Meeting discussed fate of air ambulance and police helicopter

11:10am Friday 25th April 2008

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TALKS were held yesteday between representatives of Great Western Ambulance Service and Wiltshire Police over renewing the lease on the shared Wiltshire Police helicopter and Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

The lease is due for renewal on the Explorer helicopter in December this year and the Gazette understands that Wiltshire Police wants to carry on with the shared helicopter and air ambulance and was seeking a five year term.

The confidential meeting yesterday was held at Great Western Ambulance Service's headquarters in Jenner House, Chippenham.

Wiltshire Police pays the running costs of the helicopter while the Wiltshire Air Ambulance is funded entirely by donations from the public and needs to raise £350,000 a year to keep it flying.

Wiltshire's helicopter is one of only two air ambulances in the country that are able to fly at night.

Sixteen months ago Great Western Ambulance Service confirmed that it was reviewing the Wiltshire Air Ambulance and whether a joint police and ambulance helicopter was appropriate and was due to make a decision in 12-18 months.

The service also announced plans to launch a new air ambulance based in Bristol. This has not yet happened.

Last year the service set up a new charity called the Great Western Air Ambulance charity to funds raise for the Bristol air ambulance. It said the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal would be linked to the new charity but the money raised for Wiltshire Air Ambulance would be held in a restricted account.

In a statement Great Western Ambulance Service said: "We have routine meetings with all our partner organisations. The meeting held on April 24 was one such meeting with Wiltshire Police. "We are in ongoing discussions about the future options for providing air ambulance cover for the people of Wiltshire. No decisions have been made."