Air Ambulance

Providing a comprehensive health care system for an Island community means that on occasions we are reliant on hospitals in the United Kingdom for specialist investigations and interventions which we are unable to provide.

The Air Ambulance Service is a nurse-led service which operates 24/7 and is based at Noble's Hospital. The aim of the service is to co-ordinate the transfer of inpatients off-Island. The air ambulance service is responsible for the transfer of patients requiring an air ambulance as their mode of transfer. Patients requiring scheduled aircraft or boat transfer have their transport arrangements organised by Patient Transfers Section.

The air ambulance is a fixed wing aircraft based at Ronaldsway Airport and is dedicated for the process of transferring patients.

During TT, the helicopter 'air ambulance' is an off-Island service used purely to transport Island residents and race goers from point to point on-Island and is not used to transfer patients to the UK.

The aircraft is modified and includes a Lifeport system which incorporates an aerosled stretcher and patient loading system. This both enables a seamless transfer process and provides patient comfort. The aircraft can accommodate 2 patients (1x stretcher and 1x sitting) and 2 health care staff.

Patients requiring an escort to accompany them to/from the journey to the UK

The Air Ambulance Team will determine whether a patient requires an escort to accompany them on the journey and, if so, the type of escort. An escort may be:

• transfer practitioner (i.e. a member of the Air Ambulance Team)
• health care assistant
• voluntary worker
• friend or relative of the patient

Authorisation of a friend or relative in addition to a transfer practitioner means that the additional escort's travel costs to and from the UK may be funded by Manx Care and travel arrangements may be made by Manx Care, but does not automatically mean that the additional escort is able to accompany the patient on the air ambulance.

Please note that a friend or relative who has been authorised as an escort is only entitled to reasonable and necessary travel costs. An additional discretionary allowance of up to £50 per night may be paid towards accommodation costs if the person has to remain in the UK in private accommodation during the journey and this is pre-authorised by the Air Ambulance Team. No allowance may be paid towards any other expenses such as food or toiletries purchased on or for the journey.

A friend or relative will only be authorised by a member of the Air Ambulance Team on the grounds that: 

• the patient is a child under 18 years of age
• the patient is pregnant and attending the UK for treatment/confinement
• an escort is required to ensure the patient's safety (eg, the patient has learning difficulties or a physical incapacity or disability which would make it unsafe for the patient to travel alone)
• the escort required as an integral part of treatment plan (eg, the escort is the patient's living donor)

For further information contact:

If you wish to make a donation to Air Ambulance Service please make a cheque payable to Noble's Hospital stating how you would like your money spent:

1. to improve patients' comfort
2. nurse education
3. equipment for the Air Ambulance Service