July 9 - 13 2014 I am cycling from Paris to Geneva and raising funds for London's Air Ambulance Service

London's Air Ambulance service believe that patients deserve world-class advanced trauma care immediately after injury, both inside and outside the hospital.

London's Air Ambulance service take the hospital to the patient.

They combine the medical knowledge and practical expertise of a senior trauma doctor with the medical, logistical and street-wise skills of an advanced paramedic to form an advanced trauma team.

London's Air Ambulance service blend civilian medical procedures with aspects of aviation and military practice to deliver intensive trauma care at the scene. Doctor led teams are trained to make complex medical decisions and perform surgical procedures when the patient needs them - there and then.

The Golden Hour refers to the hour immediately following a serious injury. This period is critical in determining not only survival but quality of life following recovery.

Even in an urban environment like London, the average trauma patient will spend most of this golden hour outside the hospital. London's Air Ambulance service provide treatments to correct lack of oxygen, reinflate collapsed lungs and prevent serious blood loss as soon as we reach the patient’s side. Delays in critical interventions before arrival at hospital will worsen outcomes.

"Open chest surgery in the dark on the tube or a balcony in a housing estate with a crowd of bystanders is challenging no matter how much experience you have"
Dr Julian Thompson