The UK helicopter ambulance tasking study.

INTRODUCTION: Helicopter ambulances are a scarce and expensive resource and their use carries significant risk for crew and patients. AIMS: To establish and compare the tasking criteria, dispatch arrangements and crew configuration for all helicopter ambulance services in the United Kingdom. METHODS: Structured telephone interview of all helicopter ambulance services in the United Kingdom. RESULTS: Replies were received from all 16 UK air ambulance services. Crew configuration varies between services. Nine services had paramedic only crew, 3 had physician/paramedic crew and 4 had a paramedic crew with variable physician input. Only 2 of the 16 services used a paramedic in the dispatch process. There were 67 different tasking criteria used for air ambulance dispatch across all air ambulances with a range from 4 to 23 for individual air ambulance services. CONCLUSION: Given the financial burden and physical risk of air ambulance use, there should be a more standardised approach to the tasking, dispatch and crew configuration of air ambulances in the UK.