We marked a milestone this week, treating our 10,000th patient since we became an independent healthcare provider in 2018.  Our charity gives lifesaving care to the most critically ill and injured people in our community, with paramedic and doctor crews using advanced drugs and equipment that effectively bring the hospital directly to the patient.  Behind every statistic on our database is a real person, with family and friends who love them. Amanda McLean, Chief Executive Officer It’s our 25th anniversary this year and we’ve cared for an estimated 35,000 people in Berkshire, Buckin ..read more

On the day, the angels were on my side. Peter On 10th July 2022, Peter and his wife, Sue, were driving home to Bognor Regis after visiting their nephew in Evesham. Peter, who was 75 at the time, was driving and they planned to stop enroute to see their daughter in Basingstoke. There were no signs that this would be anything but an ordinary journey. There was, however, a road closure along their planned route, delaying progress. They decided to take a break and pulled in at a service station on the Milton Interchange. They didn’t know at the time how lucky they were that they picked that servi ..read more

Our paramedics and doctors are dispatched to the most critical incidents in our community. So, we need to make sure they are trained regularly and always ready for whatever a shift may bring. To help drive forward our ambitious education strategy, we’ve recently introduced the brand-new role of Clinical Educator. This is a job that some of our Critical Care Paramedics are taking on, in addition to their work on the frontline of saving lives. Critical Care Paramedic Emma is one of those stepping into the new role. “My fellow Clinical Educators and I have really hit the ground running” she expla ..read more

Our Aftercare team have been highly commended in the category of ‘charity team of the year’ at the Air Ambulances UK Awards of Excellence. In August 2018, we were one of the first air ambulance charities in the UK to introduce an Aftercare service. This year, the fifth anniversary of our Aftercare team, we are celebrating the success and impact Aftercare has had on our patients, our clinicians and our staff. The essence of Aftercare is acknowledging that something awful can happen in an instant, but it can have a ripple effect that can go on for months and years after. We know that these rippl ..read more

 We’ve launched our latest Christmas appeal, featuring the story of a man who lost his leg last year in a road traffic collision.   In January 2022, Paul was on his way to work in Faringdon. He noticed a car on the roadside, so he parked his car on the other side of the road and went over to help, waving to approaching cars to warn them to slow down. One passing car slowed, but the second car did not manage to hit the brakes in time and Paul was pinned between two vehicles.   We arrived on scene by helicopter and gave Paul ketamine to manage his pain, then he was carefully ..read more

On 5th January 2022, Paul found himself driving through Buscot on his way to work in Faringdon. His day took an unexpected turn when he noticed a car, half in a ditch, with a visibly shaken female driver. As a member of his local Search and Rescue team, Paul’s instinct to help kicked in immediately. Without hesitation, Paul parked his car across the road and went to assist. He vividly recalls standing on the roadside, waving at approaching vehicles to slow down. While one car heeded the warning, another failed to brake in time, causing a collision that left Paul pinned between the two vehicles ..read more

Control Rooms are a bit like the VIP area at an event. Not that we have a velvet rope and a burly bouncer, but because not many people get the chance to see what goes on behind closed doors. The sensitive nature of our jobs make it tricky for us to show you what life is like for our Emergency Dispatch Assistants. However, as it’s Control Room Week, we wanted to give you a bit of a glimpse into what it’s like to be on the receiving end of a 999 call. My name’s Jen and I’ve spent the bulk of my working life in a Control Room. I’ve been an Emergency Dispatch Assistant for Thames Valley Air Ambula ..read more

Almost a third of people in our community would not feel confident giving CPR if they witnessed a cardiac arrest, despite 57 per cent receiving some form of CPR training in the past.   The figures on defibrillation are not much better. Only 39 per cent would feel confident using an automated external defibrillator (AED), indeed one in ten (9%) did not know what a defibrillator was.   In new figures released to mark Air Ambulance Week, we are raising awareness of the difference that early CPR and defibrillation can make.  The worst thing you can do in that moment is no ..read more

Today (2nd August), we said goodbye to our President, Colin Lee MBE.   Colin was a founding force behind the creation of Thames Valley Air Ambulance, then known as the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance, in 1999.     Colin was a real gentleman, who helped to start something 24 years ago that has made a difference to the lives of thousands of patients and their loved ones. Amanda McLean, CEO He became our first Chair of Trustees, a position he held until 2010. After a decade of dedicated service, Colin was made an honorary life President and has remained inv ..read more

One year on from its expansion, our Aftercare service is reaching three times more patients than ever before.  Last June, an Aftercare Manager was installed at the major trauma centre, the John Radcliffe Hospital, to work from the hospital itself. This manager joined our existing Head of Aftercare and Aftercare Manager who were already providing support in the community.   Aftercare is an acknowledgment that something terrible happens in a moment, but the trauma exists long after Adam Crosby, Head of Aftercare The service, which also marks its fifth anniversary this year, ensur ..read more