rapid response cars

When the Helicopter is offline – either at night when it is too dangerous to land in London, or if there are dangerous weather conditions – the operation is supported by a rapid response car team which ensures 24 hour care to London.