New 24-hour Essex and Herts Air Ambulance paramedic service reaches 75 patients
The specialist team is helping the charity respond to more critical emergencies across the region
A new 24-hour Advanced Paramedic service run by Essex & Herts Air Ambulance has attended 75 patients since it began.
The charity launched the service in partnership with the East of England Ambulance Service Trust, saying it helps them reach more people and cover a broader range of critical incidents.
A test period began on 15th June, with the car officially launching on 20th July 2026 and operating around the clock ever since.
What the team has responded to
Since the test period started, the team has attended 75 patients across a broad range of emergencies.
Cardiac arrests made up 40% of callouts, while road traffic collisions accounted for 23%, alongside other traumatic incidents.
Advanced Paramedics are specialist paramedics trained to deliver enhanced critical care, including advanced sedation, enhanced pain relief, and specialist cardiac arrest and major trauma care.
The charity said this brings senior clinical decision-making, interventions and scene leadership to the patient's side, a level of support ambulance crews alone are not equipped to provide.
How the service works
The service is based out of the charity's Earls Colne airbase, operating via a dedicated Rapid Response Vehicle and tasked by the ambulance trust's critical care dispatch desk.
The charity said it's increasing the type and volume of critical care calls it can respond to, while freeing its helicopter emergency medicine service teams to focus on the most critically ill or injured patients.
The service is currently running as a pilot, which the charity hopes will become a core part of what it offers in the future.
What patients have said
One patient with a time critical ankle injury, who was treated by Advanced Paramedic Scott Wallman, said he is "forever grateful to Scott as his interventions saved his foot".
Another patient, who had an acute respiratory issue and was treated by Advanced Paramedic James Mullett, described being "very scared, then James came and spoke with me and calmed me down".
She said: "He directed the treatment to help me, then came to check on me in resus in the emergency department which I really appreciated."
What the charity has said
Mark Jarman-Howe, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance's CEO said: "Introducing Advanced Paramedics into our charity's clinical service is already helping to ensure patients get the help they need, when they require it most. In an emergency, that can make the difference between life and death. In just over two months, the team attended 75 patients, and we expect this new programme to potentially double the number of patients we can attend over time, which will be really significant for us, for those patients and for the wider community."
Dr Tony Joy, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance's Medical Director said: "We are committed to delivering the highest standard of pre-hospital care to every patient we attend. We continuously strive to improve patient outcomes through innovation and collaboration. This programme will undoubtedly help us to provide better care to more patients, as well as valuing the immense experience of our talented paramedics and helping them to develop further for the benefit of our patients."