THE charity that funds the helipad at Gobowen's Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt (RJAH) hospital says it has been used for more than 1,000 landings.

The HELP Appeal, the only UK charity dedicated to funding NHS hospital helipads, has announced that more than 20,000 landings have been made on the NHS hospital helipads it has funded.

At RJAH, around 1,084 (5.42 per cent) of these landings have been made in Gobowen alone, on a helipad that opened in 2009 and has received £400,000 from HELP to cover the entire upgrade of the helipad.

Since then patients, with serious spinal injuries, have been flown directly to the hospital to receive immediate treatment.

Robert Bertram, chief executive of the HELP Appeal said: “As the only charity in the country funding helipads at NHS Hospitals, we are dedicated to helping to save lives and it is enormously rewarding to have achieved this milestone figure.

“Helipads are lifesavers and an important link between air ambulances and hospital emergency departments to give a patient the best possible chance.

"Any delays can significantly change a patient’s outcome as saving time really does save lives.”

Helipads improve patient outcomes as there are risks to patients who, after landing in an air ambulance, have to finish their journey with a life-threatening secondary transfer to hospital by road ambulance, if there is no helipad at the hospital.

The delay in treatment and movement are both contributory factors.

Risks include major physiological derangement, prolonged hospital stays, blood clots, physical injury – including an increased risk of clotting – and death.

The actor Hugh Grant also understands the benefits of emergency landing pads after he – along with the HELP Appeal - funded a permanent emergency helipad in the remote Highland community of Applecross.

He added: "More than 20,000 landings confirm how essential hospital helipads are across the country for people whose lives are in danger.

"Every second counts during an emergency, and a helipad right beside the Emergency Department saves time, which helps to give patients the best possible outcome.

"Well done to the HELP Appeal for making this happen as many lives have been saved and many more will be in the future.”

To mark 20,000 landings on HELP Appeal funded helipads, the charity is inviting people to take part in a ‘20,000 Steps for Landings’ challenge where people can reach 20,000 steps, to help raise money for 40 helipads in the pipeline.

You can visit www.helpappeal.org.uk for more information.