The first elevated Helipad of its kind in the North West has opened at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.

The state-of-the-art helicopter landing pad will enable critically ill or injured babies, children and adults to be airlifted straight to Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust hospitals in Manchester city centre. The helipad will bring adults and children with life threatening injuries to the Major Trauma Centres at Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) and Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital (RMCH), both co-located on the Oxford Road Campus of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust site in the centre of Manchester.

In an emergency, being able to land just minutes away from specialist care at MRI or RMCH is crucial. With the new helipad, patients will be transferred to MRI’s Emergency Department in less than three minutes and to RMCH’s Paediatric Emergency Department in less than six minutes. It is believed that the landing site could allow as many as 300 patients to be airlifted to ORC hospitals each year and is expected to save lives locally and regionally, increasing the chances of an improved level of recovery for many seriously ill or injured patients.

Alistair Rennie, Consultant in Emergency Medicine and Major Trauma at the MRI and RMCH and Group Clinical Lead for Emergency Planning, said: “The helipad will benefit major trauma patients across Greater Manchester and beyond, including people who have suffered serious injuries in road traffic accidents, assaults, sudden illnesses or falls in areas difficult to reach by road ambulances.

“As a consultant in Emergency Medicine, we know the quality and speed of specialist medical care following a major trauma injury is vital to ensuring patients have the best chance of a full recovery. In these situations, patients need to be transferred to a Major Trauma Centre, which we have on site here at the MRI (Adults) and RMCH (Children’s). I am delighted that this development is now a reality at MFT’s Oxford Road Campus, as for many patients our helipad could represent the difference between life and death.”

Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital (RMCH) is the Children’s Major Trauma Centre for the entire Greater Manchester region and one of only two dedicated Children’s Major Trauma Centres in the whole of the North West, providing care for seriously ill or injured children. Manchester Royal Infirmary is one of two Major Trauma Centres in Manchester providing care to adults with life threatening injuries related to trauma.

£3.9 million towards the helipad was raised in just 12 months by Manchester Foundation Trust Charity’s Time Saves Lives Appeal.