Paramedics with the Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance have been granted permission to give advanced pain and sedation drugs.
At the moment air ambulance doctors can use ketamine, for pain relief, and midazolam, for sedation, but they cannot be present on every shift.
Air ambulance paramedics will now receive training so they can administer the medication, meaning the drugs will be available on every mission the charity flies.
Dave Roberts, clinical services and training manager for the charity, said: “Before, we were able to administer pain relief such as morphine, but this isn’t always enough when you have a patient who is suffering from severe trauma such as multiple fractures.
“Now that we can give ketamine and midazolam, we will be able to ensure the patient is as comfortable as possible for the flight to hospital.
“Administering these advanced drugs means we are able to provide our patients with the very best pre-hospital care which is what The Air Ambulance Service is always striving to achieve.”
The charity is now urging members of the public to continue to donate so they have the funds needed to buy the drugs as well as other vital pieces of equipment.
He said: “As with anything, all of the drugs we use cost money and so we really need people to dig deep and support us so that we can continue to deliver our lifesaving pre-hospital care at road traffic collisions, horse riding accidents, and medical emergencies such as heart attacks.
“We attend an average of three rescue missions a day, and with each one costing approximately £1,400, every penny really does count.”
To donate to Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance to help them continue their lifesaving work, please visit www.theairambulanceservice.org.uk/donate
Air Ambulance Drug Fact file
Advanced pain relief (including ketamine): £6 per dose (one – two doses given per patient)
The Air Ambulance paramedics and doctors use a variety of pain relief medication in order to make the patient more comfortable for the flight to the hospital.
Sedation (including midazolam): from 30p per dose
Usually given at the same time as advanced pain relief.
Tranexamic Acid – £4 per dose (one dose given per patient)
This drug is administered to casualties who are bleeding or are suspected of bleeding internally. It works to stem the blood flow until the casualty reaches hospital.
Cardiac medication: Approx. £5 per dose (combination of drugs used and doses can vary
Last year, approximately 11 per cent of all rescue missions attended by Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance were cardiac related.
Anaesthesia drugs: £10 - £15 per dose (one dose per patient)
Carrying a doctor on board means that the Air Ambulance crew can put people into a medically induced coma, which allows the doctor and paramedic to secure the patient’s airway and take control of the breathing for the flight to hospital.