Air rescuers fear cuts could cost lives

Air rescue service providers fear lives could be lost if a draft strategy proposing air ambulance services are based in seven main centres gets the go-ahead.

The Accident Compensation Corporation yesterday released its draft national air ambulance strategy for public consultation. It looks at the services' long-term future.

Among the themes of the report are that "faster is not always better" and that "the balance of clinical opinion" is that it is better to wait slightly longer for better-quality clinical care.

In October ACC Healthwise general manager David Rankin questioned why New Zealand had so many rescue helicopters "when so many of them are running such a low number of flights they can't be breaking even".

Fifty helicopters and fixed-wing planes provide rescue services in 18 regions. Of those, 38 are dedicated rescue aircraft.

The draft strategy, which makes 19 recommendations, proposed an enhanced standard of helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) coverage, with crews of advanced paramedics and closer integration with major district health board emergency departments and intensive care teams.

It proposed that HEMS air ambulances be based in Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton or Tauranga, Hastings, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin.

At the same time it said there was a need to preserve the capability of local rescue helicopters and pilots with local knowledge to respond to the occasional urgent callout.

Based on population, location and infrastructure, rescue services also needed to be maintained at New Plymouth, Greymouth, Gisborne, Queenstown and Invercargill.

More work needed to be done on services from Palmerston North and the central plateau.

But Air Rescue NZ, which represents the air ambulance sector, questions the need to change the status quo. It does not believe the proposal is the best solution and it will be putting forward other options.

Chief executive John Cooper said the proposed strategy would be difficult to achieve in a cost-effective and efficient way. It would also mean parts of the country, particularly the central North Island, would not be adequately covered.

The organisation had two main fears - that the "golden hour" would disappear in some areas and that boosting spending in the seven main centres would be to the detriment of smaller bases and could cost lives.

John Funnell, chief pilot for the Philips Search and Rescue Trust, which flies aircraft in Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Taupo and Palmerston North, said the draft strategy had "got it wrong".

Hamilton was already a busy area, and any requirement that staff there also cover Rotorua and Taupo would put pressure on services and mean longer times for patients to get the care they needed.

Mr Funnell said smaller operations were likely to be jeopardised financially by the proposed service, which he understood could cost ACC an extra $8 million.

Safety could also be put at risk as local pilots knew their areas.