Cosford loses air medic control
The County Air Ambulance control centre at RAF Cosford has been axed, it was revealed today. The County Air Ambulance control centre at RAF Cosford has been axed, it was revealed today. Staff who dispatched the three helicopters from the operations centre at Cosford have been moved. They have moved to the West Midlands Ambulance Service emergency operations centre at Brierley Hill. Managers today said the move would provide a better service and there were no plans to move any of the helicopters from any of the three sites, including Cosford. Read the full story in the Shropshire Star
Staff who dispatched the three helicopters from the operations centre at Cosford have been moved.
They have moved to the West Midlands Ambulance Service emergency operations centre at Brierley Hill.
Managers today said the move would provide a better service and there were no plans to move any of the helicopters from any of the three sites, including Cosford.Trust spokeswoman Cat- herine Summers said staff began operating from the West Midlands on Friday.
She said: "The change of location is already having benefits for patients with more life-saving flights taking place.
"The three helicopters will continue to be based at Cosford in Shropshire, Strensham in Worcestershire and at Nottingham East Midlands Airport and there are no plans to move the aircraft.
"Their current bases provide an excellent geographic coverage for the region."
Air operations manager Ian Clayton said: "There are strict guidelines laid down by the Civil Aviation Autho- rity as to the types of mission helicopters can be used on.
"The great advantage of moving the dispatch staff to Brierley Hill is they will be able to monitor the 999 calls that come in. If they see an incident they consider suitable for an air ambulance, they can immediately dispatch one of the helicopters, thus saving possibly vital minutes."
The helicopters fly about 200 missions a month.
