HEMS Desk
The Hems Dispatch Desk,  based at the South Western Ambulance Services's 999 control room, is manned by  a dedicated dispatcher, whose sole aim is to deploy not only our 2 Air Ambulances but also the Cornwall Air Ambulance and Dorset /& Somerset Air Ambulance.

The charity is extremely proud of this initiative, as we first suggested a dedicated dispatch desk some three years ago, and set it up on a trial basis.  The trial was initially funded by us, but now the cost is shared between the 3 Air Ambulance charitable trusts.

The dispatchers are specially trained and have spent time shadowing their aircrew colleagues.  It  is their decision to intercept any 999 call they think suitable for Air Ambulance deployment.  Their expertise has resulted in a 30% drop in the helicopters being sent on to inappropriate missions and a decrease in it being overlooked deployed to jobs where it can truly make a difference to patient care.

In addition to improving the quality of dispatch, the HEMS Desk has also improved reporting, statistical analysis, planning and communications.  The HEMS dispatchers are truly part of the Air Ambulance team, and there is a great feeling of respect and teamwork between the aircrew and the dispatchers.

The HEMS Dispatch Desk initiative led DAAT to be highly commended in the 2009 National Charity Awards, an accolade that the organisers said showed the Trust to be “among the best-managed charities in the UK.”

Types of incidents we attend

The type of incidents we attend are extremely varied and include both trauma and illness.

We break down these into the following categories:-

• R.T.C - road traffic collisions
• Trauma - accidents
• Medical - ie heart attacks, strokes
• Sports and leisure
• Inter-hospital transfers

Here's a pie chart showing the % split of these for the whole of 2008 and below are some photos showing some of the different types of sites the aircraft have to land:-