Ambucopter back in the air

The publicly funded ambucopter is flying once again after being grounded over a mix-up left it unable to carry controlled drugs.

The Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance was temporarily stood-down on January 31 after the life-saving charity failed to renew its licence to carry the drugs by the required deadline due to an ‘administrative oversight’.

East Midlands Ambulance Service, which organises the aircraft’s emergency call-outs, said it had taken the decision due to a higher risk to patient safety if the drugs were not available.

This meant the ambucopter medics would be unable to provide some of the critical care that is often the reason for its deployment, such as emergency anaesthetics.

A joint statement from the charity and the ambulance service on Thursday, February 6, announced the ambucopter was back in the air: “EMAS resumed the dispatch of Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance resources to support the provision of clinical care. Both organisations will continue to work very closely together for the benefit of our communities and to resolve the issues around the controlled drugs licence.”