AirMed’s implementation of phase 1 of their new neonatal service has been completed. This large investment in state-of-the-art equipment and specialist personnel allows them to support the assistance industry and neonatal hospital units throughout the world, giving their clients access to a consultant led, fully integrated neonatal transfer and retrieval service.

After lengthy consultations with assistance companies, consultant neonatal intensivists and parent support groups, AirMed took the decision to set up a neonatal transfer service. This new project started in earnest when Neonatal Medical Director, Dr Charlotte Bennett joined the team in 2010. Dr Bennett is a consultant neonatologist at the renowned Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust and experience with the Thames Valley Neonatal Transfer Service since her appointment in 2001 has provided an excellent platform from which to set up this service. To ensure a complete service with back-up consultant provision, Dr Bennett is supported by Dr Julian Eason, a fellow Consultant Neonatologist who is currently Service Line Director for the neonatal department at Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust. He has considerable experience of aeromedical transfers from his Canadian fellowship post with the Infant Transport Team based in Vancouver and subsequent experience in the Channel Islands.

The neonatal service is an entirely consultant led service which offers a dedicated team of highly trained neonatal health care professionals. A team of nurses and doctors, already experienced in land based transfers have completed a rigorous and bespoke aeromedical training course. The service provides rapid access to specialist advice on clinical safety, family support and strategic planning allowing safe transfers to be pre-planned and carried out during the ideal window of opportunity.

Following the complete implementation process, AirMed will have invested over £250,000 (>$400,000) in high-tech medical equipment and the provision of comprehensive training for their neonatal aeromedical staff. All of the equipment which has been designed and purchased by AirMed is fully compatible, not only on their Learjet 35A and Piper Cheyenne IIIA fleets, but also with the UK HEMS Eurocopter EC135 helicopters and road ambulances. This allows incredible flexibility and versatility when carrying out transfers either between the specialist UK hospital units or between units on a more global scale.

The system currently in use includes a Babypod II, babyPAC ventilators, Propac monitors and Braun infusion pumps in addition to the existing intensive care equipment currently operated by AirMed. The Babypod provides a warm and secure environment for the baby and protects them from the physiological disturbance arising from vibration, sound interference and thermal challenges. The medical team are able to continually monitor the baby’s vital signs and can provide intravenous infusions and respiratory support if required.

Further development of the service is ongoing and AirMed is planning completion of Phase 2 by the end of 2011. This will lead to a further expansion in capabilities and will see the addition of a Drager incubator, a custom-built trolley and lift system (currently being designed and built by PARaid) and PrinterNoX inhaled nitric oxide delivery.  Not only will this enable AirMed to carry out transfers of the most critically ill neonates, but the additional system will also allow twins to be transferred together.

This development of and investment in AirMed’s capabilities goes hand in hand with their philosophy of striving to provide a leading aeromedical transfer service which continually raises the bar within the air ambulance industry.