Helipad vital for patients' survival

The air ambulance has to land at Cottingham

Delays in establishing a helicopter landing pad for Hull Royal Infirmary are putting lives at risk, it has been claimed.

Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust had promised a permanent site would be found by October.

But now the Trust says a suitable site will be found "within the next few months".

Emergency services say every second counts when it comes to saving lives.

Trauma centre

Hull is just one of only a few major trauma centres that cannot take patients directly from a helicopter.

Instead, aircraft have to land at Castle Hill in Cottingham and patients then go by ambulance the seven miles to the Royal Infirmary.

Inspector Steve Page of Humberside Police said: "Every minute that we save in the journey bringing a casualty to hospital is an extra minute that the staff can spend treating the casualty."

Emergency service sources told BBC Radio Humberside that lives were being put at risk - something they were no longer prepared to accept.

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The Trust stated: "We do recognise that a helicopter landing facility to serve Hull Royal Infirmary is important.

"Obviously, the siting of a helicopter landing pad at or near a hospital is crucial with many safety, security, access and clinical considerations to be taken into account.

"Work is continuing to identify such a suitable site at Hull Royal Infirmary and we hope to complete this work within the next few months."