Thames Valley Air Ambulance records 'busiest year ever'

An air ambulance charity that covers three counties recorded its "busiest year ever" with nearly 3,000 call outs.

Thames Valley Air Ambulance was called out 2,880 times in 2021, the highest tally since it became an independent healthcare provider in 2018.

There were 1,125 call-outs in Berkshire, 1,018 in Buckinghamshire and 640 in Oxfordshire.

With an average of 240 call-outs a month, it said it was an "incredibly busy year for our crews".

The charity said crews delivered critical care to 1,819 patients, dealing with 922 cardiac arrests, 643 medical emergencies, 493 accidental emergencies and 367 road traffic collisions.

The team saw a surge in activity when lockdown restrictions eased in the spring, but the busiest months of the year were actually December and November, with 295 and 276 call-outs respectively.

Chief operating officer, Adam Panter, said: "The team worked tirelessly to keep our community safe, 365 days a year.

"Not only have they dealt with a record-breaking workload, but they have continued to rise to ongoing challenges posed by PPE and adapt to changes brought about by new Covid-19 variants.

"Behind these facts and statistics are the stories of real people, each going through possibly the worst day of their lives.

"We couldn't have done it without the generosity of our community, who have kept us going throughout the twists and turns of 2021."

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