The HELP Appeal, the only charity in the country dedicated to funding NHS hospital helipads, has donated £516,000 to cover the entire cost of the new helipad, which will be located on the opposite side of the road along the B1145.
With planning permission approved, construction work by the appointed Pentaco Construction Limited contractors is progressing well. The helipad is expected to be ready for use by the end of the year.
The replacement and relocation of the helipad is an essential part of the journey towards a new hospital for King’s Lynn and West Norfolk – which is part of the NHS’ New Hospital Programme – as the area of the current helipad will be used as part of the site for the new multi-storey car park. The HELP Appeal’s funding of a replacement helipad ensures that the hospital will not lose this vital, lifesaving facility.
Paul Brooks, Director of Estates and Facilities, explains: “Securing this funding is an exciting step forward for this project and it’s great to see the new site taking shape. We’d like to extend a big thank you to the HELP Appeal for their support and our colleagues in the air ambulance for their full backing. The new permanent relocation of our helipad is a big step towards our New QEH. We know the importance of this resource through working with the air ambulance – our central location in the eastern region means the current pad is well used by the ambulance service for operational reasons.
“Progressing plans for this relocation will mean we keep this valuable resource close by where it can continue to be used, as it is now, for patients being transferred to The QEH Emergency Department for further care after landing in an air ambulance.”
The national HELP Appeal charity has funded 55 lifesaving hospital helipads around the country for over 15 years. Of these, 32 have been brand new helipads, which have seen over 30,000 landings. It has also made several donations to support the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
Robert Bertram, Chief Executive of the HELP Appeal visited the hospital to present a cheque for £516,000. He said:
“We are incredibly proud to be funding this project which is just one of seven helipads in the region the HELP Appeal has or is funding, plus our support for East Anglian Air Ambulance airbases. The QEH helipad will play a vital role in saving lives by ensuring seriously ill patients can receive urgent care with minimal delay. None of this would be possible without the generosity of our supporters, so a huge thank you to them for helping us make a real difference.”
Andrew Grady, Managing Director, Pentaco Construction, said: “We feel privileged to be appointed as the contractor for this important project at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Relocating the helipad is a critical step in enabling future development while ensuring emergency access remains uninterrupted. At Pentaco, we’re proud to contribute to infrastructure that supports lifesaving services and strengthens the region’s healthcare provision.”
Find our plans to build a New QEH on the current main car park here: www.newqeh.org.uk.
To find out more about the HELP Appeal and to support its work, please visit: www.helpappeal.org.uk
Ends.
Photo Caption: Funding received for new QEH helipad (l to r) Angela Eastman – Head of Capital, Paul Brooks – Director of Estates and Facilities, Robert Bertram – Chief Executive of the HELP Appeal, Chris Lloyd – Consultant Emergency Medicine
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