Busiest year on record for ​Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance

The ​Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance has experienced, responding to 1,771 missions – 541 missions in Nottinghamshire, 1,044 in Lincolnshire and the remaining 181in the surrounding counties – in the last 12 months, up from 1,620 in 2022.

The charity’s crews of pilots, doctors and paramedics responded to 676 serious medical injuries, followed by 488 road traffic incidents, as well as 158 assaults and 50 sporting or leisure related injuries, with the majority of patients aged between 40 and 60 years old.

Christmas and New Year was particularly busy for the crews, as over the nine days of the festive period, they received 43 emergency calls to attend patients needing a range of life-saving treatments including blood transfusions, anaesthetics, and life-saving drugs, with 17 incidents between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day – making 2023 the busiest Christmas ever.

LNAA’s chief executive Karen Jobling said: “Each year the number of missions we attend increases. Last year we responded to 151 more missions than in 2022, treating critically ill and injured patients across Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.”

LNAA’s Aftercare Team continued to grow from strength to strength, with the team reached out to 916 patients and/or their families during 2023.

From providing support and arranging 58 visits to HQ to being a listening ear, the team helped many patients come to terms with their injuries and cope with the impact of what happened to them.

Karen added: “We start a new year with great optimism.

"2024 is the 30th anniversary for Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance and we have ambitious plans for the next 12 months so that we can be by the side of more patients.

"As demand for our service grows, we know that costs will also increase, and we thank everyone who has supported us in whatever way and enabled us to be by the side of patients, day and night.”

The charity receives no direct government funding for the £10million needed to operate 24 hours a day, and relies on donations from the people of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

To make a donation to the LNAA, visit www.ambucopter.org.uk