Supporting the lifesaving work of KSS

As an NHS doctor, Dr Llewelyn was fascinated to hear about the work of Kent, Surrey and Sussex (KSS) Air Ambulance during a visit to the base at Redhill Aerodrome.

KSS is an independent charity with close links to the emergency services and raises 88% of the £15 million it costs to run the service through donations and fundraising. Its medical emergency responders have attended a total of 35,000 accidents.

Dr Llewelyn was particularly impressed with the pioneering medical advances made by this world-class emergency medical care service. These include checklists for emergency procedures, such as intubation (when patients need the portable ventilator carried onboard). The checklists help make the process as safe as possible.

The fast-responding crews now also carry blood products, so they can give transfusions on-site if necessary. And the service has a fleet of road vehicles, which they position in strategic sites around the county, ready to attend emergencies during bad weather when the helicopter can’t fly.

Dr Llewelyn said: “The set-up is hugely impressive and very professional. Surrey is fortunate to be able to call upon the service.”

Dr Llewelyn is pictured above with some of the crew and below, with two doctors demonstrating what happens to a patient and the helicopter’s medical equipment.